In 2008 Cincinnati played 5 ranked teams. In 2004 Western Michigan played no ranked teams. In 2008 Cincinnate won 11 games and went to a BCS bowl. In 2004 Western Michigan went 5-7. These are not two programs anywhere near each other.
In addition to the college differences, there are big differences in how the two conferences produce pro talent. The big east has had more than twice as many players drafted this decade (120 vs 57) and five times as many 1st rounders (10 vs 2).
There may be a big difference between the SEC and the Big East, but there is an even bigger difference between the Big East and the MAC. Barwin playing for Cincinnati is nothing like Babin playing for Western Michigan.
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