Couldn't the Big Ten do TWO Protected Rivalries?

[PlanoHawk]

OK, so I'm not very excited at all about fabricating a "rivalry" game with Purdue.

If the Big Ten is going to go to a 9-game conference schedule soon... why the hell couldn't the Big Ten do TWO protected rivalries? You'd then have two games to rotate between four teams- either rotate one out every year or rotate the pair every two years with two teams on a "bye" schedule... similar to how two teams rotate off right now. Maybe someone knows a reason why this couldn't work, but this sounds like it could have legs and I'd personally like to keep Wisconsin on the schedule every year.

Let's take Iowa's Schedule as an example below in the current division format using each rotating crossover changing yearly:

YR 1
Division Games
Nebraska
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Northwestern

Protected Crossovers
Wisconsin
Purdue

Rotating Crossover
Ohio State
Illinois

Bye Teams
Penn State
Indiana

YR 2
Division Games
Nebraska
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Northwestern

Protected Crossovers
Wisconsin
Purdue

Rotating Crossover
Illinois
Penn State

Bye Teams
Indiana
Ohio State

And so on...

 

[hawks870]

Finishing the year at Nebraska is a good trade off. Do I like Purdue, not really, but might not have Nebraska at year end if trying to have two protected games so I will take the schedule.

 

[gohawksjm]

In a 9 game Big 10 Schedule I'm sure there will be 2 protected rivalries.

 

[rodg12]

I'm pretty sure that's their plan when they move to 9 game conference schedules in 2015.