The Big Ten would throw the ACC around like a rag-doll in a football challenge. Basketball, however, has always been a different story.

The real challenge that began Monday night, it seems, is for the Big Ten to finally beat the Atlantic Coast Conference in their annual challenge.

The ACC has always been the big dawg in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. In fact, I’m personally not quite sure why they ever used the word challenge in describing the tournament. They’d all save us a heck of a lot of time if they just gave the trophy to North Carolina in most years. But this year is a different story.

The Buckeyes, Boilermakers and (of course) the Spartans all have good looking teams, giving hope to Big Ten fans that they might actually kinda sorta compete in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge for once. For years the ACC has done to the Big Ten what the SEC has done to the Big Ten in football; destroy it like Godzilla in the heart of Tokyo.

Maybe… just maybe the Big Ten actually has a shot this year.

Oh wait… Spartans lost to UNC last night. Never mind. Order hath been maintained.

[via Fanhouse]