Buckeyes hope to end Big Ten slump
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The Ohio State Buckeyes are carrying the Big Ten's banner - what's left of it.
The Big Ten has lost five of its six bowl games this postseason, and most haven't been close. If the underdog 10th-ranked Buckeyes (10-2) lose to No. 3 Texas (11-1) in the Fiesta Bowl on Monday night, the conference will have six bowl losses in the same postseason for the first time.
"It's going to add to the pressure," Ohio State offensive tackle Alex Boone said Friday.
The Big Ten's bowl struggles haven't happened overnight. The league last posted a winning bowl record in 2002, when the Buckeyes stunned No. 1 Miami in the Fiesta Bowl to win the national title and cap a 5-2 postseason for the conference.
Since then, the Big Ten is 15-27 in bowls, including 3-7 in Bowl Championship Series contests. The league has lost its five BCS games by an average of 20 points.
"I can't put a finger on it," Buckeyes receiver Brian Hartline said.
Wisconsin kicked off the misery with a 42-13 loss to Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl. Then, No. 22 Northwestern lost the Alamo Bowl to No. 25 Missouri, 30-23 in overtime. It was the sixth straight bowl loss for the Wildcats, whose lone postseason victory came in 1949.
Next, Minnesota lost to Kansas 42-21 in the Insight Bowl. On New Year's Day, No. 19 Michigan State lost to No. 16 Georgia 24-12 in the Capital One Bowl.
The Big Ten's only victory in this postseason came in the Outback Bowl, where Iowa hammered South Carolina 31-10.
Later in the day, sixth-ranked Penn State fell to No. 3 Southern California 38-24 in the Rose Bowl - a respectable final score after the Trojans led 31-7 at halftime.
"We can't really argue with what people say because the Big Ten hasn't played well in the bowl games," cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. "But that really has nothing to do with what we do as a team. Of course it's unfortunate to see our conference play out like that, but at the same time, we can come out with a win and a lot of things will change."