Ok, I have a confession...I'm one of those fans that loves bowl discussions, projections, and hypotheticals.  It's a big reason why I love the bowl system and oppose a playoff.  Anyway I was watching BTN's Football and Beyond tonight and they were talking about the Big Ten's chances of a second BCS berth.

Obviously the only possibilities are a 10-2 Nebraska or a 10-2 Michigan, but the analysis struck me as interesting.

Basically, here's what one of the analysts said based on his "contacts" in the relevant bowls:

The Fiesta Bowl badly, badly wants Oklahoma-Nebraska, and if OU doesn't make the NCG and if NU finishes 10-2, it's happening.  The Fiesta's had a rough year with the scandal and last year's dud of a game.  NU/OU would be a huge coup for their bottom line and ratings.  If Michigan was the 10-2 team, the Fiesta would take Stanford and let Michigan fall to the Sugar Bowl.

The Sugar Bowl would love Michigan.  For that to happen, Houston must lose as they are automatically in if they win out and the Sugar gets left holding the bag in that scenario.  The Sugar Bowl is in a tough spot if Alabama is the rep from the SEC as there's literally (in my opinion) nobody available to them who could make it a game with the Tide.  At least with Michigan, they'd have a big game brand-wise.

So there we go.  Obviously all of this assumes Nebraska doesn't make Indianapolis, which is a bit of a disappointment, but I don't think there's a fan on here who wouldn't feel better about things with a matchup with OU in a BCS bowl.  We'll know much more about our chances after Saturday's huge game in Ann Arbor.  Even with a 10-2 record, there are no guarantees until the announcements are made, but it's still fun to speculate about right?