This is what the B1G wanted.

If there was any doubt that the B1G has resurfaced as one of the premier conferences in college football, it was completely dashed when the Associated Press released its preseason top 25 poll.

Four teams, one conference, all in the top 11 spots. In cased you missed it, here’s where the four B1G teams fell when the poll was released on Monday:

  • No. 2 Ohio State
  • No. 6 Penn State
  • No. 9 Wisconsin
  • No. 11 Michigan

No other conference had more than two teams ranked in those top 11 spots. Alabama, which took the top spot in the AP poll, was the only representative from the SEC.

But “it just means more,” right?

Apparently, the B1G just means more to the Associated Press.

Sports Betting in Big Ten Country

There is big news coming to the upcoming 2022-23 Big Ten football season (and NFL season). Ohio online sports betting and Maryland sports betting are on the way.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

The respect the B1G demanded last fall has translated into the 2017 preseason. The AP overlooked the rough bowl season the B1G endured (again). The overall 3-7 mark, which included an 0-5 record from the mighty B1G East, wasn’t a deterrent in the minds of the voters. Instead, the focus was on Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan all posting 10 or more wins last fall. The tremendous hype surrounding each program was taken into account, too.

Remember the “SEC bias” everyone used to holler about? That’s slowly transitioning into a B1G bias.

Maybe “bias” isn’t a great word to use in that context. Each of the four teams from the B1G have the ability to be dominant in their own right. All have shown the ability to battle with some of the nation’s top teams. It’s just somewhat unproven.

RELATED: 2017 AP Preseason Poll

Ohio State was clobbered by Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl last season. Penn State and Michigan couldn’t fend off late surges from USC and Florida State, respectively. Wisconsin won the Cotton Bowl, but trumped a team from the MAC to claim the B1G’s most significant bowl victory.

No, bowl season isn’t the most important thing in judging a conference. And, to be fair, the Associated Press is grading each team on an individual basis, it’s not a contest among conferences. That’s for Saturday Tradition and Saturday Down South to debate.

But you can’t help but look at the poll and think “really? After the way last season ended?”

The B1G proved it belonged in the big boy conversation last season. With four teams all hitting the double digit-win mark, that’s a pretty convincing argument. But, as a conference, the B1G has to do more. It’s not just about national championships. It’s about building depth, winning Power Five matchups and showing up during bowl season.

All of those can be accomplished this fall.

The AP has put a lot of faith in the B1G. You could even call it a little bit of a bias. And it’s exactly what the B1G wanted.

Now it just has to prove that it was worthy of having four teams in the top 11 spots in the first place.