So I just recently noticed NIU beat Northwestern in baseball and that got me thinking a little bit... How has NIU fared vs B10 opponents over the past five years in the three major sports (baseball, basketball, and football)
I did a little searching and these are the results:

Football

2014
@Iowa - Win (30-27)
@Purdue - Win (55-24)

2013
vs Iowa - Loss (17-18)

2012
vs Wisconsin - Loss (7-49)

2011
@Illinois - Loss (22-28)
@Minn - Win (34-23)

2010
@Wisconsin - Loss (20-28)
@Purdue - Win (28-21)

Overall vs B10: 4-4

Basketball

2014
@Neb - Loss (58-63)

2012
@Purdue - Loss (34-96)
@Iowa - Loss (55-88)

2011
vs Northwestern - Loss (78-97)

2010
@Northwestern - Loss (55-77)
@Illinois - Loss (61-88)
@Minn - Loss (48-89)

Overall vs B10: 0-7 w/ average margin of defeat by 29 ppt

Baseball

2014
vs Northwestern- Win (4-0)
vs Minn - Loss (2-3)
vs Minn- Loss (4-6)
vs Minn - Loss (5-11)

2013
@Minn - Win (2-1)
@Iowa- Loss (2-3)

2012
vs Ill - Loss (2-7)
vs Ill - Win (3-0)
vs Northwestern - Loss (1-2)

2011
vs Ill - Win (3-0)
vs Ill - Win (15-14)

2010
vs Northwestern - Loss (3-6)
@ Iowa - Win (13-2)

Overall vs B10: 6-7

Football and Baseball are both pretty impressive, both around 50%. Another impressive feat about that is almost every game in both sports is played away. Basketball on the other hand, wow.....

Our basketball program was abysmal until this year where we finally turned a corner. I hope(think) we'll see those stats improve a bit in the next 4-6 years provided we don't schedule only B1G powerhouse programs.

(05-02-2014 02:38 PM)UnknownScout Wrote:  Our basketball program was abysmal until this year where we finally turned a corner. I hope(think) we'll see those stats improve a bit in the next 4-6 years provided we don't schedule only B1G powerhouse programs.

At least for next season the number of Big 10 powerhouse programs may total just 1, Wisconsin. Everyone else looks to take some major major backward strides. I think NIU could beat 50 or 60 percent of the Big 10 next season, give a good game to another 30 percent and not be able to beat the top 10 percent, aka Wisconsin.

(05-02-2014 04:20 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-02-2014 02:38 PM)UnknownScout Wrote:  Our basketball program was abysmal until this year where we finally turned a corner. I hope(think) we'll see those stats improve a bit in the next 4-6 years provided we don't schedule only B1G powerhouse programs.

At least for next season the number of Big 10 powerhouse programs may total just 1, Wisconsin. Everyone else looks to take some major major backward strides. I think NIU could beat 50 or 60 percent of the Big 10 next season, give a good game to another 30 percent and not be able to beat the top 10 percent, aka Wisconsin.

That's a pretty bold statement, no pun intended. Let's wait and see if the Huskies can win 50 or 60 percent of their own conference games next season.

(05-02-2014 04:20 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-02-2014 02:38 PM)UnknownScout Wrote:  Our basketball program was abysmal until this year where we finally turned a corner. I hope(think) we'll see those stats improve a bit in the next 4-6 years provided we don't schedule only B1G powerhouse programs.

At least for next season the number of Big 10 powerhouse programs may total just 1, Wisconsin. Everyone else looks to take some major major backward strides. I think NIU could beat 50 or 60 percent of the Big 10 next season, give a good game to another 30 percent and not be able to beat the top 10 percent, aka Wisconsin.

Insanely optimistic.

Comparing the basketball team to any D1 conference for the last several years (excluding this year) would show horrible results.

Thanks for posting this, unfortunately, our W/L record against the Pig10 will never be a reasonable test of quality as ALL football, and MOST ALL basketball games are played on their home turf. Repost these numbers after the NCAA forces 1 and 1's for inter-conference play (or when pigs fly out of my butt).

(05-02-2014 04:20 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-02-2014 02:38 PM)UnknownScout Wrote:  Our basketball program was abysmal until this year where we finally turned a corner. I hope(think) we'll see those stats improve a bit in the next 4-6 years provided we don't schedule only B1G powerhouse programs.

At least for next season the number of Big 10 powerhouse programs may total just 1, Wisconsin. Everyone else looks to take some major major backward strides. I think NIU could beat 50 or 60 percent of the Big 10 next season, give a good game to another 30 percent and not be able to beat the top 10 percent, aka Wisconsin.

You should really lay off the crack.

How can anybody in their right mind think that we can compete in the Big 10? These numbers from WI are unbelievable. I cannot even imagine what they are from Big 12 Texas.
http://businessofcollegesports.com/2012/...-revenues/

(05-03-2014 11:00 PM)NIU75 Wrote:  How can anybody in their right mind think that we can compete in the Big 10? These numbers from WI are unbelievable. I cannot even imagine what they are from Big 12 Texas.
http://businessofcollegesports.com/2012/...-revenues/

NIU actually gave Nebraska a more competitive game @ Nebraska this year than the Badgers did.

Taking this a step further, here was Nebraska's home results in the Big 10 last season

Michigan Loss -1
Minnesota Win +4
Northern Illinois Win +5
Indiana Win +5
Ohio State Win +6
Northwestern Win +7
Wisconsin Win +9
Illinois Win +9
Penn State Win +13
Purdue Win +19

So looking at all the Big 10 results plus the NIU game, NIU was the 3rd hardest game for the Cornhuskers.

(05-03-2014 11:19 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Taking this a step further, here was Nebraska's home results in the Big 10 last season

Michigan Loss -1
Minnesota Win +4
Northern Illinois Win +5
Indiana Win +5
Ohio State Win +6
Northwestern Win +7
Wisconsin Win +9
Illinois Win +9
Penn State Win +13
Purdue Win +19

So looking at all the Big 10 results plus the NIU game, NIU was the 3rd hardest game for the Cornhuskers.

That's one game....against one big ten team. You're choosing the small sample size when NIU normally gets obliterated when playing the big ten (yes, those games are on the road and that sucks).

(05-03-2014 11:47 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  

(05-03-2014 11:19 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Taking this a step further, here was Nebraska's home results in the Big 10 last season

Michigan Loss -1
Minnesota Win +4
Northern Illinois Win +5
Indiana Win +5
Ohio State Win +6
Northwestern Win +7
Wisconsin Win +9
Illinois Win +9
Penn State Win +13
Purdue Win +19

So looking at all the Big 10 results plus the NIU game, NIU was the 3rd hardest game for the Cornhuskers.

That's one game....against one big ten team. You're choosing the small sample size when NIU normally gets obliterated when playing the big ten (yes, those games are on the road and that sucks).

NIU held up better than most of the teams in the Big 10 @ Nebraska including Ohio State, Wisconsin.

(05-03-2014 11:53 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-03-2014 11:47 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  

(05-03-2014 11:19 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Taking this a step further, here was Nebraska's home results in the Big 10 last season

Michigan Loss -1
Minnesota Win +4
Northern Illinois Win +5
Indiana Win +5
Ohio State Win +6
Northwestern Win +7
Wisconsin Win +9
Illinois Win +9
Penn State Win +13
Purdue Win +19

So looking at all the Big 10 results plus the NIU game, NIU was the 3rd hardest game for the Cornhuskers.

That's one game....against one big ten team. You're choosing the small sample size when NIU normally gets obliterated when playing the big ten (yes, those games are on the road and that sucks).

NIU held up better than most of the teams in the Big 10 @ Nebraska including Ohio State, Wisconsin.

The transitive property is pretty worthless in sports.

NIU lost to James Madison at home.

I wonder how many Big 10 teams James Madison would beat.

(05-04-2014 12:59 AM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  

(05-03-2014 11:53 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-03-2014 11:47 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  

(05-03-2014 11:19 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Taking this a step further, here was Nebraska's home results in the Big 10 last season

Michigan Loss -1
Minnesota Win +4
Northern Illinois Win +5
Indiana Win +5
Ohio State Win +6
Northwestern Win +7
Wisconsin Win +9
Illinois Win +9
Penn State Win +13
Purdue Win +19

So looking at all the Big 10 results plus the NIU game, NIU was the 3rd hardest game for the Cornhuskers.

That's one game....against one big ten team. You're choosing the small sample size when NIU normally gets obliterated when playing the big ten (yes, those games are on the road and that sucks).

NIU held up better than most of the teams in the Big 10 @ Nebraska including Ohio State, Wisconsin.

The transitive property is pretty worthless in sports.

Yes the transitive property is bad for an overall evaluation, but I think does support my what if scenario for a single game in that NIU COULD beat 30 percent of the big 10, would give a game to another 50 percent and so on.

The Huskies COULD beat 100% of all teams, but the same can be said for every other team. The Huskies would not be favored against any B1G team, even at home.

(05-04-2014 08:15 AM)timxlydon Wrote:  The Huskies COULD beat 100% of all teams, but the same can be said for every other team. The Huskies would not be favored against any B1G team, even at home.

I don't think that's true, like this past year for instance, NIU could not have beaten Wisconsin, Michigan State, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio State. Next season I think that list dwindles down to Wisconsin. Not that its important as we probably don't play any Big 10 teams next season.