As the Big Ten schedule wears on, it becomes increasingly easy to identify qualitative differences between teams and separate them into tiers. Where there were once four teams at the bottom, a large middle class, and two title contenders, the shape of the conference has changed, if only slightly. Three teams sit firmly in the cellar, while clearer lines of stratification have formed among the middle of the pack. Teams like Purdue and Maryland are steadily creeping toward Michigan and Michigan State, while Indiana and Nebraska have taken steps back.
Let’s explore these points of separation more fully:
14.