[NU Sports] Could the wheel be turning?

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

NU alum and SI writer Stewart Mandel (one of the best out there for the college game, IMO) loves to say how conference dominance is cyclical. The SEC is certainly on top now with the last few B(C)S titles, and the Big XII was the hot pick (though overrated) a couple years back while the Big Ten was the one everyone was kicking around after being on top to start the 2000s (and doing better against the SEC than commonly thought the latter half of the decade).

But as I go through the preseason publications and looking at the last couple years, it seems the wheel is indeed turning again. We all know the Big XII will become a Big Two once Nebraska realigns next year, but that term -- long used to deride the Big Ten as OSU/Michigan dominated -- could just as well be applied to the SEC. We know Florida and Bama are loaded, but last year the third SEC team was LSU, who finished No. 17. And this year, it seems that the bronze spot in the SEC is anybody's guess. Some seem to think Arkansas could be the one, others are convinced that Auburn, who barely beat us in Tampa, is it ... but no one really has an SEC team in the top 15 aside from the Big Two.

Compare that with the Big Ten. Ohio State, Iowa, Penn State, Wisconsin and soon-to-be-member Nebraska finished ahead of #3 LSU last year and all five are ranked before the #3 Tigers in the preseason coaches poll. Contrast that with a couple years back in 2007, when you found four SEC teams in the top 15 and only one Big Ten team.

Of course, the real proof comes in how we do in the BCS and title games, but last year's big bowl wins by OSU, PSU, Iowa and Wisky carried over into this year ... Nebraska is also surging and coming aboard ... and you gotta figure that sleeping giant Michigan will awake soon (either with a RichRod turnaround this year or by finding a new coach next year). This league is loaded and with NU, Purdue and MSU on the rise recently, it's gonna be brutal! As a fan, you gotta be excited about watching the football in this league over the next few years. More giants for NU to kill!:)

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

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STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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