Tough slate of bowl opponents for the conference. Your Big Ten Bowlers:
Champs Sports
Wisconsin vs. Florida State Orlando, Fla.
Florida Citrus Bowl Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m.
Alamo
Missouri vs. Northwestern San Antonio
Alamodome Dec. 29, 8 p.m.
Insight
Kansas vs. Minnesota Tempe, Ariz.
Sun Devil Stadium Dec. 31, 5:30 p.m.
Outback
South Carolina vs. Iowa Tampa, Fla.
Raymond James Stadium Jan. 1, 2009, 11 a.m.
Capital One
Georgia vs. Michigan State Orlando, Fla.
Florida Citrus Bowl Jan. 1, 2009, 1 p.m.
Rose Bowl Game
Penn State vs. USC Pasadena, Calif.
Rose Bowl Jan. 1, 2009, 4:30 p.m.
Fiesta
Ohio State vs. Texas Glendale, Ariz.
University of Phoenix Stadium Jan. 5, 2009, 8 p.m.
Haven't seen any odds yet, but I have to think that Iowa is the only team that will be favored*. The Champs Sports Bowl is likely to be an ugly Wisconsin loss. Kansas and Missouri aren't great, but they're better than the soft middle of Big Ten**. Similarly, even though Georgia is wildly over-rated on an annual basis, Sparty's in for a solid pounding in the Cap One. We already know Penn State and Ohio State will be underdogs***.
The theme for Big Ten bowl teams? Nothing to lose. It's not like the conference's reputation could get much worse.
* - That may be last-resort wishful thinking in order to just have one favored team.
** - Although I could totally see Northwestern winning that game, somehow.