My Take: Arguments For or Against the Big Ten Contenders

This year's Big Ten race is by far one of the craziest we've seen in quite some time. Two teams that have met head-to-head. Two teams that have not seen each other this season. Then add in a potential BCS tie breaker, and you have perhaps the hardest Big Ten championship to decide in decades. So why not make the discussion a little easier with the arguments for and against all three of the Big Ten contenders.

Michigan State

For
The Spartans are having perhaps their best season in school history. A 10-1 record, and a solid victory over Wisconsin early in the season. Not to mention thrilling victories over Notre Dame and on the road at Northwestern. Michigan State has proven week in and week out that they find a way to win football games. So the does Michigan State prove the theory that "good teams find a way to win?"

Against
Sparty may be having a great season, but we do have to look at who this season has been played against. The win over Notre Dame was exciting, but how good are the Fighting Irish? The answer to that question is not really that good. Add in the win against Wisconsin and you have perhaps a marquee win this season, but the win came over a group of Badgers that were not healthy, and were struggling at the time. So does Michigan State deserve the Big Ten title...if it's between Wisconsin and Michigan State they probably do because they beat the Badgers in East Lansing. Unfortunately this race isn't between just the Badgers and Spartans, and not playing Ohio State may come back to hurt the Spartans in the end.

Ohio State

For
The Buckeyes have been impressive again this season, and without a hiccup at Camp Randall they would already have at least a share of the title locked up. If not a shot at the national championship in line as well. Ohio State is a talented football team, and deserves everything they have achieved this season. Not to mention a key home win against Miami (FL) earlier this season is perhaps the best non-conference win of any of the Big Ten championship contenders.

Against
Brutus has looked impressive this season, but the fact remains that they lost to Wisconsin. Despite what Terrell Pryor may say the fact is that they lost that game, and going down 21-0 to start the game doesn't help any argument that they are better than the Badgers. Add in the fact that they do not play against Michigan State, and you have a major problem for the Buckeyes. Without a game against the Spartans the Buckeyes conference schedule may not be as tough as Wisconsin's.

Wisconsin

For
The Badgers have continuously gotten better this season, and wins over Ohio State and Iowa in consecutive weeks this season are impressive to say the least. Wisconsin right now look like a team that could play with anybody in the country, and perhaps would beat the Spartans if they met again this year. The win over Ohio State eliminates any argument that the Badgers are better than the Buckeyes, and should give them the Big Ten championship.

Against
But the loss to the Spartans is the complicating factor in the whole deal. If Wisconsin had beaten Michigan State this argument would be useless. Unfortunately for Badger fans that is not the case. Add in the soft non-conference schedule and you've got one big pickle with the BCS. Another important key factor to keep in mind as well is that even though the Badgers may look like the better team right now when it comes to Wisconsin-Michigan State, it is important to remember that games in September count the same in the loss column. Unfortunately for Wisconsin that game put a notch in the loss column.

The Verdict

This decision is hard to make, but if we've learned anything over the past few years it is that how you finish is more an important than how you start. The Buckeyes started off great, and still look great making them one of the two teams we would choose to be in a final argument. The Badgers could also be put in that argument because of how they have played since defeating Ohio State at Camp Randall. Michigan State on the other hand has looked at times like an average football team. Just look at last Saturday's match-up against the "Patch-Work" Purdue Boilermakers.

While not all three of these teams have played each other we can look at the "third grader" point of view to sort this all out. Wisconsin and Ohio State defeated Iowa at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The Spartans on the other hand were taken to the woodshed against the Hawkeyes. That knocks out Michigan State.

That leaves us with just Ohio State and Wisconsin. Unfortunately for Buckeye fans they did play each other, and the Badgers handled Ohio State. Which leaves us with just one team standing on top of the hill...the Badgers. But keep in mind this all goes for nothing if just one of these teams loses this weekend....