CFB: The Spirit of the Big Ten
In preparation for this piece, I spoke with Kodi Kieler, former Michigan State Spartans offensive lineman, who was a very key component of the 2015 team that won the Big Ten Conference and reached the College Football Playoff against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
With college football looming right around the corner, it is always fun to take a look at football's hardest working conference ... the Big Ten - founded in 1896 and originally named the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives, the Big Ten has been a gateway to many successes such as the Rose Bowl and the NFL.
It is the oldest conference in the country and features the winningest team in college football history in Michigan. It boasts the most national championships of any active conference, since the Ivy League has not been in the same division since 1955. To give more insight of what it is like to a member of the Big Ten, we asked Kieler a series of questions which he answered thoroughly. Check out the transcript below:
1. Who was your favorite player to play against?
Kodi: Joey Bosa, he had it all with speed, strength and smarts. I was able to mix it up mentally to combat his strength and speed, and thankfully never let him by.
2. What was it like playing for Mark D'antonio?
Kodi: I absolutely loved playing for Coach D'antonio. He is the type of leader you want to go out and battle for every Saturday. Also a man you want to be like.
3. What was your favorite venue to play at?
Kodi: Spartan Stadium, my most memorable moment was actually a game I didn't even play in. The sky was red that day when we played Boise State the very first time I walked onto Spartan Stadium, that was painted green and white on the rows of seating. Another venue was playing Michigan and beating them in the not so Big House!
4. Who do you think will win the Big Ten this upcoming season?
Kodi: Of course I am going with Michigan State, but after that it's up in the air. I think Ohio State and Penn State will have good teams with Nebraska, Iowa, or Wisconsin sneaking (into) the championship from the west.
Of course, thank you again to Kodi Kieler for giving us an inside perspective. With the Big Ten having such success in recent years with Ohio State winning a national championship the first year of the playoff and the Big Ten having a playoff team every year since it's creation, we would expect no different this year. Look out for at least one Big Ten team to be playing for their season on January 1, 2018, in the fourth College Football Playoff.
Photo Credit: Michigan State Spartans.
