I've said it before, but for some reason Mark Schlabach and Ivan Maisel want everyone to believe the Big Ten is perpetually weak, despite always seeming to contend for the national title. This week they released their "Three Things I Can't Wait To See This Fall In The Big Ten."

Snappy title, boys.

From Maisel:

Behind the Buckeyes, the race gets interesting. Wisconsin will challenge. After the Badgers, which team comes next? Is Illinois ready to handle being the hunted? Can quarterback Juice Williams run for 755 yards again, without first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall there to distract the defense? Some challenger will emerge from mediocrity. Penn State? Iowa? Michigan State? Northwestern?

I always love it when a writer is supposedly giving some advanced scouting/reviewing knowledge to us and he mentions 64% of the teams in a conference. And with lots of question marks. Apparently, not only is Purdue not worthy of a mention as a potential emerger from mediocrity but neither is, um, Michigan? Perhaps you've heard f them, Ivan. And what kind of name is "Ivan," anyway? Are you a russky?

Other snippets from these two yo-yos:

Some challenger will emerge from mediocrity.

Linebacker U could use a linebacker.

Was Illinois' success in 2007 a fluke?

Can Ohio State return to a third straight BCS title game? Perhaps only Buckeyes fans want them back there.

Man, sure sounds like the Big Ten is a bunch of questionable suckiness. Even the teams that did well are either potential "flukes" or a team nobody wants to see return to the national title game. Everyone else is basically "mediocre."

And mind you, this is all within their three things they're looking forward to.

Solid reporting.