Final Big Ten Division Predictions

T

thejumper5

Well-Known Member
Since the announcement seems imminent, make your final predictions here. Include division names, as well as protected rival (if you foresee that being a direction the conference goes). I'll go first:

Lakes Division (AKA Big Ten North):
Minnesota (Indiana)
Wisconsin (Iowa)
Northwestern (Illinois)
Michigan (Ohio State)
Michigan State (Purdue)
Penn State (Nebraska)

Plains Division (AKA Big Ten South):
Nebraska (Penn State)
Iowa (Wisconsin)
Illinois (Northwestern)
Indiana (Minnesota)
Purdue (Michigan State)
Ohio State (Michigan)

What's your take?
 
I'll go with...

West-
Iowa
Illinios
Northwestern
Nebraska
Michigan
Minnesota

East-
Michigan State
Ohio State
Penn State
Wisconsin
Purdue
Indiana
 
thejumper5 said:
Since the announcement seems imminent, make your final predictions here. Include division names, as well as protected rival (if you foresee that being a direction the conference goes). I'll go first:

Lakes Division (AKA Big Ten North):
Minnesota (Indiana)
Wisconsin (Iowa)
Northwestern (Illinois)
Michigan (Ohio State)
Michigan State (Purdue)
Penn State (Nebraska)

Plains Division (AKA Big Ten South):
Nebraska (Penn State)
Iowa (Wisconsin)
Illinois (Northwestern)
Indiana (Minnesota)
Purdue (Michigan State)
Ohio State (Michigan)

What's your take?
Click to expand...

I like this take. I also tend to like the idea of not using "East and West" but using more creative and original names. I would be extremely excited to see these divisions. Only qualm is it would be nice to keep Minny on the schedule every year, for the win and the tradition.
 
Names to be Determined at a later date

A ------------------B
Ohio State --------- Michigan
Penn State ---------Michigan State
Purdue -------------Indiana
Illinois --------------Northwestern
Wisconsin -----------Iowa
Minnesota -----------Nebraska

Each with their respective crossover rivalry
 
I think the pendulum swings back and OSU/MICH end up together...I really don't think they want to mess with tradition of end of year game, and although the momentum has gone against my take, I think it bounces back last minute.

Ohio State Penn State
Michigan Nebraska
Wisconsin Iowa
*I think this top end is the split, the way they do the rest could filter out diff ways...but below would be my preferred ending to this start.

Michigan St. Purdue
Illinois Northwestern
Minnesota Indiana

that's my quick thought look without spending much time on it
 
I hope you are right. From an Ohio State perspective though, I think we are about to get hosed.

Hope Iowa gets Nebraska or Minnesota in division. What's the general consensus on which you'd rather keep if it only comes to one (which it probably will given the Big Ten's emphasis on competitive balance :() Wisconsin or Minnesota?
 
The problem I have with Minnesota scenarios is this...(KEEP WISCONSIN!)

I love Floyd of Rosedale (by far my favorite/best trophy), but I don't care that much about the game itself....don't get me wrong, it is fun to have Kinnick North, tearing down Metrodome goalposts etc. But I value our rivals in the following order moving forward...
1) Nebraska-makes sense with border, and we have a lot of disdain for the way Nebraska fans have (in our minds) disrespected our program over the last twenty years. They have the NCs (and that is impressive) however they refuse to acknowledge our solidification as being a solid to above program since Fry took over. I also think (two way street) we offer the best case immediate rivalry for Neb coming into the big ten with respect to history/geography/current state of program.
1A) I have read many ranging opinions on this, but I think the Wisc/Iowa rivalry is truly one of the best rivalries currently in the big ten. We are similar programs and their last two HCs are ex-hawks. I believe there is tremendous respect from both sidelines (not always the same can be said of fans :) ) and it is the tightest rivalry in the big ten...something like 42-41-3?
2) Iowa State: they always play us tough and you never know what is going to happen in this game...numerous times the Hawks have lost when they shouldn't have (yes that is an Iowa big brother perspective)...but I think there should be an heir of not knowing how it is going to play out to a rivalry, and ISU has been a solid partner in that respect-plus I believe the benefit to the state as a whole is positive.
3) Minnesota : I would love to keep all of the above, but if I have to give one away it is minn, due to lack of recent competiveness...as I said I dearly love Floyd of Rosedale, but if forced to choose I will take Wisc rivalry every time.
 
Side Note: I think that Floyd of Rosedale is such an awesome trophy (maybe best in country) that it could continue and still mean an awful lot played less frequently...also may help Minn when it comes to turning IA/MN competitive again. I would love to finish off the year with IA vs. Wisc (although Neb or PSU would be sweet too)
 
Okay, here's my two cents.

Michigan and Ohio State are separated into different divisions. Delany has launched more trial balloons over this than the National Weather Service. Iowa gets royally screwed as everyone thinks. Therefore:

Division 1
Michigan
Michigan State
Nebraska
Wisconsin
Northwestern
Indiana

Division 2
Ohio State
Penn State
Iowa
Minnesota
Illinois
Purdue

Crossover Games
Michigan/Ohio State
Penn State/Nebraska
Iowa/Wisconsin
Northwestern/Illinois
Purdue/Indiana
Minnesota/Michigan State

Season Closers
Michigan/Michigan State
Wisconsin/Nebraska
Indiana/Northwestern
Iowa/Minnesota
Ohio State/Penn State
Purdue/Illinois

God, I hope I'm wrong.
 
West
Iowa
Nebraska
Minnesota
Illinois
Penn St.
Northwestern

East
Wisconsin
Michigan
Michigan St.
Purdue
Indiana
Ohio St.
 
if you are looking solely at Iowa's viewpoint...I love your bracket...but I don't think that PSU will get stuck with every westernly big ten team if they come over
 
Not sure on names yet, I like Black and Blue or 3 Yards and A Cloud of Dust:

3 Yard Division:

Ohio State
Penn State
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Purdue
Northwestern

A Cloud of Dust:

Nebraska
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan State
Illinois
Indiana
 
Hawk3344s said:
I think the pendulum swings back and OSU/MICH end up together...I really don't think they want to mess with tradition of end of year game, and although the momentum has gone against my take, I think it bounces back last minute.
Click to expand...

I am starting think that way too ... there has been a lot of push-back against splitting them up and moving the Game to October.



What I hope for:

East - Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue
West - Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin

it's natural and no protected rivals are needed, but it's not gonna happen


My best guess (Mich/OSU split):

NE/SW - Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue
SE/NW - Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin
hate not being aligned with Ill, Minn, Wisc, but this has near-even competitive balance
protected rivalries: Ill/NW (or PU), Ind/PU (or NW), Iowa/Minn, Mich/OSU, MSU/PSU?, Neb/Wisc?



Barry Alvarez version (Mich/OSU split):

North - Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin
South - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue
hate not being aligned with Minn, Wisc, but this also has near-even competitive balance
protected rivalries: Ill/NW, Ind/MSU, Iowa/Minn, Mich/OSU, Neb/PSU?, Purd/Wisc?


I could also see (late "keep Mich/OSU together" movement wins out):

National - Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State
American - Indiana, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin

I actually like this one (as long as we are eschewing cartography anyway), this is the most competitively balanced split I've seen yet,
and it sets each team up with a great inter-divisional rivalry game ...
protected rivalries: Ill/Ind(or PU), Iowa/Neb, Mich/MSU, Minn/Wisc, NW/PU (or Ind), OSU/PSU
 
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