Ohio State, Penn State Lead Big Ten Pack

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Some of the best examples of consistency in college football can be found in the Big Ten.

There’s Ohio State, the school that’s won at least a share of the last four conference titles. There’s Penn State, led by Joe Paterno, the 82-year-old Hall of Fame coach entering his 44th year on the job.

Here’s one trend, though, the Big Ten would like to reverse in 2009: its embarrassing showing in bowl games. A 1-6 record in bowls last postseason, and a winless streak in Bowl Championship Series games since 2005 has fueled critics’ talk that the conference doesn’t compare to the SEC and Big 12.

“I think it’s unfair to beat down the Big Ten, because every game we play in a bowl game is an away game,“ Paterno said. “I don’t think it’s any indication” of weakness.

“I think the Big Ten is a very strong conference. Whether we don’t win a couple bowl games a couple years in a row ... I wouldn’t judge it on three-four games,“ Paterno said.

Only Iowa won its bowl game (Outback) last season. Penn State tied for its second Big Ten crown in four years and went to the Rose Bowl after defeating Ohio State in the regular season.

But Pasadena didn’t work out for the Nittany Lions after Southern California ended Penn State’s three-game bowl winning streak.

Once-powerful Michigan didn’t even get to the postseason, ending a 33-year streak. Coach Rich Rodriguez hopes the second year of his rebuilding job in Ann Arbor brings more success than last year’s dismal 3-9 record.

The Buckeyes lost to Texas in the Fiesta Bowl, which followed lopsided defeats the previous two years in the BCS title game for Ohio State.

Coach Jim Tressel and his Big Ten colleagues are aware of the whispers.

But, Tressel said at Big Ten media days in Chicago, “I don’t know if anyone in this conference has an inferiority complex ... If you watch ball games, our guys will play toe-to-toe with anyone.“

Not to worry, coach: the Buckeyes could get another chance to prove their BCS mettle.

Ohio State and Penn State are the favorites again, though both teams have enough question marks that dark horse contenders like Iowa and Michigan State could break through.

It could all come down to the Nov. 7 showdown between Ohio State and Penn State in Happy Valley.

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