In 2011, the state of affairs in the Big Ten didn’t look so good. Ohio State was in its interim year under Luke Fickell, ultimately resulting in its first losing season since 1988. The program was recovering from scandal and working to find its way toward a long-term solution. Fortunately, that’s where Urban Meyer stepped in. In six seasons in Columbus, Meyer is 73-8 and has brought home a national championship.
Also in the Big Ten East, Penn State is experiencing a similar resurgence under James Franklin. In 2012, Penn State, deservedly, was at its lowest point as the NCAA announced some of the most severe sanctions in history against the program amid the Jerry Sandusky abuse scandal.