As Huskers Make Debut, Big Ten Football Has Lost Uniqueness
At some point in recent years during this national mish-mosh of market share, realignment, boards of regents and conference rejects, actual Big Ten football became homogenized.
The style -- the thing that made it a conference for all those decades -- is now mixed in with the rest of the sport's gene pool. Three of the most iconic words in college football are no longer Big Ten football, they are Big Ten Network. Cable-system carriage seems more important than total carries. Foot speed has been replaced by footprint.
Woody and Bo are now Luke and Danny. Legends like Red Grange and leaders like Eddie George used to be labels for people, not six-team divisions.
Ohio State and Michigan have new coaches. Sadly, neither one of them has yet destroyed a yard marker. The one-time Big Two are now part of an even dozen which calls itself Ten. It seems like at one time or another, half the league is running the spread option. Just like everyone else.
