You're missing the entire point of why the Big Ten is a grind. It's not just about the top three teams, it's about the depth. There are no free wins anymore. Even the so-called bottom feeders have NFL talent and can beat anyone on a given Saturday. Look at the resources across the entire league now. The middle tier is brutal. Purdue's schedule is tough, no doubt, but acting like other teams are skating by is a weak narrative. everybody has to navigate the same expanded league, and the physical style week in and week out takes a toll you don't see in other conferences. The strength of schedule metrics prove it's a deeper league top to bottom. Crying about schedule luck is what programs do when they can't develop talent. The great teams find a way. The new structure means you have to be ready every single week, because there are no easy outs. The gauntlet is real, and it separates the contenders from the pretenders by November. Purdue's path is harder, but that's the challenge of being in the premier conference. You either build to meet it or get left behind.