Big Ten Hoops and Helmets: Bowl and (would’ve made the) NCAA Tournament
4. Michigan State
Football: 7-6 overall, 4-5 in conference, 5th in Big Ten East
Basketball: 22-9 overall, 14-6 in conference, T1st in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Just when it seemed like the basketball season was going to be a major disappointment – losing four games in five – it went on a five-game winning streak to close things out.
Just when it seemed like the football season was going to be a major disappointment – losing five straight games, including to Ohio State Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan by a combined score of 144-27 – it went on a three-game winning streak to close things out. Taking out Wake Forest in the Pinstripe Bowl ended a winning campaign.
3. Penn State
Football: 11-2 overall, 7-2 in conference, 2nd in Big Ten East
Basketball: 21-10 overall, 11-9 in conference, 5th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? It was a fantastic football season with only a tough-fight loss at Ohio State and in a great battle against an inspired Minnesota. The Nittany Lions won everything else, including a 53-39 Cotton Bowl shootout over Memphis.
Just when it seemed like the basketball team might be the Big Ten champion, it took a 20-5 start and fumbled it away losing five of its last six games. Even so, it would’ve been around a 7-seed in the big tournament.
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2. Ohio State
Football: 13-1 overall, 9-0 in conference, 1st in Big Ten East
Basketball: 21-10 overall, 11-9 in conference, T5th in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? This was a national championship-level season that came up just short, but the Buckeye football team 1) rim-rocked Michigan again, 2) won another conference championship, and 3) came up with a great battle in a College Football Playoff loss to Clemson. By any reasonable measure, it was an outstanding year.
The basketball team suffered a run of six losses in seven midseason games, but turned it on to go 9-3 over the final 12 games. It would’ve earned around a 5-seed in the NCAAs.
1. Wisconsin
Football: 10-4 overall, 7-2 in conference, T1st in Big Ten West
Basketball: 21-10 overall, 14-6 in conference, T1st in Big Ten
How Were The Football/Basketball Seasons? Once again, Wisconsin won a whole lot without anything really, really big.
The football team got to the Big Ten Championship, but it lost to Ohio State – no shame there. However, they gave away the Rose Bowl to Oregon.
The basketball side looked like the NCAA Tournament might be a problem. UW was 13-10 in early February, but it all kicked in with an eight-game winning streak to win a piece of the Big Ten regular season championship.
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