With Iowa losing to a MAC school this weekend, the non-bowl, out-of-conference schedule is complete.  35-9 for the Big Ten.

The fact that only two of the teams played were ranked in the top 25 only underscores the need for reform in the way schedules are being manipulated to ensure that a team is bowl-eligible despite being less than average.  

The Big Ten is making a big deal about having 10 teams qualified for bowls, but the current system is allowing them to pad their schedule with 4 "easy" games meaning they only need to win 2 games in conference play is starting to make the whole system a joke.  

The only question is how much longer it will take the NCAA to get enough balls to stand up to (Big Ten) Commissioner Jim Delany and start requiring more responsible scheduling.

I, personally, would favour a scheme requiring any BCS conference school to play at least two of their non-league matches against other BCS conferences or Notre Dame (who in most years is not an easy win).  Although we know top teams will still try to play lesser teams from the other conferences, it still would have some effect.  I'm sure two years ago an unwitting athletic director would have scheduled Kansas thinking of them as an easy win in 2007.  Boy, would they have gotten a surprize.