Joel Klatt calls the B1G the 'best and deepest conference' in football
Folks in B1G country have an ally in Joel Klatt. Maybe they already knew that, but if not, his comments about the conference in BTN’s latest Take Ten podcast will have even his critics rethinking his worth.
Klatt has made it apparent that he believes the B1G is one of the most undervalued conferences in college football. But heading into the 2018 season, the FOX Sports analyst isn’t afraid to say what he’s really thinking.
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.
He believes the B1G is the best conference in the sport.
During his appearance on the Take Ten podcast, Klatt was asked which team he thought would have the best shot to win the conference and make a push for the College Football Playoff. Klatt could only narrow it down to five teams.
I think Wisconsin has a chance to be, potentially, one of the better Wisconsin teams that we’ve seen. I think Ohio State could be even more dynamic than what they’ve been in the past, in particular on the offensive side. Michigan has a chance to be the best version of Michigan under Jim Harbaugh, with more quality quarterback play and a defense that’s top three in college football.
Michigan State has all but basically two starters back…that team won 10 games and got all that experience and they’re going to be a factor again. And Penn State has recruited to a point and has their quarterback back. Trace McSorley is undefeated at home as a starting quarterback.
After providing a brief breakdown of each of the five contenders, Klatt admitted that he had no idea who would survive the conference because of the talent and depth from top to bottom.
You’ve got all those factors, alone, in (the East) division. It’s really hard to favor anyone.
A long-winded answer to tell you it is the best and deepest conference in the country. Having these five teams together is very similar to having Washington, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama and Clemson all in one conference together.
Klatt isn’t wrong. The B1G has five teams ranked in the top 15 in most preseason media polls, with four of those coming from the East Division. And with nine conference games on the schedule, the league is essentially beating itself up from Week 1 through Week 14.
It’s also nice to know that not everyone believes the SEC West is the king of college football.