Potenial Big Ten-SEC schedule Alliance

[guffus]

Notre Dame–USC Football Series in Jeopardy, But Irish Looking to Extend Rivalry

The 2025 game is the last in the current contract between the blueblood programs, and the Trojans offered only a one-year extension.

www.si.com

USC wants to cancel its annual game with Nortre Dame for a variety of reasons. One reason is there might be a new scheduling alliance between the Big Ten and SEC.

I wonder how a potential Big Ten-SEC schedule alliance would affect the Iowa-Iowa St series. My guess is it would still be played every year but it would not be 2 home games for each team in 4 years. Instead 2 home games for Iowa, 1 home game for Iowa St and 1 at a neutral site, maybe KC, Minny, Chicago or St Louis.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Notre Dame–USC Football Series in Jeopardy, But Irish Looking to Extend Rivalry

The 2025 game is the last in the current contract between the blueblood programs, and the Trojans offered only a one-year extension.

www.si.com

USC wants to cancel its annual game with Nortre Dame for a variety of reasons. One reason is there might be a new scheduling alliance between the Big Ten and SEC.

I wonder how a potential Big Ten-SEC schedule alliance would affect the Iowa-Iowa St series. My guess is it would still be played every year but it would not be 2 home games for each team in 4 years. Instead 2 home games for Iowa, 1 home game for Iowa St and 1 at a neutral site, maybe KC, Minny, Chicago or St Louis.

Iowa St. would not agree to anything less than a continued home and home, and I don't think Iowa has the political will to cram that down the Clown's throat. The governor and the legislature would get involved.

And, respectfully, the idea of moving this game out of the state of Iowa is just about the ____________ (fill in the blank with a kinder word than I was thinking) idea ever. Let's take this Iowa only football game, put it in a less accessible location for both fan bases, and send the revenue down to Missouri's hotels, bars, restaurants, and concession workers? When pigs fly in formation that will happen.

Any alliance will leave room for games like this. The alliance will likely be one SEC game a year. Iowa will have to decide if it can handle an SEC team and ISU in the preseason. It certainly can. How's about we put on our big boy plans and trade a cupcake for a real game? My two cents.

 

[haydensly]

Adding an SEC game would be a big boost to the schedule and one that all fans should applaud. One unintended consequence might be losing a home game, at least every other year and the revenue that it brings. Maybe the TV $$ are now enough to offset that to where it would no longer be a big factor.

 

[trj]

Given the current landscape of college football I am okay with Iowa playing 3 bottom feeder MAC schools in the non-conference. I fully acknowledge, that I am not a season ticket holder or go to games.

If the Iowa/ISU game went away, it would not break my heart, but too many people on both sides want to keep it going, so you will not get any push back from me.

@NorthKCHawk is correct. ISU has too much juice now. Anything less than a home and home would be unacceptable.

 

[HuckFinn]

Adding an SEC game would be a big boost to the schedule and one that all fans should applaud. One unintended consequence might be losing a home game, at least every other year and the revenue that it brings. Maybe the TV $$ are now enough to offset that to where it would no longer be a big factor.

Fans like me would not be happy with any reduction in home games.

 

[HuckFinn]

Given the current landscape of college football I am okay with Iowa playing 3 bottom feeder MAC schools in the non-conference. I fully acknowledge, that I am not a season ticket holder or go to games.

If the Iowa/ISU game went away, it would not break my heart, but too many people on both sides want to keep it going, so you will not get any push back from me.

@NorthKCHawk is correct. ISU has too much juice now. Anything less than a home and home would be unacceptable.

I know many will disagree with me, but I have no problem with early cupcake games. Helps to solidify depth charts, good experience builders, time to experiment with the O and D. Confidence builder, hopefully. And, yes, I am a long term season ticket holder.

 

[Grady]

I don't see an SEC-BTen schedule alliance helping the BTen, and I doubt it will happen. It's fine for the SEC -- they only play 8 SEC games. But for the BTen to add an SEC game to their already 9 BTen games, then you've got teams like Iowa that have long-time intrastate games or rivalries with other Power 4 teams. That would mean a team like Iowa would have 11 competitive, Power 4 games...and that's never going to happen.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I don't mind cupcakes that much either. A win is a win. It also helps spread the wealth as those games cover the football budget for the visiting team so they can continue to field a team.

Although when we barely sneak by South Dakota State it is troublesome....

My problem is that everyone should have the same obligation. The SEC should move their conference slate to 9 and then everyone have the same cupcake opportunities, whether it is 1 or 2. It should not be 3. No one should have 25% of a schedule against the MAC.

 

[trj]

I know many will disagree with me, but I have no problem with early cupcake games. Helps to solidify depth charts, good experience builders, time to experiment with the O and D. Confidence builder, hopefully. And, yes, I am a long term season ticket holder.

100%

I know a good chunk of the fan base wants a sexier non-conference schedule, but I am good playing tomato cans…given the current landscape of college football.

 

[trj]

I don't mind cupcakes that much either. A win is a win. It also helps spread the wealth as those games cover the football budget for the visiting team so they can continue to field a team.

Although when we barely sneak by South Dakota State it is troublesome....

My problem is that everyone should have the same obligation. The SEC should move their conference slate to 9 and then everyone have the same cupcake opportunities, whether it is 1 or 2. It should not be 3. No one should have 25% of a schedule against the MAC.

Blue blood programs I 1000% agree with.

If you are a developmental program in the B1G/SEC and you have a path to the playoff…why play a difficult non-con?

 

[guffus]

My attitude about non-conference games has changed somewhat since the Big Ten went to an 18-team divisionless format. Other than playing Minn, Wisc and Neb every year, Iowa plays everybody else about 2 times in 5 years. So you get plenty of fresh P2-level teams each year. Plus you get 1 trip to the west coast every year. So that's probably enough.

Not sure what the format would be with the SEC. Would it be a home and home series with the same 2 teams?

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Blue blood programs I 1000% agree with.

If you are a developmental program in the B1G/SEC and you have a path to the playoff…why play a difficult non-con?

Guess it worked for Indiana last year. I get the point that its the smart path for mid or lower level major conference teams.

I guess my point is that I don't think the conferences or commissioner or whomever is going to ultimately regulate college football, should let them. I don't think it is too much to ask that every team in a major conference schedule 9 conference games, 1 major conference crossover and two cupcakes. Let's get more compelling matchups. I mean, you can still control who you schedule. Indiana does not have to schedule Alabama. Schedule Vandy.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

My attitude about non-conference games has changed somewhat since the Big Ten went to an 18-team divisionless format. Other than playing Minn, Wisc and Neb every year, Iowa plays everybody else about 2 times in 5 years. So you get plenty of fresh P2-level teams each year. Plus you get 1 trip to the west coast every year. So that's probably enough.

Not sure what the format would be with the SEC. Would it be a home and home series with the same 2 teams?

That's a great point. The conference is so big and spread out now, we fans are getting a lot of variety in who we play with a lot of cool venues. I'd still like to see more games between the Big 10 and SEC. Good on good.

 

[HuckFinn]

And, the 2025 home games in the BT are…

Indiana, Penn State, Minnesota, Oregon, Michigan State. Other than MSU, the rest of our home games may be in really nice fall weather. I like that!

That is an exciting home schedule! Too bad ISU is away.

 

[trj]

Guess it worked for Indiana last year. I get the point that its the smart path for mid or lower level major conference teams.

I guess my point is that I don't think the conferences or commissioner or whomever is going to ultimately regulate college football, should let them. I don't think it is too much to ask that every team in a major conference schedule 9 conference games, 1 major conference crossover and two cupcakes. Let's get more compelling matchups. I mean, you can still control who you schedule. Indiana does not have to schedule Alabama. Schedule Vandy.

The more compelling matchups you can get, the better. I get it…OSU/Texas, who isn’t looking forward to that next year?

My point is Bama and Wisconsin. Wisconsin didn’t get anything out of it. Iowa/Georgia would probably be similar if they signed up for a similar series. Just play E. Michigan and get ready for conference play.

 

[SCHawkeye2]

I know many will disagree with me, but I have no problem with early cupcake games. Helps to solidify depth charts, good experience builders, time to experiment with the O and D. Confidence builder, hopefully. And, yes, I am a long term season ticket holder.

I agree with the concept, but not sure the desired experience and experimentation is happening.
We often play the cupcakes too close to the vest, intentionally limiting our O & D instead of experimenting.
And NOT playing the backups because the game is too close for comfort.

 

[guffus]

The more compelling matchups you can get, the better. I get it…OSU/Texas, who isn’t looking forward to that next year?

My point is Bama and Wisconsin. Wisconsin didn’t get anything out of it. Iowa/Georgia would probably be similar if they signed up for a similar series. Just play E. Michigan and get ready for conference play.

Yes, I would guess that Bama and Georgia are probably not going to happen. But I would not mind if Iowa and Arkansas play a home and home series. Or maybe Iowa and Ole Miss. Eventually get Mizzou in a home and home, but not for a few years because they just played each other in a bowl.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

The more compelling matchups you can get, the better. I get it…OSU/Texas, who isn’t looking forward to that next year?

My point is Bama and Wisconsin. Wisconsin didn’t get anything out of it. Iowa/Georgia would probably be similar if they signed up for a similar series. Just play E. Michigan and get ready for conference play.

I don't know. Sure, Wisconsin got whooped, but they got national exposure and I bet the party leading up to the game in Madison was epic.

There are football reasons to play that game. I bet you the next week after that game when they played Minnesota or whoever, they were not intimidated or overwhelmed by the speed of the game. You just cannot simulate playing against a great opponent and it makes you better. I don't mind an opening game against Directional Michigan, but playing a couple legit teams prepares us for the battles in the conference, IMHO.

And, with a 12 team playoff, having a good early loss that prepares you for big games to come may help you get into the playoffs. Again, I recognize that Indiana disproved what I am saying here, but I would be okay with Iowa playing a Missouri in the preseason in addition to the Clowns. My two cents.