Big 10 BCS Road Record

Yesterday began a look at the BCS conferences and their non-conference road schedules during the BCS Era. The theory being that road records are a legitimate indication of the strength of a team and a conference since you face more hardships and usually tougher opponents when away from home. Today the Big 10

Big 10 Non-Conference Road Results
Total vs BCS
61-58 51% 32-47 40.5%

vs. ACC
6-2 75%

vs Big East
9-3 75%

vs Big 12
5-10 33%

vs Pac 10
6-18 25%

vs SEC
0-4 0%

vs Notre Dame
6-10 38%

Notes on the Big 10 Road Record 1998-2008
* The Big 3 of the Big 10 (Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan) see little or no reason to wander away from campus too many times. Over the 11-years period that the BCS has been around these three programs have played a total of 26 non-conference games away from home. All but one of those were return visits to other BCS programs. Ohio State played Cincinnati in 2002. Michigan has hit the road 10 times in 11 years, Ohio State 9 times and Penn State only 7 times.

JoePa doesn’t think much of the question on if Penn State will schedule more road games against other BCS teams.

That means that the other 8 Big 10 teams accounted for 93 of the 119 road games played by league teams durning the BCS Era.

* OHio State was 5-3 against BCS opponents during this stretch, losing to Miami, UCLA and USC, while beating West Virginia, Arizona, North Carolina State, Texas and Washington.

* Penn State is 3-4 away from Happy Valley, beating Pitt, Miami and Syracuse, while losing to Notre Dame, Pitt, Miami and USC.

* Michigan is 3-7 away from home, beating Notre Dame, Syracue and Hawaii while losing to Notre Dame four times as well as to UCLA, Washington, and Oregon.

* Minnesota has played the least number of road games against other BCS schools. Out of the 11 times the Gophers have hit the road, only 2 were against BCS opponents.

*Illinois has been away from home the most -- 14 times.

* Michigan State has the best road record (6-2) with all eight games coming against other BCS opponents.

* Wisconsin has played 11 road games in 11 years, only four gainst BCS teams. Of course they have had trips to play San Diego State, Hawaii, Oregon, UNLV, and Fresno during that time.