AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
I happen to like the current East- West divisions even though they are lopsided, but there may come a point when something else has to be tried. Here is the scenario. 5-6 years from now Rutgers and Maryland get totally fed up with having no chance in a division with Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan & Michigan State. They have been lobbying for years behind the scenes to get a little more breathing room or exit the Big Ten.
What are your ideas for Big Ten realignment with or without either Rutgers, Maryland or both. Remember that any conference with 12 teams is required to have divisions and a championship game.
A possible alignment I come up with would be North - South divisions. It would try to keep together teams that fit together geographically and are rivals.
North
Michigan
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Iowa
Minnesota
Nebraska
Illinois
South
Ohio State
Penn State
Maryland
Rutgers
Northwestern
Purdue
Indiana
One designated cross over game per team:
Ohio State - Michigan
Northwestern - Illinois
Wisconsin - Penn State
Iowa - Purdue
Michigan State - Maryland
Minnesota - Rutgers
Nebraska - Indiana
Scott Frost gets his wish to play a team like Indiana every year.
I would have rather have had Northwestern than Illinois in the North, but thought that it made for too many weak teams in the South. On the other hand too many weak teams in the south might keep Maryland and Rutgers happy.
What are your ideas for Big Ten realignment with or without either Rutgers, Maryland or both. Remember that any conference with 12 teams is required to have divisions and a championship game.
A possible alignment I come up with would be North - South divisions. It would try to keep together teams that fit together geographically and are rivals.
North
Michigan
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Iowa
Minnesota
Nebraska
Illinois
South
Ohio State
Penn State
Maryland
Rutgers
Northwestern
Purdue
Indiana
One designated cross over game per team:
Ohio State - Michigan
Northwestern - Illinois
Wisconsin - Penn State
Iowa - Purdue
Michigan State - Maryland
Minnesota - Rutgers
Nebraska - Indiana
Scott Frost gets his wish to play a team like Indiana every year.
I would have rather have had Northwestern than Illinois in the North, but thought that it made for too many weak teams in the South. On the other hand too many weak teams in the south might keep Maryland and Rutgers happy.
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