the_Ketch's Big 10 Divisions plus 1 rival plan...
2 divisions listed opposite permanent interdivisional rival...
Div 1 Div 2
Michigan Ohio State
Nebraska Penn State
Iowa Wisconsin
Indiana Purdue
Michigan State Minnesota
Illinois Northwestern
Teams play division games (5) plus one game against its designated rival (1) and two games (2) against the other division teams per year. That's a total of (8) league contests. Division winners play in league title (The War for the Roses) game.
· The haves play each other more often, creating maximum interest and tv Revenue. Thus every year the league offers these gems:
o Michigan vs. Nebraska, Ohio State and Iowa
o Ohio State vs. Michigan, Penn St and Wisconsin
o Penn State vs. Ohio State, Nebraska, and Wisconsin
o Nebraska vs. Michigan, Iowa and Penn State
· All top rivalries are kept except Iowa/Minnesota (sorry but tv is not clamoring for this one)
· No travel advantage
· Balance within each division having 2 bigs from (Michigan, Ohio State, Penn St. Nebraska), and 1 near big of Iowa or Wisconsin-- also avoids the geographical situation in the Big XII by spreading divisions across the geographical footprint so that it doesn't get to be too us vs. them among divisions.