Entering the season, Athlon ranked the Big Ten the nation’s top conference.

Despite a loss by its top team Saturday, the league has done nothing to change that notion. If anything, the league looks more formidable than we projected.

A dozen years have passed since a Big Ten last claimed a national title. Since Michigan State won the 2000 title, four conferences have won at least two national titles. The Big East and SEC have claimed three titles. The ACC has claimed four.

With Midnight Madness less than two months away, our look at some of the biggest questions in college basketball for 2012-13 continues into its second week.

The seventh-ranked coach in the Big Ten has a national title ring. That’s what kind of challenge ranking the Big Ten coaches presents.