BIG TEN FOOTBALL Buckeyes wonder if conspiracy exists among poll voters

Their ascent in the rankings has been slow since losing at Wisconsin.
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Do the poll voters have a grudge against poor Ohio State?
Many of the Buckeyes and their bunker-mentality fans sure think so.
A year after winning the national championship, the Buckeyes have been ranked among the top 10 teams most of this season. Yet they look at the rises and falls in the polls and say they're getting shafted.
"There have been games in the past where teams ranked ahead of us who didn't play well against unranked opponents and they seem to move up or stay, while we drop," offensive tackle Shane Olivea said. "I don't know if it's coaches or media are just jealous, but after a while you've got to say if you win a close game, it's not always luck. You have to sit there and say maybe they've got really good kids and really good coaches. But it stinks."
Case for conspiracy
Only Oliver Stone could uncover a conspiracy against Ohio State, but that doesn't stop Buckeye Nation from trying to find one. Here is their case:
UOhio State, ranked No. 8 last week, edged Penn State 21-20 on a touchdown pass in the final two minutes. Three teams ranked ahead of OSU -- No. 2 Miami, No. 4 Georgia and No. 6 Washington State -- all lost. Yet the Buckeyes moved up just one spot in the rankings and were leapfrogged by Virginia Tech, which jumped five spots after its 31-7 whipping of the 'Canes.
UThe Buckeyes dropped in the polls twice after wins in September.
UOhio State has won 22 of its last 23 games. Just win, baby.
Ohio State (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten) takes on No. 14 Michigan State (7-2, 4-1) on Saturday. After that, the Buckeyes play No. 16 Purdue at home before going on the road to meet No. 8 Michigan.
Even if they win out against that mine-filled schedule, they will still need help to make it back to the national title game at the Sugar Bowl. They are fifth in the BCS.
Olivea says it will be a joke if Ohio State goes 11-1 and doesn't play in New Orleans.
"I thought the whole point was to win," Olivea said. "It's disappointing. But if we win out in November and people drop ahead of us, and if we don't play on Jan. 4, then they should just scrap the whole system."