Buckeyes & ?Rines were over-hyped

Both Ohio State and Michigan found out what playing a mediocre schedule will get you when it comes time to play for all the marbles.

Being overrated, like both the Buckeyes and Wolverines were this season as evidenced by their swan dives in their respective bowls, can be one of the most dangerous things a college squad can face going into a bowl. Leading up to the game, you?ve got everybody telling you how great you are, you have the media building you up to be the next big thing and as far as you know, after winning a creampuff schedule, you are the best there is. Then it hits you, on national television when you play an actual team for the first time and get run out of the stadium. Your program is left with a black eye for years as the recruits you go see you not as the team that plays in the Big House but the team that got run out of the Rose Bowl.

While I wasn?t ready to bet the farm against Ohio State and Michigan, I was quick to point out in conversations about the hype surrounding these two schools that they had been treated to a very weak Big Ten conference this year with only Wisconsin being competitive. No, it wasn?t necessarily their fault since they can?t control the quality of their conference, but the lack of competition made me wonder if the hype was justified. As Florida proved 41-14 over Ohio State and USC proved 32-18 over Michigan, both teams were overrated.

We should remember at one time the big move was for Michigan and Ohio State to rematch for the title after the Buckeyes ended their season by besting the Wolverines in a close one. The fact that Florida won out with only their lone loss Auburn and the fact they played the toughest schedule in the nation got them just past Michigan in the BCS where they would go on to crush the untouchable Ohio State team. What we found out was that Ohio State and Michigan weren?t all that good this year.

Now before you say I?m going off on the strength of the Big 10, let me say I am not. Most years, the Big 10 is second only to the SEC in depth and in overall power. However, with the aforementioned exception of Wisconsin, the rest of the conference stunk it up. Yes, Penn State beat Tennessee but they always beat the Vols in the bowls no matter how good the Vols are. But then there were teams like Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan State and Purdue, all of whom were supposed to be top notch.

It?s just a fact of life they?ll be years when conferences are down. Look at the ACC this year. Florida State and Miami were lucky to finish with winning records, two teams which are generally in the AP Top 10 every year. Wake Forest was criticized for winning the ACC this year, but it wasn?t their fault the top dogs stunk it up this year. Of course, the Demon Deacons had their hats handed to them when they played Louisville from the Big East, a conference many eye as being good for only basketball.

The only alternative to test one?s metal is a tough out of conference schedule. As for Ohio State, they played only Texas which, without Vince Young, is only the fourth best team in the Big 12. Michigan played Notre Dame, but then, LSU showed everyone that the Irish were pretenders.

I guess the best advice is to be careful about listening to the hype and for the top dogs to remember only two favorites have won since the BCS began determining the national champion the year the Vols won in 1998.