Will Big Ten bowl opponents be fired up?

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

No FBS conference has a bleaker bowl outlook than the Big Ten, which has the underdog in six of seven games, including two BCS contests (Rose and Fiesta).

With three matchups against the mighty Big 12, another against the preseason No. 1 (Georgia) and yet another against a team many consider the best in the nation (USC), the Big Ten has been widely projected to take a major beating the next two weeks. But there’s a critical component in all of this that could help the Big Ten in a big way.

It’s clear that Big Ten teams have a ton to prove in the postseason. But do their opponents?

I’m interested to see how teams like USC, Texas, Georgia and Missouri will approach their bowl matchups. All of those squads had loftier goals — either before or during the season — than facing a supposedly lowly Big Ten team in a bowl.

USC always shows up in big games, but will the Trojans be amped up for another Rose Bowl matchup against the Big Ten? The Trojans have owned the Big Ten this decade, and Penn State is being grouped in with its conference brethren. Few are giving the Nittany Lions a chance in this game, and you have to wonder how much Big Ten bashing has filtered down to USC players. Penn State is much better than most casual Big Ten observers think, and the Lions will beat a team that lacks fire.

And then there’s Texas. The Longhorns could come out hot in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, using their title game snub as kindling. Or they could lack a mental edge and underestimate an Ohio State team that has struggled recently in national showcase games but still boasts a ton of talent.

Does Georgia really want to face Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl? The Bulldogs were supposed to build on their strong finish to 2007, but injuries and several poor performances knocked them out of BCS contention. Michigan State can’t match Georgia’s talent, but you can bet the Spartans will be prepared, and they could want this game more than the Bulldogs.

Missouri entered the season as a Top 10 team, with legitimate hopes for a national title run. Now the Tigers have four losses and face a Northwestern team that has flown under the radar in the Big Ten. San Antonio was not Missouri’s destination of choice entering the season, while the Wildcats are thrilled to be there.

This bowl season could go as forecasted for the Big Ten, which would be very bad for the league’s already damaged reputation.

But don’t be surprised if Big Ten teams own the mental edge in some of these games, giving them a shot at an upset or two.

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