In age of realignment Big Ten needs one

L

longtimer

Well-Known Member
I think this is like the 9th in a row for the East? There is just no way one can say the East and West divisions are anywhere near equal At least not where it counts at the top. Ohio State Michigan Penn State with its top 5 recruiting class and Michigan State with the 10 million dollar coach On the other side Minnesota Wisconsin Iowa and ? the championship game is now and will become even more of a joke in the future
It's nice for teams like Iowa to be able to win a divisional championship but the divisions are way out of whack Probably just need to slide Michigan over in a trade for Northwestern
 
Michigan and Ohio State want to be in the same division so that they don’t have to play each other in the championship game. Both school is convinced that the inevitable outcome is that they will win their division every year. Obviously that’s only true of Ohio State but Michiganders struggle with reality and that cannot be helped. PSU and MSU are the more natural fits.
 
The B1G will do away with divisional play within the next 5 years anyway. imo, just leave it alone until that happens.
 
trj said:
The B1G will do away with divisional play within the next 5 years anyway. imo, just leave it alone until that happens.
Click to expand...
The Big would be better off adding two teams and going to four 4 team pods or groups. I guess the Big could stay at 9 games but add one playoff round with the 4 pod teams playing to get two championship teams.

With no divisions and 14 teams in one group of standings most teams are out of it after just a few weeks and fewer late season drama is available.
 
The West just needs to recruit better. If you bring over a Ohio St, Michigan, Penn St, Michigan St.....then you will have even less championship appearances on the West side.
 
One thing is clear. The best team in the conference always comes out of the East. But in terms of over all win-loss records during the regular season, the 2 divisions are surprisingly equal. In 2021, for example,, the east had a 11-10 record against the West in the regular season, 12-10 if you count the CCG. There has only been 1 year since 2014 where the East was more than 2 games over .500 against the West, 2017. So the problem clearly is at the top of the division.

But yes I agree the divisions should be scrapped so that the top 2 teams in the conference always play in the CCG. Or maybe there is a way to keep divisions, but change the rules so that the top 2 teams play in the CCG.
 
The best way to balance the league would be to move Michigan & Michigan St to the "west", and Purdue & Illinois to the "east".

Annual crossover games could maintain the rivalries (Mich vs OSU, MSU vs PSU, Ill vs NW)

At a minimum, swapping Michigan St for Purdue would help also, and you could keep Mich vs MSU as a protected annual cross over game.
 
There is zero reason to realign the divisions. Right now it's everyone against Ohio State, you can realign the conference 100 different ways and that's what it all boils down too.
 
Scrsp divisions and go to a schedule where everybody gets 5 protected rivals they play every year. Then have the top 2 teams play in the CCG. Iowa's 5 rivals would be Neb, Minn, Wisc, NW, and ILL. The other 8 teams Iowa would play 50% of the time. Set it up so Iowa alternates plays 2 of the Big 4 each year.

Play Mich one year and MSU the other year.
Same with OSU- PSU
Same with Ind-Purdue
Same with Rutgers-MD
 
ssckelley said:
There is zero reason to realign the divisions. Right now it's everyone against Ohio State, you can realign the conference 100 different ways and that's what it all boils down too.
Click to expand...
This.

Ohio State is the only team that will always and forever be dominant. They have been since the 60s and it won't stop. Even Alabama/Georgia/Clemson/USC/insert any other team here will rise and fall, but OSU seems immune to it.
 
BrianFerentzForPresident said:
Michigan and Ohio State want to be in the same division so that they don’t have to play each other in the championship game. Both school is convinced that the inevitable outcome is that they will win their division every year. Obviously that’s only true of Ohio State but Michiganders struggle with reality and that cannot be helped. PSU and MSU are the more natural fits.
Click to expand...

What is the difference if Michigan and Ohio St. play each other from the same division to get into the C-ship game or play in the C-ship game? They should move Michigan over to the West and have Ohio St. as their protected rival where they play each year.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
What is the difference if Michigan and Ohio St. play each other from the same division to get into the C-ship game or play in the C-ship game? They should move Michigan over to the West and have Ohio St. as their protected rival where they play each year.
Click to expand...
None. They could do that. I think they did this for geographical reasons as much as any. I think shuffling things up again is dumb things are fine just leave it how it is. Every year or 2 something would come up for someone to feel bent about. This works fine enough I think
 
Fryowa said:
This.

Ohio State is the only team that will always and forever be dominant. They have been since the 60s and it won't stop. Even Alabama/Georgia/Clemson/USC/insert any other team here will rise and fall, but OSU seems immune to it.
Click to expand...

They have such a damn recruiting advantage and get all top recruits in Ohio and that area, as well as can pluck from around the country.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top