Big Ten Divisions Taking Shape
In college sports, they say you can schedule more wins than you can coach. If that's the case, then Nebraska should be pleased by the divisions that appear to emerging for the fourteen-team Big Ten. It appears that all that remains is a decision on where to put Purdue and Indiana (they will be placed in separate divisions) and the two schools will have the only protected crossover in a new east-west configuration.
Nebraska can now count on annual games with Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Wisconsin and either Purdue or Indiana. In addition, a rotating slate of three games will be added (the conference schedule will be nine games beginning in 2016) with Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, Maryland and Purdue or Indiana. It's not clear what will happen in 2014 and 2015 though.
You'd have to think Purdue is more likely to join the West division than Indiana. That would be true both because Purdue lies west of Indiana but also to provide slightly better competitive balance. Purdue has generally had a better football program than Indiana.
Losing annual games with Penn State and Michigan may be a bit of a bummer to Husker fans. Picking up one with Wisconsin helps a bit though.
3/19/2013
Well I’ll be darn, they got it right!
Although something tells me we will be seeing Michigan and Ohio St. plenty. It is downright awesome that we get to play Wisconsin every year. The inclusion of Wisconsin in the Legends Division solidifies some rivalries that are important to the area, not just to any one particular school. The inclusion of an Indiana or Purdue is welcomed as well. That is a good balance. I think this keeps the competative ballance of both Divisions pretty well intact.
You will have your Michigan, Ohio St, Penn St., and Michigan St. as your hot teams in the Leaders. And in the Legends you will have Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, and Northwestern. Plus any of the remaining schools in either division could be a surprise or spoiler team.
I will however miss Penn St. every year. That was always a grudge match between the “new kids on the block.” But having to play, Ohio St., Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan St, Penn St, and IOWA for our first two years, well, around October or so, with a schedule like that, them hits start to tingle a bit!
3/19/2013
I think they got it right as well. Although, I am not in favor of a 9 game conference schedule. I think they would be better holding off on this until other conferences do so. ( Just my opinion)
Indiana or Purdue, it doesn’t really matter to me!
3/19/2013
Jay,
True statement. However the 9 game schedule is pretty necessary when you get into the 14 to 16 team conference range. It allows you to have at least 3 cross division conference games. That being said, I am at a bit of a loss as to why the cross conference protected rivalries couldn’t be maintained with a 9 game conference schedule.
Columbus, Ohio
3/20/2013
As a Big Ten and Buckeye alum…it made sooo much sense to bring in Nebraska to make our conference even….and as one of the greatest traditional football powers in the nation…well that made Nebraska “icing on the cake!” But, call me old fashioned…WHAT THE HELL DOES RUTGERS AND MARYLAND bring to the table??? Not to mention, we are now becoming to Big 7 conferences!! Nothing against those to proud schools….but our conference has enough $$. Come on…I want to see Ohio State play Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin….not MARYland!!! It a lost cause. The alignment, in my opinion, makes sense, but I JUST THE PREMISE! Whatever! Go Buck…Go Huskers…Go Big Ten!!
Columbus, Ohio
3/20/2013
Sorry for the “typos”....my fury got the best of me…should read
“TWO Big 7 conferences,” “I just HATE the premise.”
And GO BUCKS!
Take care Husker Nation! Hope to see you in Indy for the Conference Championship this year!!!
3/20/2013
Kerry"Buckeye”
No worries about the typos. Happens to be all the time.
Now that we are at 14 teams, the question really becomes
if we were to expand to a 16 team conference, who would
be the two additional teams we bring in?
A) Iowa St. —This essentially provides a good basketball school and solidifies the geography of the B1G.
B) Syracuse—This brings in the New York market and some old rivalries would be renewed. Also, as long as the people of Michigan don’t mind crossing that little portion of Canada to get to the game, the drive and sights to see along the way are pretty cool.
C) Ohio—Essentially solidifies the geography of the B1G and gives Ohio St. an in state rival. Plus I wouldn’t mind seeing Frank Solich a few more times. Even though he would be on the wrong side of the field.
D) Notre Dame—ROFL, sorry I just had to put that in there.
E) University of Chicago—The reserection!
Take your pick or add your own.
As far as Rutgers goes. I don’t really need an explanation. They are another one of the “Grand Daddies” of College Football. However, Maryland, yeah, I’m still scratching my head over that one.
3/20/2013
As far as winning games this is a great division for Nebraska, but essentially its turning into the Big Twelve North North.. The majority of the consistently good teams ( other than Wisconsin) that you look at as huge games are in the other Division.. Michigan/Michigan State/Penn State/ Ohio State .. Reminds me exactly of the Big Twelve North .. Nebraska and Colorado were the big dogs, everyone else would be alright every once in awhile.. Then Colorado was replaced by K-State..
Dont Get me wrong Northwestern is on the up and up thanks to Fritz and could be changing the culture of the conference..but dosnt this kind of seem familiar
Nebraska - Nebraska ( Doctor Jekl Mr Hyde)
K- State - Wisconsin - At least under Snyder you knew you were always going to have hard hitting game, Wiscy also
Iowa- Iowa State- Can Beat you and ruin your day every once in a long while but the only reason they are in conference discussion is because of lack of teams or one of the bigger guys is down
Kansas- Minnesota - Needs/needed improvement to get there..
Colorado - Northwestern—Great when they are up, not so much when they are down
Missouri - Illinois—Can have Prolific offenses and also horrible defenses.. Great Season / Horrible Season , its a toss..
Throw in an Indiana or Purdue and you have a oldschool big twelve north plus one..
Dont get me wrong any of these teams can and at least one or two probably will get to the point were they are strong again..but lets at least be honest and say that at this point in time , the conference Strength will be strongly in the west..
As far as Kerry “Buckeye ” I understand your pain, but I think at least Rutgers will benefit from the new conference and will add a quality team to the conference in time..
Lincoln, NE
3/20/2013
When discussing divisional equality, keep in mind that Wisconsin has been the B1G representative in the Rose Bowl the last 3 years. Moreover, Penn state is down and Northwestern is up - as long as Fitz sticks around (and he seems likely to be there a while). Iowa = Michigan St. MSU had a few good years while Michigan was down in recruiting. Now that Michigan recruiting has reverted to the mean, look for MSU to take a step back.
Yes, the East does look a little more competetive, but I don’t think that the discrepancy is as big as everyone in making it out to be.
Austin, TX
3/21/2013
I guess what confuses me a little is this, why can’t Michigan St/Michigan be the sacred, protected crossover game instead of Purdue/Indiana? I get that MSU has some good history with other teams in the soon-to-be East division, but putting them in the West makes the most sense, by far, based on competitive balance. Putting us with the company we have could be problematic for motivating the fan base to continue to buy up season tickets. At least with the Big 12 North there was enough history there to bring people out to see us play teams like Iowa State and Kansas. They better do a good job with the inter-divisional rotation on our schedule. I would like to have seen a rivalry grow with Michigan and Penn State on the schedule every year…or at least had one of them in a protected crossover game. This adding Rutgers and Maryland looks worse as time goes on…
3/21/2013
Mase,
You have a good point with the MSU/Michigan game. But folks, let’s be honest here. Nebraska is 7 - 0 against the Spartans. Not necessarily a threat.
We actually have a losing record against Minnesotta. Although we have won the last 16 straight contests, I believe Coach Kill is getting that programs collective poop in a group and they will be back. Plus, they are the B1G school that has come west to play us the most. I think a little loyalty in return isn’t too much to ask.
IOWA. Yeah, I know, ISU can beat them more consistantly than they can beat us, but sometimes those are the breaks. Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing Purdue. They are the ONLY team in the B1G we have never defeated. Of course we have only played them once and that was half-a-century ago, but still.
Wisconsin Vs. Nebraska could very well be the new rivalry between two red teams that takes on the signifigance that an old rivalry between two red teams did in the B12. Wisconsin is a good addition to the west. Most of it’s rivalries already are satiated by being in the West.
I know they are trying to say that Nebraska will suffer because we have either a “cake-walk” to a conference championship or they will say that Nebraska and Wisconsin will be the only real two contenders for the West. With all due respect to those folks, that is complete bunk.
When Nebraska left the B12 North, the North came alive. ISU went down to Texas and beat the longhorns in their own stadium. Texas, for all its bravado went 12 - 12 over the course of the next two years. Kansas St, started to kick some tail and had their not been a completely un-necessary coaching change at Kansas, Kansas too would have realized that without having to play Nebraska every year, they could concentrate on defeating the southern teams. Which in some situations they either did, or came awfully close.
I wish we could bring Penn St. into the west, but hey, we aren’t TCU and the B1G isn’t the Big East so it is kind of hard to convince anyone other than Rutgers and Maryland that Penn St is west. Just the way it goes.
Now reverse the situation. Put MSU, MU, Nebraska, and Wisconsin in the same division. Penn St, and Ohio St would be told they have a cake-walk to a conference title. They would say Ohio St and Penn St are they only two real contenders in the East Division. You think that would sit well with Purdue, Indiana, Rutgers, Maryland, or Illinois?
Bring Iowa St into the B1G, heck, they have a better winning percentage than Indiana does! It’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.
Wakita, Oklahoma
3/25/2013
The new alignment is very reminiscent of the former Big 12 South and North divisions.
Plenty of powerhouses stacked on one side, and the other division…not so much at all.
3/26/2013
OU7Times,
If you moved Oklahoma from the Southern Division into the Northern Division, one could say the same thing about the B12 South when Nebraska was still apart of it. So… Yes, I am in agreement with you on that particular point of view. However, the B1G is the B1G. Given the performance of Texas Tech against a Minnesota team that is still building, it is kind of hard to compare the B1G to the B12. Even the teams that are not that good in the B1G seem to be able to hang well with the teams of the old B12 south.