Big Ten to Announce Divisional Alignment; Iowa Gets Nebraska, Michigan
by Patrick Vint on Sep 1, 2010 2:15 PM CDT
in Iowa Hawkeyes News
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The Big Ten will formally announce its divisional alignment plans and the 2011-2012 conference football schedules tonight at 7 EST/6 CST on the Big Ten Network. However, according to ESPN's Andy Katz (who is generally pretty good at this stuff), the divisions have already been leaked. Iowa will join a division with Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Northwestern. Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois will make up the other division. No word yet on if protected cross-divisional games will be created, though the split of Ohio State and Michigan virtually guarantees there will be; who Iowa's opponent could be in that game is nothing more than speculation (we'll get to that in a second).
From the standpoint of competitive balance, these divisions fall in line with the idle chatter of the divisional alignment intelligentsia of the past few weeks. Ever since word leaked that Ohio State and Michigan could be split up, this Northwest/Southeast split -- with the exception made to get Wisconsin into an otherwise top-heavy division -- made the most sense. It preserves geographic and traditional ties, for the most part; Michigan State will still play Michigan, Iowa will still play Minnesota, and Purdue will still play Indiana in what I assume is a shirts-versus-skins basketball game in the parking lot outside Ross-Ade.
The main source of intrigue, then, is who will play in the guaranteed interdivisional skirmishes. The only guarantee seems to be Ohio State-Michigan. Otherwise, it will come down to that eternal Big Ten question: Does money trump tradition? Below, a list of potential opponents for the rest of the Division of Awesome.
Nebraska -- Penn State, as the other new kid on the block and traditional power without a partner, makes the most sense here from a financial standpoint, but Penn State has recent history with other teams in the DOA (wait, we should change that name...). Still, if you're adding the Huskers to drive up national recognition, there's really no other match. Nebraska-Wisconsin would obliterate two different longstanding rivalries (and wouldn't make as much for the brand as NU-PSU), and there's no cache in a Nebraska rivalry with the other three basketball schools in the Division of Suck.
Minnesota -- Here's the test case. Should the conference want to preserve tradition, we're getting Paul Bunyan's Axe on an annual basis. Should they throw traditional rivalries to the wind (or merely balance those traditions with financial considerations), there's a good chance Wisconsin-Minnesota is kaput, so that the Badgers can face Iowa or Nebraska. In that scenario, hello Indiana!
Michigan State -- Sparty has its 17-year "rivalry" for the Land Grant Trophy with Penn State in play. Somehow, that doesn't strike me as enough to continue the round-peg-square-failhole matchup as a guaranteed future game. I don't know if there's any history between MSU and Purdue, but I'd wager there's about to be. Plus, Purdue is also a land grant university, so they can just transfer that abomination of a trophy to the new series.
Northwestern -- jNWU gets its wish, as its obsession with Iowa is maintained in the new divisional alignment. There's the Land of Lincoln game with Illinois to preserve, and while Illinois is also more obsessed with Iowa than any other opponent, there's no need to kill that series just so Iowa can throttle Zook annually. They deserve each other so much.
Iowa -- Unfortunately, should Minnesota get Wisconsin and Nebraska take Penn State, Iowa is the odd man out. Illinois will be with Northwestern (and, even if not, nobody cares about Illinois football). Despite its constant politicking for a more worthy opponent, Ohio State is likely stuck playing Michigan every year. That leaves whichever of the Indiana schools Michigan State doesn't end up dating. My guess is Indiana, just because Iowa-Indiana sounds slightly more legitimate, and there's at least some sports-related animosity in play.
Feel free to join us at 6:30 EST/5:30 CST for our first open thread of the season, as we bitch moan complain analyze the new conferences, protected games, and the snowball's chance in hell that the 2011 team can win its division. Because it's never too early.
UPDATE: Multiple reports have Iowa playing Purdue, with Michigan-OSU, Nebraska-PSU, MSU-Indiana, jNWU-Illinois, and Minnesota-Wisconsin rounding it out. Also, this blows.
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Screw you, television. This is all your fault.
No Iowa, no Michigan, no Nebraska. Just Ohio State, Bielema, and some other losers. Thanks.
That cross-division thing better be good.
"Trouble is; I want that fourth carrier!"
This is just what I expected
you guys got hosed…sorry.
"I wish you luck with a capital 'F'" - The Real Elvis.
Just thank you lucky stars you guys are not a basketball school.
"I wish you luck with a capital 'F'" - The Real Elvis.
yeesh
If those were the basketball divisions (which I know they aren’t scheduling basketball the same way), Michigan State would never lose, and Penn State would never win.
"Penn State would never win"
Isn’t that the case already?
Yes, yes, the same is true about Iowa.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
PSU got hosed?
Iowa got Purdue. fucking Purdue!
by KentuckyThunderPussy on Sep 1, 2010 7:31 PM CDT up reply actions
That comment was written before we found out we get to play NU every year.
Yippee.
"Trouble is; I want that fourth carrier!"
by ReadingRambler on Sep 1, 2010 7:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Land Grant Trophy cannot be transferred to another rivalry
A trophy that large is only appropriate for a rivalry between two schools that have appeared on a postage stamp together.
Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Sep 1, 2010 2:23 PM CDT reply actions
That stamp
is much, much nicer than the actual trophy
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Sep 1, 2010 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions
At least initially, this split looks pretty favorable for Iowa getting to the championship game.
Nebraska, Michigan and Mich St all should be tough competition, but definitely beatable.
We should be able to continue to pound Minny, now all we need is to break whatever magic juju the wizard Fitzgerald has over us.
Having Indiana or Purdue as a cross division rival would kind of suck, but should be an easier W.
It's the Wizgerald (I love the way it rolls off the tongue)...
…and it will only be a rivalry for four years (though it would be cool if we could become the first BIg Ten school who has a rivalry with EVERYONE).
by Eyeheartfreedumb on Sep 1, 2010 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Didn't you hear?
jNWU is scheduled to be obliterated the fuck off the face of the earth in 2015.
Going, going, going, going, going, going, going, going.... Alright, I'll stop for now.
by EnergizerHawk on Sep 1, 2010 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Well, I'm hoping they re-do this shit once we go to 9 conference games.
What must it feel like to be Purdue. No one wants to be their rival.
by Eyeheartfreedumb on Sep 2, 2010 8:45 AM CDT up reply actions
Picture on BTN
I think the picture of the helmets on BTN.com give a good idea of the split and the protected rival game.
*Also no way WI would rather play MN than Iowa. So MN will not get the WI game in you breakdown.
I just don't see how that division makes any sense.
That’s some pretty severe gerrymandering. Doc listed the same divisions as Katz. I have a feeling that the Katz leak is good.
by The Mexican't on Sep 1, 2010 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions
Not so much.
Minnesota and MSU are both in the good division. As are Indiana and Illinois.
Everyone fails. The successful learn from their failures. I just wish we'd quit giving ourselves so many learning opportunities.
by WhiteSpeedReceiver on Sep 1, 2010 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions
Err...Indiana and Illinois are in the same division.
But they’re in the bad one.
Everyone fails. The successful learn from their failures. I just wish we'd quit giving ourselves so many learning opportunities.
by WhiteSpeedReceiver on Sep 1, 2010 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions
Why wouldn't Wisconsin choose Minnesota?
They love the axe and, IIRC, it’s the oldest rivalry in college football, or most oft-played or some horseshit like that.
by The Mexican't on Sep 1, 2010 2:59 PM CDT up reply actions
I think you're nuts.
If you were to rate the rivalries in the Iowa-Wisco-Minny triumvirate, the most logical ranking (by far) is:
1) Wisconsin-Minnesota
2) Iowa-Minnesota
3) Iowa-Wisconsin
Iowa-Wisco has the least history (85 games versus 103 for Iowa-Minnesota and 119 for Minnesota-Wisconsin) and the worst trophy (I don’t hate the Heartland Trophy, but it’s certainly inferior to Paul Bunyan’s Axe and Floyd of Rosedale). Minnesota-Wisconsin is the oldest and most-played rivalry in I-A football; those schools and the conference will do everything they can to make sure it continues uninterrupted.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Badger Fan here... been lurking on this site for a long time just joined up to say
I completely agree with RossWB on this one. Wisconsin Minnesota is the longest continuously played rivalry in the D1-A. While it is correct to say that Iowa-Wisconsin is a better game, last time I checked the Wisconsin fight song includes the line “Run the ball ’round Minnesota”
I am sad to the see the Iowa-Wisconsin game won’t be played on a yearly basis for the next few years, but I’m assuming it will be the 2nd “Protected Rivalry” in 2015 when the 9th conference game is added.
Apparently the split was done for competitive balance as per Bucky’s 5th Quarter (on this very blog network) the winning percentages of the divisions going back to when PSU joined up is exactly .580 for both divisions.
Here’s hoping we can make the Heartland Trophy for the Big 10 Championship game and not worry about whether or not they “protect” our rivalry.
by stempke on Sep 1, 2010 3:29 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
+1
Indiana here we come. Lynch is just crazy enough to get my hate up for him.
the trailer hitch scrotum was my idea
As some Sparty fans have already pointed out.
MSU will probably get IU to play for the Old Brass Spitoon, while Iowa will play Purdue for some terrible trophy that someone will make up.
by The Mexican't on Sep 1, 2010 3:55 PM CDT up reply actions
Dammit!
I already had a trophy ready. The Shada’s-Face-In-Hardy’s-Ass Trophy (brought to you by Ro-Tel and BHGP!).
by Eyeheartfreedumb on Sep 1, 2010 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions
That's better than what I came up with
the Hawk-Hoo gives a fuck trophy.
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Sep 1, 2010 4:37 PM CDT up reply actions
Pretty good job....
In fact, the divisions have identical .580 winning percentages since 1993.
If I could make one change, it would be flipping Illinois and Minnesota, which would give you cross-divisional games of OSU-Michigan, PSU-Nebraska, Iowa-Wisconsin, Indiana-Illinois (aka The Fail Bowl), NU-Purdue (current protected rivals), and Minny-MSU (the ugly duckling matchup in this scenario).
Hm, interesting.
Kind of cool to see how it breaks out in what you linked:
Ohio State 170-43-1
Penn State 147-62-0
Wisconsin 145-65-4
Purdue 105-97-3
Illinois 75-121-1
Indiana 69-126-0
TOTAL 711-514-8 (.580)
Nebraska 165-52-0
Michigan 148-64-0
Iowa 119-86-1
Michigan State 101-103-1
Northwestern 96-106-1
Minnesota 92-111-0
TOTAL 721-522-3 (.580)
Big gap . . .
Between the Indiana/Illinois level of suckitude and the jNW/Minnesota level of suckititude.
Seems the “east” division is a bit top heavy and bottom weak, whereas the “west” division is a little more balanced top to bottom.
As they say around my work
Past performance is not an indication of future results. Who knows what the Big Ten will look like in 10, 20, or 30 years.
But yes, historically, the gaps are different. Also gives you perspective on Michigan and Iowa, and their respective chances for this upcoming season. We are both outliers right now (us at the top, them farther towards the bottom).
Past Performance yada yada
Exactly.
These divisions would make perfect sense…if it were 1993, and one had a crystal ball.
This split assumes the balance of power of the last seventeen years will remain static forever, which is stupid (with one exception I note below).
Rather than rehash all the arguments against this sort of split yet again, and to no useful purpose, I will just say one more time, and then let it go:
(1) The Big Ten should have just split things up at the Illinois-Indiana line, and let the chips fall where they may in terms of future competitiveness.
(2) The Big Ten will probably have to be re-alligned again when some combination of Notre Dame, Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, and Missouri joins the conference, so hopefully the shortcomings of this allignment will be apparent, and will be corrected.
Anyway, I’m a Gopher fan, so it’s not like fifty years of mediocrity alternating with sheer God-awfulness in football is likely to change any time soon, regardless of who the maroon and gold play.
by Midnight Rambler on Sep 1, 2010 5:05 PM CDT up reply actions
I was thinking the same thing
Illinois/Indiana is so much weaker than Northwestern/Minnesota as to not be funny.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Another reason....
….why they should have flipped Illinois and Minnesota…..
Again, you keep suggesting this...
But for a marginal improvement in competitive balance and the preservation of two rivalries that no one gives a shit about (NW-PUR and MIN-PSU), we would lose a bunch of other rivalry games. I’m not at all convinced that’s a decent trade-off.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Flipping Illinois and Northwestern
on the other hand, could be interesting.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
You still lose more rivalry games than you would under the rumored division alignments listed up top.
Flipping ILL and jNW, you lose ILL-OSU, ILL-PUR, IA-WIS, MSU-PSU, MIN-PSU, and ILL-IND. You would gain IA-ILL, which is not a traditional/trophy/protected rivalry, but is a fun one from our POV. NW would also maintain their annual rivalry with Purdue
You lose IA-WIS, MSU-PSU, and MIN-PSU anyway with the currently rumored divisions, so in a way I suppose all you’re really losing by doing that is all of Illinois’ trophy games/protected rivalry games (except ILL/jNW), which isn’t the biggest loss in the world, since no one gives a fuck about Illinois football. [insert weeping IlliBuck Trophy here]
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Fair enough....
…I see your point. I just happen to like Iowa-Wisconsin as a cross-divisonal game every year, given the comparative competition level they seem to play on annually. By flipping Minny and Illinois, you could get that game (admittedly at the cost of Floyd, which I know is popular amongst the Hawkeye fans)…..
In the end though, I’m fine with the way they’ve divided these (even if I still think cutting them at the Illinois-Indiana border would have been better)….but as a Northwestern fan, I just don’t care about Minnesota, which is why I’d like the flip, which would add back nearby Purdue in lieu of Minnesota.
Currently, but Illinois has been to 2 BCS games this decade.
If Illinois could get a good coach they have a lot of potential to improve.
I don't think that's right.
We explored that at length in a fanpost not too long ago. I think Illinois is probably destined to be mediocre to horrible. They got into two BCS bowls because the rest of the conference was shitty those years and they were the tallest midget. The results of those bowl games (the 2002 Sugar Bowl and the 2008 Rose Bowl) kind of bear that out.
by Abbas_Cincinnatus on Sep 2, 2010 8:30 AM CDT up reply actions
Why...
did one group play 13 more games than the other? Bowl games?
I'm sick, but I'm pretty...
If it is 13 extra bowl games...
then that would seems to indicate which conference is stronger. Overall winning percentage may not necessarily be the best way to compare. Talk amongst yourselves…
I'm sick, but I'm pretty...
It may very well be bowl games
Or it may be that some teams played Hawaii at Hawaii. The NCAA grants a 13th game to anyone willing to travel to Honolulu. I know that Wisconsin often has Hawaii on their schedule, I would assume others have as well
A Notre Dame Grad, born and raised in Wisconsin... life put me in the express lane to alcoholism.
Nebraska
Nebraska routinely plays 13 / 14 games
So I tried the Barbasol and Rotel dip and I was very dissapointed!
Conference championship games
will skew this slightly as Nebraska has played in 4 or 5 in that time period.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Pre-Season Classics
used to be exempt from the 11 game schedule. That enabled some schools to get one extra game each year.
"Bama Hawkeye, you know, the Iowa blogger who actually uses reason and analysis." - Hawkeye State
"Off Tackle Empire":http://www.offtackleempire.com
You could also schedule an extra game if you traveled to Hawaii during the regular season.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Your suggestion results in fewer guaranteed rivalry games, actually.
SCENARIO 1 (the rumored divisions)
BO — Michigan, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern
WOODY — Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana, Illinois
Cross-division rivalries:
Michigan-Ohio State
Nebraska-Penn State
Minnesota-Wisconsin
Iowa-Purdue
Michigan State-Indiana
Northwestern-Illinois
This preserves the following trophy/current protected rivalries in an annual format: ILL-NW, ILL-OSU, ILL-PUR, IND-MSU, IA-MIN, MICH-MSU, MICH-MIN, MIN-WIS, ILL-IND, MICH-OSU, OSU-PSU
It leaves out the following trophy/current protected rivalries in an annual format: IA-WIS, MSU-PSU, MIN-PSU, NW-PUR
SCENARIO 2 (the Chadnudj divsions)
BO — Michigan, Nebraska, Illinois, Northwestern, Michigan State, Iowa
WOODY — Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana, Minnesota
This preserves the following trophy/current protected rivalries in an annual format: ILL-NW, IND-PUR, IA-WIS, MICH-MSU, MIN-WIS, MIN-PSU, ILL-IND, MICH-OSU, NW-PUR, and OSU-PSU
It leaves out the following trophy/current protected rivalries in an annual format: ILL-OSU, ILL-PUR, IND-MSU, IA-MIN, MICH-MIN, MSU-PSU
Both scenarios leave out PSU-MSU; that one’s just getting thrown to the wolves no matter what. The rumored breakdown also leaves out IA-WIS (which sucks), MIN-PSU (who cares), and NW-PUR (not sure many care about that, either, but I’ll defer to you). Aside from PSU-MSU, your breakdown leaves out ILL-OSU (Remember the IlliBuck!), ILL-PUR (eh), IND-MSU (eh), IA-MIN (REALLY sucks), and MICH-MIN (poor Jug)… all of which are trophy games. I think that does more damage to the conference.
Cross-division rivalries:
Michigan-Ohio State
Penn State-Nebraska
Wisconsin-Iowa
Purdue-Northwestern
Indiana-Illinois
Minnesota-Michigan State
This preserves the following trophy/current protected rivalries in
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Everything would be settled if
they just go to 9 conference games immediately and allow 2 guaranteed cross-divisional rivals.
the trailer hitch scrotum was my idea
We'll see, won't we?
I’m pretty confident that I’ll be winning a beer wager over protected rivalry, Wisconsin will be showing up in TCF Bank Stadium every other year, and you guys will get to pad your record with Indiana.
Everyone fails. The successful learn from their failures. I just wish we'd quit giving ourselves so many learning opportunities.
by WhiteSpeedReceiver on Sep 1, 2010 2:38 PM CDT reply actions
A rivalry as storied as Penn State-Michigan State
But I’m afraid you’re probably right.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Actually, I'd bet on Iowa-Purdue before Iowa-Illinois
MSU and Indiana already have a trophy game (OLD BRASS SPITOON 4 LYFE), so I’d guess that the Big Ten would want to preserve that matchup out of all the hodge-podge left.
Delany's minions sure screwed this conference up with these divisions.
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Sep 1, 2010 3:22 PM CDT up reply actions
It seems all cross-divisional games may end up be played on the last week of the year.
Which is stupid. Apparently the BigTen heads don’t think a rematch in consecutive weeks will harm the CCG.
by The Mexican't on Sep 1, 2010 3:32 PM CDT up reply actions
You can blame that on the OSU-Michigan fans
Who thought the world would end in “The Game” wasn’t the last game of the regular season
A Notre Dame Grad, born and raised in Wisconsin... life put me in the express lane to alcoholism.
Idiots
If this is the case, why even bother having them in different divisions. And if we get stuck with Indiana for our final game, I’m going to be pissed
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Sep 1, 2010 3:49 PM CDT up reply actions
Why?
The easiest answer in the world: money.
"Trouble is; I want that fourth carrier!"
by ReadingRambler on Sep 1, 2010 4:08 PM CDT up reply actions
I'll be a lone voice of decent
in that I’m glad The Game will remain on the last weekend.
And as uninspired as I am about the idea of Purdue as a guaranteed cross-divisional rival, as it’s the closest Big Ten school to where I live and my sister went there (tons of ticket hook-ups) so at least I’ll be able to see Iowa play nearby fairly regularly.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Sep 1, 2010 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Gah! Typed too fast!
That would be “dissent” as I would hate anyone to think I possess any level of “decency”. I’m a scoundrel.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Sep 1, 2010 4:02 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't mind it being last game of the year...
…just not for the reasons cited by the “fans.”
by Eyeheartfreedumb on Sep 1, 2010 4:09 PM CDT up reply actions
I am not glad the Michigan-Ohio State game (What's with this "The Game" stuff, Kyle? Are you one of them?) remains on the last weekend if we're stupid enough to put them in different divisions.
All just because of presumed television money. Lame.
"Trouble is; I want that fourth carrier!"
by ReadingRambler on Sep 1, 2010 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions
I agree with that too.
I’m so confused by all of this (ihavenoideawhatsgoingonrightnow).
by Eyeheartfreedumb on Sep 1, 2010 4:11 PM CDT up reply actions
You are only allowed to post that if someone is being a massive jerk or is using all caps.
I don’t make the rules, but I hope we can enforce them.
"Trouble is; I want that fourth carrier!"
by ReadingRambler on Sep 1, 2010 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions
well...
since i used all caps to post it can i respond with it?
by SaturdayMorningKegStanzis on Sep 1, 2010 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't know.
"Trouble is; I want that fourth carrier!"
by ReadingRambler on Sep 1, 2010 4:14 PM CDT up reply actions
If by "them" you mean
a Big Ten guy, then, yeah. That match-up is as much a part of my growth as a college football fan as Purdue/Indiana, Illinois/Northwestern and Iowa/Minnesota. Maybe it’ll take another 20 years for PSU to get that vibe.
I didn’t want them split in the first place (I’m still a believer that East-West is best for the long-term health of the league) but since they are then at least that tradition might as well be preserved. The only thing that will really bother me about that match-up remaining on the last weekend is if they insist on scheduling all of the cross-divisional rivalries on the last weekend. Iowa needs to end with either Minnesota or Nebraska or this whole thing will really irritate me.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Sep 1, 2010 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions
No way the Big Ten
would be that stupid as to make all the cross-divisional rivals play that weekend. Some with history, like Wisconsin-Minnesota, maybe, but I’d just say that agurs well for the idea of a Nebraska-Iowa final game
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
I'm thinking
OSU/UM and UW/UM get played the last game of the season. The rest of the cross-rivals will be played earlier.
Exactly
That way you can keep the rest of the games intra-divisional on the last weekend. Indiana-Purdue and Iowa-Nebraska will be good. PSU-Illinois and Northwestern-MSU are kind of uninspiring though
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Would think they'd want some interdivisional games with CCG berths on the line to drive up audiences
PSU – WU and Iowa – NU on the final weekend every year would make it highly likely that happens
Well, isn't what LeBron did last night the living embodiment of The Secret, leaving millions on the table and turning himself into a hometown villain, all for the sake of winning?
Neil Paine, basketball-reference.com
I will not call it The Game because I find that term arrogant and almost insulting.
"Trouble is; I want that fourth carrier!"
by ReadingRambler on Sep 1, 2010 4:38 PM CDT up reply actions
It's like how they refer to themselves
They can call it tGame all they want, just like they’re tOSU.
To me, it’s aGame with aOSU
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Sep 1, 2010 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions
I suspect that the chances of them meeting in the conference championship
will be very low. That is not just a knock on Michigan. Ohio State can not continue at it’s current dominance pace and , as has been noted before, a loss in this game will likely knock out one of them from contention for the title game. So let them play when ever they want.
the trailer hitch scrotum was my idea
I'm not opposed to Mich-OSU being played on the last week of the season.
But I don’t think all cross-divisional games should be played during the same week. I’m sure that preserving “The Game” may have caused the rest of the dominos to fall the way they did, but it seems stupid to even allow the rematch in consecutive weeks as a possibility.
I’m not excited about a yearly game with Purdue, but I’m also not overly upset. I would be annoyed, however, if the Hawks had to play the Boilermakers two weeks in a row.
by The Mexican't on Sep 1, 2010 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions
The last week should be Rivalry Week
The solution isn’t to move that game earlier, it’s to put them in the same division.
No UNL v Iowa on the Friady after Thanksgiving???
Thats Fail right there!
So I tried the Barbasol and Rotel dip and I was very dissapointed!
Amen, brother, amen
Well, isn't what LeBron did last night the living embodiment of The Secret, leaving millions on the table and turning himself into a hometown villain, all for the sake of winning?
Neil Paine, basketball-reference.com
That or Minnesota.
If “no” to either then this whole thing is a pile of FAIL for Iowa.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Sep 1, 2010 4:35 PM CDT up reply actions
Thanksgiving weekend tripleheader on BTN
“random rivalry game”, Michigan/OSU, Nebraska/Penn St.
I also predict they will throw out that stupid rule about no night games after October 1 or whatever the hell the rule is.
"You're going to go out there with a dick full of confidence. Then, you're going to go out there and shoot that confidence all over the stadium." -Blue Mountain State
I expected no one to be happy by this
but dammit, it’s like they went out of their way to try to make sure we all hate it.
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Sep 1, 2010 3:45 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I don't hate these divisions.
Annual games with Michigan, Nebraska, and Minnesota = good. Michigan State has been a fun opponent, as has Purdue (we can rip on them as a protected rival, but from an entertainment standpoint, that rivalry produced some fun games in the last decade). Not playing Wisconsin every year sucks and playing Penn State less than we do now would suck, too. From an ease of winning standpoint, not playing Indiana or Illinois also kind of sucks, but eh. We’ll still see two of them every year, so it’s not like they’re going to go off and be forgotten about. And once the 9-game conference schedule kicks in, we’re all even closer to being one big happy family again.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
You're right
it was a knee jerk reaction, and now that I’ve had a couple of minutes to cool down I realize that overall it’s pretty good. There is no way to give everyone what they want, and while I’m not happy about sacrificing Illinois and Wisconsin, it is what it is.
Plus, I hadn’t thought about the 9 game slate initially, so when that happens we’ll get another protected rivalry.
Until expansionpalooza hits again and all bets are off
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Sep 1, 2010 4:42 PM CDT up reply actions
is there a timeline
for further expansion? It seems like its a when not a if..
by SaturdayMorningKegStanzis on Sep 1, 2010 4:43 PM CDT up reply actions
Yes, there is.
Simple E-W split. I know I’m beating a dead horse here, but it works perfectly. In fact, it preserves more existing protected rivalries, without even including a cross-division rival, than this does.
That horse is not only out of the barn, it's at the glue factory by now.
Hooray for mixed metaphors!
Look, I get what you’re saying, but as soon as East-West stopped being an option, this became about damage control and in that sense, they did alright.
I also think we’ve given short shrift to the notion of media attention in much of this discussion. Whether or not it SHOULD matter, it does and will matter and stocking one division with Michigan, Penn State, and Ohio State is an open invitation for one division to get far more attention than the other, no matter how actually competitive and strong the teams there are.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Iowa is seriously lacking in two key elements in this negotiation.
We don’t bring many TV’s to the equation and our AD does not have the muscle of the top teir conference ADs.
the trailer hitch scrotum was my idea
It's all about the TV dollars
Barry Alvarez said that there are 4 distinct tiers in terms of clout in the Big 10
He said there are four distinct tiers of teams, led by the four that have won national championships in the past 25 years: Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska and Penn State.
The next level has UW and Iowa “within a hair” of one another, according to Alvarez.
A Notre Dame Grad, born and raised in Wisconsin... life put me in the express lane to alcoholism.
Glad
we got to keep Minnesota. I commented earlier on the Hlog that not being in the same division as Minnesota and Wisconsin felt very, very wrong. It’s still going to be wierd not playing the Badgers the next few years (that’s going to be a bitter cold stretch if this year’s game decides the title, as it very well may) but this is way, way better than losing both.
Also, Beat Purduuuuuuuue!!! (sigh)
by Third Generation Hawk on Sep 1, 2010 3:54 PM CDT reply actions
I'm not so sure that we'll lose Wisconsin over the next couple years.
Each team will still have two non-protected cross divisional games. Depending on the frequency of the rotation and how quickly the 9th game is added, Iowa may not miss any games with Wisconsin. If a second protected game is added, Wisconsin-Iowa would be a lock.
by The Mexican't on Sep 1, 2010 4:35 PM CDT up reply actions
Something tells me
Illinois will be back on the schedule for the next two years. So that only leaves 1 game. Wisconsin? Maybe.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
But if the BigTen says, "fuck it" and throws out the schedules entirely.
They may very well also say, “let’s keep Wisc-Iowa on rotation.” If it’s a 2-year rotation, that, at least, saves 2011 & 2012.
by The Mexican't on Sep 1, 2010 4:43 PM CDT up reply actions
The 9th game is coming in 2015
So assuming that a 2nd protected rivalry is added and the non protected games get rotated… we’ll miss each other twice over the next 5 years… maybe 3 times
A Notre Dame Grad, born and raised in Wisconsin... life put me in the express lane to alcoholism.
No idea how this works with other teams in the league, but...
if the divisions are as reported above and Purdue is our cross-division foe, that leaves OSU, PSU, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois to duke it out for the other two spots on our schedule. I’m guessing we’d all probably prefer to see PSU and Wisco remain. BUT… Illinois has been off for two years; they may not want to leave them off for four. OSU just came back on last year; this would be kind of quick to rotate them off. We’ve played Wisco every year since 199something. We’ve played PSU the last four years in a row and Indiana the last six years in a row. From that perspective, it might make the most sense to rotate off Wisco and Indiana.
But, like I said, who knows how that works with the rest of the league.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
I don't see the problem here
one less tough game on the schedule. Gives Iowa better shot at getting in that Big 10 championship game
Checkout Royals minor league notes at www.14for77.blogspot.com
Because he has a painful sting?
Oh, the spineless thing…
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Sep 1, 2010 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions
You have no [flips furiously through translation dictionary]...
… marbles! You have no marbles!
A Notre Dame Grad, born and raised in Wisconsin... life put me in the express lane to alcoholism.
Does this go for basketball too?
Not that Iowa Basketball is a powerhouse, but I still try to follow it.
Word is divisions will only be used for football, all other sports it's just one big happy conference
Well, isn't what LeBron did last night the living embodiment of The Secret, leaving millions on the table and turning himself into a hometown villain, all for the sake of winning?
Neil Paine, basketball-reference.com
an interesting observation
One of the major complaints of the Michigan fans is that the division is going to be way too difficult. I find this funny for one of the only 2 legitimate football programs that they are upset with how difficult it will be on this side. Also funny that I have seen a few comments from the Iowa fans saying that this provides a reasonable chance for us to go to the CCG… Swagger?
by SaturdayMorningKegStanzis on Sep 1, 2010 4:06 PM CDT up reply actions
Think national title difficulty, not division championship difficulty
Northwestern actually looks to have found a sustainably decent football program and has a coach who is so gaga over the school that he’ll probably never leave on his own. And MSU is at least mediocre every year. Meanwhile, Illinois is good one year out of 5 and often just awful, Purdue was useless before Tiller and appears to be going that direction again, and a .500 season is a great year for IU.
by Yinka Double Dare on Sep 1, 2010 4:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Hmm.
so gaga over the school that he’ll probably never leave on his own
Does this mean we need to fabricate some sort of scandal in order to get him pushed out the door? Because, um, I’m not above that sort of thing.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
You haven't heard ...
about the kiddie porn ring he’s running with bin Laden?
Excuse me for my bellicosity. And spelling. Bellicosity and spelling.
by Blackheartnopants on Sep 1, 2010 4:56 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm not seeing why all the fuss.
Without extensive research (I.e., none), the Badgers have rotated off the schedule in the past with little to no fanfare. Why is it a big deal now? The matchups presented make sense in a historical strength perspective while still keeping geography in mind. Every year, Nebraska, Michigan and Minnesota will be on the slate. I’m happy with that. Sure, IU sucks but the bull doesn’t trump the ax.
by Pubes in Pink Urinals on Sep 1, 2010 4:13 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
"Rotated off the schedule"?
They’ve been off the schedule twice in the last 72 years. And people were pissed about it.
Before you respond, let me remind you: Brian Cook called me smug, which makes me the Obama of smugness. I'm basically Smugbama.
I think I'm more pissed at the idea
of playing Indiana every year than missing Wisconsin every few.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Sep 1, 2010 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Hold on guys
Michigan State and Indiana already have a trophy game. Could that become their protected rivalry? That would mean we’d get Purdue for the “Black and Gold Classic”.
Clearly
This thread is proof that we need a liveblog for the official announcement tonight.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Yeah!
Feel free to join us at 6:30 EST/5:30 CST for our first open thread of the season, as we bitch moan complain analyze the new conferences, protected games, and the snowball’s chance in hell that the 2011 team can win its division. Because it’s never too early.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Reading is FUNdamental
And apparently something I am incapable of.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
It was a little buried at the end.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Please
Who made it to the end before complaining?
rabble rabble * Shakes fist at sky *
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Sep 1, 2010 4:52 PM CDT up reply actions
Any word on what they're going to call the divisions yet?
Rotel and Barbasol as proposed in the link above? Corn vs. Declining industrial base states? Endless Winter vs. Lake Effect Endless Winter?
by Norm Parker's Amputated Toes on Sep 1, 2010 4:49 PM CDT reply actions
Mid and West
will be the division titles I am assuming. Or Middle and West. They may add upper to both.
"I wish you luck with a capital 'F'" - The Real Elvis.
I would be annoyed if they went with the "Bo" and "Woody" names, I think.
Because it would further the OSU/Michigan-centric nature of the Big Ten and make it look like a Michigan-OSU championship game is their only real endgame in all of this.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Try this for All-American
Johnny Appleseed -———————Paul Bunyan
Ohio State—————————————Michigan
Purdue——————————————-Michigan State
Illinois———————————————Northwestern
Penn State -————————————Nebraska
Wisconsin—————————————Iowa
Indiana——————————————Minnesota
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Sep 1, 2010 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions
If we in fact get Purdue
then we need to start working on hating them. Although, I have a good friend who went there and we both agree we could care less about each other’s alma maters. They are often the last team for whom I look up the final score. And, I was a guy who liked the Purdue Jeff George but hated the Illinois Jeff George.
"I wish you luck with a capital 'F'" - The Real Elvis.
what sort of history is there
can anyone find what the all time series is with them?
by SaturdayMorningKegStanzis on Sep 1, 2010 5:03 PM CDT up reply actions
I have a hard time working up a good hate for a team that hapless.
I know we’re 6-4 recently against them, but those were some Iowa teams fighting a headwind. I just don’t see this ever amounting to anything other than a trip east.
by Norm Parker's Amputated Toes on Sep 1, 2010 5:04 PM CDT up reply actions
That "BOILER UP!" thing is pretty goddamn annoying.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
Completely agree...
wtf does it even mean? That and their stupid “1 2 3 4 FIRST DOWN” chant on every single first down.
The train horn in general is annoying
But Ross-Ade is the only college stadium I have been to that had in/out privileges, which is great if you managed to park close to the stadium. Halftime ice cold beers.
by Yinka Double Dare on Sep 1, 2010 5:23 PM CDT up reply actions
What about their visitor endzone lockdown?
Last time I was there, if you were in the visitor endzone section, it’s disconnected from the rest of the stadium and you can’t even get to the rest of it. Perhaps I didn’t try very hard and you can get there.. it was 2007 when the team didn’t get off the bus.
Beats me, I've never sat there.
I doubt you’d have a lot of problems buying tickets elsewhere in the stadium though next time so long as Purdue isn’t any good. There will always be an opponent or two on their schedule that will be a tougher ticket than Iowa, simply due to reasonable proximity of a rabid fanbase (OSU) or in-state marquee name that the Purdue fans hate (Notre Dame).
by Yinka Double Dare on Sep 1, 2010 5:34 PM CDT up reply actions
I've always said that Purdue
is the Big Ten school for whom I have the least venom. They have an underrated stadium, their fans are super-nice, they have excellent (although not perfect) taste in colors and they have not been a menace to Iowa all that many times. I dare say that I like Purdue.
I guess I’ll just have to focus my hate on the carnival that occurs after each TD at Ross-Ade.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Sep 1, 2010 6:26 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, they're definitely the team about which I'm the most ambivalent.
"All of this has happened before. All of this will happen again."
by Bucketochicken on Sep 2, 2010 12:02 AM CDT up reply actions
Bo(ner) and Woody
in honor of the two schools that the Big Ten catered to, yet they both reference phallus.
by Hank Thrasher on Sep 1, 2010 5:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Sports-related animosity in play
Are you still pissed about that time that Dane Fife bit Duez Henderson’s leg?
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