B1G divisions and recruiting rankings

[wbcincy]

I know this isn't a novel observation, but it continues to blow my mind how poorly they divided the divisions. How tenable is it going to be to have the championship game each year be so anticlimactic because the West's representative is only the 5th or 6th best team in the conference?

To date, national team recruiting rankings by Division:

East: 1, 5, 6, 7, 23, 31, 77
West: 25, 28, 30, 36, 38, 53, 69

Now you might say that these things will ebb and flow. Problem is the East definitively has the top 3 teams in position to be consistent long-term powers. Nebraska is the closest thing the West has, and there are large questions as to whether it's possible for that program to be what it once was. Further, in my opinion the West just completely whiffed on coach hirings at what should be 2 of the most important programs in their division.

So we're staring down at least a decade of "blah" championship games in the conference with the East featuring the top 4 teams in the conference annually. But at least OSU and Michigan can play every year, and MSU didn't separated from UM. That's all that matters!!!

 

[NittanyAmerica]

Wrong, the only thing in the B!G that matters is Penn State gets the shaft.

N i t t a n y A m e r i c a

 

[ChiTownLion]

Whatever brings the biggest games to Beaver Stadium is fine by me. A loaded B1G East is great for Penn State. Our return to prominence will be all the more rewarding as it plays out on the biggest possible stage.

 

[Jerademan74]

I know this isn't a novel observation, but it continues to blow my mind how poorly they divided the divisions. How tenable is it going to be to have the championship game each year be so anticlimactic because the West's representative is only the 5th or 6th best team in the conference?

To date, national team recruiting rankings by Division:

East: 1, 5, 6, 7, 23, 31, 77
West: 25, 28, 30, 36, 38, 53, 69

Now you might say that these things will ebb and flow. Problem is the East definitively has the top 3 teams in position to be consistent long-term powers. Nebraska is the closest thing the West has, and there are large questions as to whether it's possible for that program to be what it once was. Further, in my opinion the West just completely whiffed on coach hirings at what should be 2 of the most important programs in their division.

So we're staring down at least a decade of "blah" championship games in the conference with the East featuring the top 4 teams in the conference annually. But at least OSU and Michigan can play every year, and MSU didn't separated from UM. That's all that matters!!!

The same thing happened when the SEC East was so strong, and now the SEC West has reversed the strength factor. In reality, this all doesn't matter as the team that wins out will win the MNC!

 

[lionlurker]

The higher we rise, the more fun they will have when they continue to screw us whenever they can.

 

[pandaczar12]

It blows my mind that people want to play Pitt every year. They rank only better than Indiana.

 

[wbcincy]

The same thing happened when the SEC East was so strong, and now the SEC West has reversed the strength factor. In reality, this all doesn't matter as the team that wins out will win the MNC!

True, but the SEC West had sleeping giants just waiting to be awoken. Sort of like PSU and UM the last couple years. The B1G West has no such giants waiting.

 

[michnittlion]

True, but the SEC West had sleeping giants just waiting to be awoken. Sort of like PSU and UM the last couple years. The B1G West has no such giants waiting.

I'm dead serious when I say this ---- but I wonder if when we are 15 years out, and we have a generation of young kids who are used to Maryland & Rutgers being B1G members, we will see a big earthquake in the conference realignment game.

Could the Eastern schools realize that WE have all the power (financial and otherwise) in the conference and split off away from the "western dead weight"? Joining up with some portion of the ACC? And what if there were some scenario where Notre Dame was FORCED to join a conference?

Is something like the below potentially viable? Not today, but perhaps in a generation?

New Conference:
Former B1G schools (7): Michigan, Ohio State, MSU, Penn State, Maryland, Rutgers, Northwestern
That school in Northern Indiana (1): Notre Dame
Former ACC schools (6): Boston College, Syracuse, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Miami FLA.

Maybe a pipe dream, but oh how awesome that would be. Even if Notre Dame wants no part of this, we take Florida State instead.

 

[nits74]

I'm dead serious when I say this ---- but I wonder if when we are 15 years out, and we have a generation of young kids who are used to Maryland & Rutgers being B1G members, we will see a big earthquake in the conference realignment game.

Could the Eastern schools realize that WE have all the power (financial and otherwise) in the conference and split off away from the "western dead weight"? Joining up with some portion of the ACC? And what if there were some scenario where Notre Dame was FORCED to join a conference?

Is something like the below potentially viable? Not today, but perhaps in a generation?

New Conference:
Former B1G schools (7): Michigan, Ohio State, MSU, Penn State, Maryland, Rutgers, Northwestern
That school in Northern Indiana (1): Notre Dame
Former ACC schools (6): Boston College, Syracuse, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Miami FLA.

Maybe a pipe dream, but oh how awesome that would be. Even if Notre Dame wants no part of this, we take Florida State instead.

Very interesting take.

 

[michnittlion]

Very interesting take.

I've discussed this idea with some Notre Dame friends. They completely scoff at the idea, saying stuff like "we'll never join a conference, we value our independence above everything else!!"

But, what happens when (it's a matter of when, not if) ND misses the college football playoffs with a 11-1 record will be interesting.

Their tune may change pretty quick.

ND may be in a "partnership" with the ACC, but let's be honest. All ACC schools are not created equal in Notre Dame's mind. They like playing BC, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, the Florida schools, Duke, Wake Forest, UNC, Georgia Tech, and Virginia. Those 10 are generally all are good academic schools, and they allow ND visibility in certain strategic markets. But Virginia Tech, NC State, Clemson and Louisville? Not really so much.

I can see Notre Dame thinking "well, we have to join a conference. But do we have to go full-in with the ACC? What if WE take the lead in trying to design something else? What if we start chatting with some ACC folk and some B1G folk? Only those schools in those conferences who we like, of course. Hmmmmmmm."

ND is (and will be) the 12-ton T-Rex out there in the college football realignment game --- and I'll be honest, I want them as an ally. If Barbour were smart, she's actively cultivating a relationship with them even now. At the very least, we're also over-due for another home-and-home with them.

 

[21Guns]

The conference will be re-aligned, if and when it best suits the purposes of Ohio State and Michigan.

End of thread.