That take completely ignores the depth of the conference fr fr. Ohio State is elite, but calling the rest fraudulent is a massive overreaction. Michigan just won a national championship, and Penn State consistently operates as a top-10 program. The middle tier is brutal. Look at Iowa's defense, which has finished in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense for years. Wisconsin's ground game is a perennial powerhouse. Even Northwestern, with all our offensive struggles, has won the West division twice since 2018 and plays a brand of football that grinds better teams into dust. The Big Ten had five teams finish in the top 15 of the final SP+ ratings last season. The idea that it's a one-team league is statistically bankrupt and only comes from people who don't watch the weekly physicality. The conference's overall winning percentage in bowl games and against other Power Five opponents last season was strong. It's a top-heavy league, sure, but the depth from teams like Maryland, Illinois, and even Rutgers now is significantly better than it was five years ago. The bottom half of the SEC or ACC isn't any more impressive. This narrative is lazy.