I don't think Iowa will play both MN & Wisconsin

JonDMiller

JonDMiller

Publisher/Founder
IMO, Wisconsin and Minnesota will place their rivalry higher than their rivalries with Iowa.

If Iowa and MN are in the same division, MN and Wisconsin will save theirs. If MN and Wisconsin are in the same division, Iowa would likely save MN.

If Iowa is sent East with OSU and PSU, and winds up opposite of MN too, AND if Nebraska is Iowa's protected rivalry game?

Whew...well, I will save that for if it happens...
 
Yes, that's why I don't think you can send iowa east without one of the three. Wasn't it Alvarez who said first that he didn't want Psu/neb/iowa/Wisc 4 out of 6 best teams in one division? So if he had a problem with that, maybe he offered Wisky to go East. Plus doesn't Wisconsin and Ohio State have a descent rivalry started lately(kind of like us and psu)?
 
I don't see any way Iowa goes East by itself. Meaning you wouldn't see Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin be in the West with Iowa in the East. That would give Wisconsin 2 rivals in their own division and Iowa none. With a protected rival, that would give Iowa only 1 real rivalry game and Wisconsin could have up to 3.

The more logical solution is to have Wisconsin and Minnesota go East, Iowa and Nebraska West. They become each other's chief rival and then Iowa plays Minnesota as a protected rival and Wisconsin play Nebraska as a protected rival. That way all 4 schools get 2 rivalry games.
 
Jon- Any whispers of when they will announce the final plan? I would hate to see Iowa go east but realize there has to be a balance. In the old days we would never see those games, but with todays TV coverage, we will at least be able to all of them. I recall many years out golfing while listening to the game on the radio since there was not TV coverage. My brother in law knocked me out of the golf cart on Marv Cooks TD reception for the win against OSU in 1987.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glpXQMseD8k]YouTube - Marv Cook game winning TD catch vs. OSU 1987[/ame]
 
when you consider how the B-10 has screwed Iowa in scheduling (opening on the road 7/last 8? or something like that), I have no doubt that the B-10 has an agenda.

Also, there is the case of Stephen Pamon's 6-figure gambling debt and ties to organized crime...um, Delaney live is Chi-town, right?
 
TecmoSuperHawk said:
I don't see any way Iowa goes East by itself. Meaning you wouldn't see Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin be in the West with Iowa in the East. That would give Wisconsin 2 rivals in their own division and Iowa none. With a protected rival, that would give Iowa only 1 real rivalry game and Wisconsin could have up to 3.

The more logical solution is to have Wisconsin and Minnesota go East, Iowa and Nebraska West. They become each other's chief rival and then Iowa plays Minnesota as a protected rival and Wisconsin play Nebraska as a protected rival. That way all 4 schools get 2 rivalry games.
Click to expand...

+1

I posted this last night. If Barry is right, and Iowa and Wiscy are separated, this is how I see it going down:

Division 1

Iowa
Nebraska
Michigan
Michigan State
Illinois
Northwestern

Division 2

Ohio State
Penn State
Indiana
Purdue
Minnesota
Wisconsin
 
Of the criteria for dividing the divisions, competitive balance is at or near the top. With that in mind, the Big Ten will look at the fact that Wisconsin has had more competitive success against Ohio State in the past 20 years than any team not named Michigan when determining the divisions.
 
Iowa has one ally in this. At least if you go by what they have said. That would be NE. I know they are the new kids on the block so they may not have much power, but everything TO has said indicates they want Iowa as their natural rival. They don't have a natural rivalry with anyone else.

I would think they would want Iowa in their division to give them that natural rivalry. If Iowa isn't in their division and MN is, then there is a very good chance we would want MN as a protected rival. Floyd is a very big pull.
 
JonDMiller said:
Pittsburgh is no where near the coast. And Kirk is far from being an east coast guy..plus he's lived in Iowa longer than any other place in his life.
Click to expand...

Kirk has said often how nice it is to get back "home" meaning PA. Also he is hoping for Uconn to join the league and coached at Maine. While i don't think he's an "east coast guy" he certainly loves the area.
 
Something tells me when they did the divisional voting there is no way possible it was a unanimous vote. lol. If so, Barta needs smacked in the face.
 
Raziel said:
+1

I posted this last night. If Barry is right, and Iowa and Wiscy are separated, this is how I see it going down:

Division 1

Iowa
Nebraska
Michigan
Michigan State
Illinois
Northwestern

Division 2

Ohio State
Penn State
Indiana
Purdue
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Click to expand...

I could deal with this divisional line up.
 
JonDMiller said:
IMO, Wisconsin and Minnesota will place their rivalry higher than their rivalries with Iowa.

If Iowa and MN are in the same division, MN and Wisconsin will save theirs. If MN and Wisconsin are in the same division, Iowa would likely save MN.

If Iowa is sent East with OSU and PSU, and winds up opposite of MN too, AND if Nebraska is Iowa's protected rivalry game?

Whew...well, I will save that for if it happens...
Click to expand...

If Iowa goes East, I don't think that's good news for the long term sustainability of the current greatness of the program. Iowa is riding high now, but it's the best of times now. Barry will always trump Gary in a Big Ten game of rock, paper, scissors. Let's hope Alvarez and Wisconsin take Minnesota East.
 
JonDMiller said:
Pittsburgh is no where near the coast. And Kirk is far from being an east coast guy..plus he's lived in Iowa longer than any other place in his life.
Click to expand...

Didn't really mean east coast guy, but he's from the farthest east Big Ten schools state.

The most confusing thing to me about Alvarez statement that "it shouldn't be that hard to figure out" , I just don't see Iowa going east or Wisconsin/minnesota going east seems like an obvious scenario that he expects everyone to see.
 
Last edited:
Wisconsin is going East, Minnesota will be their protected rival. Iowa and Minny in the same division and play for Floyd every year. The Heartland Trophy will only be contested in 2 year periods. Its very simple.
 
OldAlum said:
Wisconsin is going East, Minnesota will be their protected rival. Iowa and Minny in the same division and play for Floyd every year. The Heartland Trophy will only be contested in 2 year periods. Its very simple.
Click to expand...

I would be shocked if Wisconsin goes east and does not take Minnesota with them, so not that simple.
 
I don't understand all the speculation that Iowa would go to the East. Iowa & Wisky may very well be split, but I think it would only be logical to put Wisky in the E with OSU. Iowa was the Western most school prior to Nebby. I also believe Iowa & Nebby will be in the same division. I do think that OSU & Michigan will be in opposite divisions because I believe there is a lot of emphasis on giving each the chance to meet in the Big 10 Championship game.

I think they will have a protected rival game each year as well. All the above only makes sense. I don't see an issue with them being in different Div as long as they have this yearly rival game. Actually, it would add to the mystique of the conference if they may meet 2 times in a year. Be honest though, if that scenario played out in the past 17 yrs, they would only have met about 3 times, so it may not happen as many times as people think. There will be much more parity with the big 4 now along with Iowa & Wisky making noise consistently.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top