B1G Time: Oregon looks to cap Big Ten power trifecta in first season as Penn State looms in league title game

In the recent history of the Big Ten, three programs have dominated the football field: Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State. During the Big Ten’s geographical division era (where have you gone, dear Legends and Leaders!), the three conference powers were forced to share the East and compete against one another every season. In those 10 seasons locked together, they went 168-32 (.840) against everyone else in the Big Ten.

Ohio State

15-4 (.789)

63-3 (.955)

Michigan

10-9 (.526)

53-13 (.803)

Penn State

4-16 (.200)

52-16 (.765)

Now, in the first year of the new-look, divisionless 18-team super-conference, Oregon has a chance to beat all three and win the Big Ten in its first season as a member.

Should Oregon finish the job Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium by beating Penn State in the Big Ten Championship Game, it would be hard to argue that any program has had a more successful first season in a power league than the Ducks. Oregon has been one of the most successful programs in the country over the last 20 years, but its accomplishments have often been disregarded due to failures on the national stage.

Winning the Pac-12 six times in 15 years never carried much weight among those outside the West Coast when they could easily point to failures in both a BCS title game and a CFP title game. Never mind that the Ducks got there! They lost! And to teams from the mighty SEC and Big Ten at that!

The irony, of course, is that Dan Lanning was unable to break through in his first two seasons at Oregon. Last year’s team was one of the best in the country, but it couldn’t get over the Washington hump. Although it destroyed Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl, nobody is going to give you credit for destroying Liberty in a major bowl game. That’s what you’re supposed to do.

Beating Penn…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/b1g-time-oregon-looks-to-cap-big-ten-power-trifecta-in-first-season-as-penn-state-looms-in-league-title-game/

Author : Tom Fornelli

Publish date : 2024-12-03 15:37:00

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