Will the Big 10 ever rebalance their divisions?

[NittanySteel]

Cyclicality is relevant when considering the long-term competitiveness of these divisions. In no era would these divisions be considered competitive. You can easily fix it. Swap Michigan for Purdue. Live with the years that OSU and UM play a rematch in the BT title game, which I expect to be fairly uncommon. Wish the BT would get over that point and make the move.

If you have to keep OSU and UM in the same division, then the next best thing is to swap MSU to the West for Purdue. From a pure competition perspective, PSU would be better in the West in this scenario, but geographically it doesn't make sense.

 

[fastlax16]

Cyclicality is relevant when considering the long-term competitiveness of these divisions. In no era would these divisions be considered competitive. You can easily fix it. Swap Michigan for Purdue. Live with the years that OSU and UM play a rematch in the BT title game, which I expect to be fairly uncommon. Wish the BT would get over that point and make the move.

If you have to keep OSU and UM in the same division, then the next best thing is to swap MSU to the West for Purdue. From a pure competition perspective, PSU would be better in the West in this scenario, but geographically it doesn't make sense.

Um demands they play both msu and OSU. The solution is totally non geographic divisions. Something along the lines of:

Osu-um-msu-northwestern-Purdue-Indiana-Minnesota

Psu-Wisconsin-Iowa-Nebraska-Rutgers-maryland, llinois

 

[fastlax16]

PSU has won a lot of really close games against Wisconsin. I guess the definition of "owning" is different for everyone.

We don’t get credit for close games w osu

 

[4IUSox2]

Doctornick, succinct and well said!! Have been saying this for years!! Some out of division match ups are played just once every 5 years. The current set up is so imbalanced.

I think this could be attained by going to 8 league games/year. Each school gets 3 protected rivalry games played yearly. Years 1 and 2 play the same 5 Home/Home. Years 3 and 4, the other 5 Home/Home. Thus at least trying to set up a more balanced/equitable schedule.

 

[YorkCoLion]

I wouldn’t expect them to separate OSU and Michigan but would the exchange PSU and a lesser team from the west?

Move OSU and Michigan to the west, move Purdue and Illinois to the East.

 

[Waste Management Consultant]

Sounds like some people are longing for the good ol’ days of the Leaders & Legends divisions.

 

[psuro]

How about the west get their shit together and play better football?

You must be new around here.

 

[NittanySteel]

Um demands they play both msu and OSU. The solution is totally non geographic divisions. Something along the lines of:

Osu-um-msu-northwestern-Purdue-Indiana-Minnesota

Psu-Wisconsin-Iowa-Nebraska-Rutgers-maryland, llinois

Ah that's true. Then I guess swapping MSU with Purdue (MSU / UM with protected crossover) is the best alternative. East would still be very top-heavy, but the West would have better depth.

 

[KCLion]

Um demands they play both msu and OSU. The solution is totally non geographic divisions. Something along the lines of:

Osu-um-msu-northwestern-Purdue-Indiana-Minnesota

Psu-Wisconsin-Iowa-Nebraska-Rutgers-maryland, llinois

Then the Big would give us OSU/UM/MSU as our crossover games

 

[L.A.Lion]

All time series is 17-14 vs Iowa. 2021 Iowa won. Yeah it would have been different with Clifford, but that final score isn't changing.

Take out the dark years at the beginning of this century when everyone was beating Penn State and it's a one-sided series. The two programs are not comparable.

If people want to "re-balance" the divisions with little fuss, swap Purdue for Michigan State.

But really, it's a dumb idea. How are you going to win two CFP games if you can't beat everyone in your division? Just out-recruit, out-coach, and out-play tOSU.

Just win.

 

[NittanyChris]

In the history of college football, to compare the success and stature of Iowa/Wisconsin to Michigan/PSU is ludicrous.

 

[michnittlion]

The divisions are essentially a welfare program for teams such as Illinois, Northwestern and Iowa. It provides them with more opportunity to win a Conference title.

Of course, those programs above, none of them has actually won an outright Conference title since 2001 (Illinois), 1995 (Northwestern) or 1985 (Iowa). So they're not exactly taking advantage of this welfare program.

But, fair enough. It increases their chances of getting an occasional visit to Indianapolis, where they will lose much more often than not.

 

[fastlax16]

In the history of college football, to compare the success and stature of Iowa/Wisconsin to Michigan/PSU is ludicrous.

We’re Iowa’s little brother according to their board

 

[91Joe95]

The Big 10 should do like those soccer leagues, worst teams in the east get kicked out every year and west teams get to move up.

 

[fastlax16]

The Big 10 should do like those soccer leagues, worst teams in the east get kicked out every year and west teams get to move up.

That does the opposite of solving the issue

 

[91Joe95]

That does the opposite of solving the issue

But it creates another opportunity to solve a new problem. Do I have to think of everything?

 

[Eurotrash1]

Leave it the way it is and beat your competition. You have to beat the best to be the best.

 

[Cosmos]

I mean it's imbalanced because of Ohio State success the last 20 years.

Just look at Michigan and Penn States record against Wisconsin and Iowa in that time frame. PSU just lost to Iowa not sure how we as a fan base can talk about the imbalance of the divisions.

We can talk about it because fans at the western schools admit how week their division is.

 

[AWS1022]

Leave it the way it is and beat your competition. You have to beat the best to be the best.

That’s a great sound bite, but we’re talking about college football….you have to get into the imaginary playoffs before you can beat the best to be the best. And to get into the imaginary playoffs, some teams don’t have to beat sh!t, others are okay to lose a game, and some have to go undefeated to get in…..sounds like a hell of a lot more than “you have to beat the best to be the best.”

 

[walleye38]

Of course it’s all cyclical but the East and West remain horribly imbalanced. Having OSU, PSU, Michigan and Michigan State all on the same side is so absurd. Fine, they want to keep OSU and Michigan on the same side, but do some shifting around. In the West only Wisconsin has been consistently pretty good. Iowa, Nebraska and Northwestern are all mediocre programs with only Nebraska having a strong history.

So, will they ever rebalance?

It isn't a question of balance, It is a question of "Will anyone ever catch up to Ohio State"

 

[NittanyChris]

It isn't a question of balance, It is a question of "Will anyone ever catch up to Ohio State"

So the best team is in the Big East division, yes. That doesn’t mean the 2nd, 3rd and 4th best teams in the conference should also be in the same division, does it?

 

[STPGopherfan]

Of course it’s all cyclical but the East and West remain horribly imbalanced. Having OSU, PSU, Michigan and Michigan State all on the same side is so absurd. Fine, they want to keep OSU and Michigan on the same side, but do some shifting around. In the West only Wisconsin has been consistently pretty good. Iowa, Nebraska and Northwestern are all mediocre programs with only Nebraska having a strong history.

So, will they ever rebalance?

Define history! We (Minnesota) were good when this was in fashion...

Besides we hold the all-time series lead over Nebraska as well as the BigTen Series lead... Nevermind that this has nothing to do with your point and the less than stellar side of the conference. Just let us win one before things get muddled again.

 

[NittanyLionFan]

The divisions are set up in a logical way due to geography. If they wanted to try to just make schedules more even/fair the best way to do it is to eliminate divisions, play a more rotating schedule and just pair the top two teams in terms or record in the CCG.

Sandy was on the Nitwits this past weekend and it sounded like something like this was possible given in part the new ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 "alliance." Would have to go back and re-listen to the discussion, but this was definitely raised during the interview.

 

[MontereyLion]

Just do away with Divisions. Two highest ranked teams at the end of the regular season, should play for the Conference title. Why should a 4 lose Northwestern team ever play for the title?

 

[ivan brunetti]

PSU is 17-14 all time against Iowa. They won a lot of games against Joepa and currently have more players in the NFL. PSU has done well against Wisconsin, but Michigan has not.

All is I'm saying is PSU/UM vs Wisconsin/IA isn't that big of gap. PSU/UM recruit a ton better, but it's not like they dominate them on the field and put in that much more players in the NFL.

Since you are using all time records, Michigan has a .750 winning percentage vs Wisconsin.