Big Ten players are slow

Depends how you look at it. Check out NFL draft picks over the past decade and you'll find Big Ten players at every position. But there's clearly something to the stereotype. Two reasons: Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler set the standard in this league, and they preferred football in the trenches. And plenty of Big Ten coaches still believe that linemen win games, not receivers. Reason No. 2: The Big Ten sees a lot of SEC competition in bowl games. The SEC makes everybody look slow.

Myth

You better pack your long johns

Fall Saturdays in Big Ten country are beautiful. The leaves turn, the air gets crisp. But don't forget the cold. Of the 44 Big Ten games on the 2010 schedule, the kickoff temperature was less than 50 degrees for 17. That's almost 40 percent. Eight games began with temperatures in the 40s, eight more in the 30s. And one — Iowa at Minnesota — was 23 degrees at kickoff. Yes, there's the occasional 70-degree November day. But more often, Bo Pelini's hooded sweatshirt will be just the right wardrobe choice.

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Ohio State is on the cusp of demise

Not unless the Buckeyes suddenly lose the ability to recruit Ohio. And the program has too much tradition for that to happen, with or without Jim Tressel, with or without major NCAA sanctions. Ohio State might not win its seventh straight Big Ten title this year, but the talent shelves are still stocked. Expect OSU to continue competing for championships, at least for the next five years.

Myth

You have to run the ball to win

The past five years, eight teams have won or shared the conference championship. Only one — Michigan State last year — finished outside the Big Ten's top four in rushing offense. "Teams that can run the football are going to have the best chance of winning a Big Ten championship," said former Minnesota coach Tim Brewster. "The weather is not conducive for relying on the passing game in October, November and December."

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Big Ten road games are a bear

The perception is that Big Ten stadiums are much larger than Big 12 stadiums, so it must be harder to win on the road. Not true. At least not last year. In 2010, Big 12 home teams went 22-21 in conference play. In the Big Ten, home teams were 23-19, a negligible difference. Recently, opponents have proven very capable of winning at mammoth venues like Penn State and Michigan (a good sign for Nebraska, which faces the Nittany Lions and Wolverines on the road in back-to-back weeks).

Myth

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