Penn State in the western division?

[cuinknk]

It seems like most of the concern with PSU potentially being in the western division is due to travel. I was reading a thread on a PSU board and thought more about the travel, and started to think it's a moot point.

Here's what I posted:

If PSU and NU are in opposite divisions and become "designated rivals,' how is that any different than being in the same division and playing each other every year?

PSU is already making trips to the western schools in the Big Ten as it is, so how would the trips to Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota be any more inconvenient? At most, there would be five division games (two or three in Happy Valley anyway), which means that the remaining three or four conference games would be against eastern teams.

In 2008, PSU made road trips to both Iowa and Wisconsin. In 2010, PSU will make road trips to both Minnesota and Iowa. It is unlikely that the Big Ten would make it so PSU has to go to Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin all in the same year. At most, it's probably two of the four (Wisconsin would probably be in the eastern division if PSU comes over to the western side).

When you break it down, the geographic concerns become moot, IMO.

Thoughts?

 

[batman77]

Yeah I have heard that side of it and it makes sense. Happy Valley is also out in the middle of nowhere so they usually travel by plane to most of their away games ( from a report I heard). Whats the difference from going to Iowa or Nebraska? Just alternate Nebraska , Iowa, Minn, and Wisc so that you play 2 of them at home each year and 2 on the road- and dont have back to back road games out west.... I really dont see a problem with this. Maybe Penn St just doesnt want to be in the same division as Iowa since the Hawks have owned them the better part of the past decade! haha

 

[JHHawk]

PSU wants to be in the West to get away from OSU and Michigan. Both have pretty much owned them. Sorry, I have no sympathy. I think it makes no sense to have them in the west. Wisky,Iowa Neb vs OSU,Mich and PSU is balanced. If they want to play Neb so bad,let it be their designated rival game.

 

[HaydensDad]

I heard that PSU flies to all their games already, so it doesn't really matter how far it is for football. I'm not sure they care about basketball.

 

[iapunk]

I for one hope that the Big Ten does separate Penn State from Michigan and Ohio State. Like it or not, the national perspective is that these three, along with Nebraska, are the powers in the conference. While Iowa and Wisconsin are both on par or better than Michigan right now from a historical view that is certainly not the case. Michigan will not be down forever and I don't see Ohio State having a drop off anytime soon, so I think Penn State in the west would work good.

 

[JHHawk]

I simply do not give a crap about national perspective. From a ''national perspective'' Iowa had a losing season last year...or not. I prefer to look at results on the scoreboard from this last year, and last decade,over the 1970's and 80's...as Pitino once famously said'' Charles Woodson is not walking thru that door, Jim Harbaugh is not walking thru that door'' ect.
Lets face it, Iowa could win the next 5 big ten titles and from a national perspective, they would have us as the 5th program in the league...so,I prefer reality to perception.