PJHawk
Well-Known Member
Too bad Zook won't be around to enjoy this:
A perfect fit
Illinois could hardly have come out better in the Big Ten's 2011 divisional alignment. Count the ways:
– Landing in the same sextet with nearby Purdue and Indiana is a positive, which wouldn't have happened in a geographical east-west arrangement.
– Northwestern becomes the permanent cross-division rival, another positive. Illinois may not be able to beat the Wildcats, who have won six of the last seven meetings, but the UI is at no disadvantage from a recruiting standpoint. I mean, isn't NU-Evanston better than drawing NU-Lincoln (as Penn State did) as the permanent rival from the other division?
– Instead of opening next year's Big Ten schedule against Ohio State and Penn State, which was announced prior to Nebraska joining, the Illini will open against Northwestern and Indiana. Furthermore, the Illini won't have to play strong Nebraska and Iowa teams in the next two years, and their only road games in the first eight next year are at Indiana and Purdue.
A perfect fit
Illinois could hardly have come out better in the Big Ten's 2011 divisional alignment. Count the ways:
– Landing in the same sextet with nearby Purdue and Indiana is a positive, which wouldn't have happened in a geographical east-west arrangement.
– Northwestern becomes the permanent cross-division rival, another positive. Illinois may not be able to beat the Wildcats, who have won six of the last seven meetings, but the UI is at no disadvantage from a recruiting standpoint. I mean, isn't NU-Evanston better than drawing NU-Lincoln (as Penn State did) as the permanent rival from the other division?
– Instead of opening next year's Big Ten schedule against Ohio State and Penn State, which was announced prior to Nebraska joining, the Illini will open against Northwestern and Indiana. Furthermore, the Illini won't have to play strong Nebraska and Iowa teams in the next two years, and their only road games in the first eight next year are at Indiana and Purdue.
