We said this earlier in January: There is no elite team in the Big Ten. We noted that Michigan State, though unbeaten in conference play, had played almost all of its conference games at home. Michigan State’s one road game in the league entering Sunday at Purdue was a game at Northwestern, one of the two terrible teams in the conference alongside Nebraska.
Michigan State, in other words, had not yet been challenged on the road in Big Ten play, due to its home-game-heavy schedule to start the conference season.
Guess what happened when the Spartans and Tom Izzo had to play a decent — but not even especially good — opponent on Sunday in West Lafayette? Michigan State was DEMOLISHED by Purdue, not merely beaten. The Boilermakers were 9-7 entering the game, but like the 9-7 Tennessee Titans, they looked like world-beaters against the first-place team in their conference. (Sports are funny that way.)
The Michigan State-Purdue result confirms our thesis at Badgers Wire: There is indeed no elite team in the Big Ten. Michigan State is not a Goliath looking down on everyone else. The Spartans are not a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They look a lot more like a 3 or 4 seed than a 1 or a 2 seed.
Guess what, then, Wisconsin fans? The Badgers can win the Big Ten. No, I wouldn’t BET on that, but I would certainly say that UW can make a run at the conference championship.
Yes, the loss to Illinois could really hurt the Badgers in two months, when we look at the final Big Ten standings, but Illinois is currently holding a second-place position in the Big Ten. Do you think the Illini will hold that position? If Illinois can be second now, Wisconsin can be second at a later point in time… and if Wisconsin can be second, it can make its way to first place.
Remember: The Badgers have won two Big Ten road games, and not against Nebraska or Northwestern. Wisconsin has beaten the kinds of teams Michigan State has not yet shown it can beat in the Big Ten away from East Lansing. If Wisconsin keeps winning some rock fights on the road in the conference, and Michigan State gains the same “Jekyll and Hyde” identity so many other Big Ten teams have in road games compared to home games, the Badgers will be in the thick of the hunt at the very end, in early March.
The Big Ten is wide open. Wisconsin can be part of the party. Don’t let anyone tell you this league is unwinnable for the Badgers.