Unbalanced B1G Schedules Need to be Addressed when determining Divisional Champions

[Gophers2Omaha]

I know, this is a huge 'What if' based on how the year went down, BUT...

What if the Gophers had gone 6-0 versus teams from the West and everything else played out as it did? The Gophers would have "WON" the West but would not have been the representative from the West in the B1G Championship game. Iowa still would have. This needs to be addressed.

Playing Michigan and Ohio State certainly was not equal to playing Indiana and Maryland from the East. Not even close. I don't care if over time the schedules balance out. Each year is unique. For example, teams playing Michigan the last few years didn't play a possibly significantly improved Michigan of the future. If that's the case, whoever plays Michigan the next couple of years is at a disadvantage. They were significantly improved this year already and it would not be surprising if they continued to trend upward.

I think games versus teams from the East should not count in Divisional standings. Period. Count the wins and losses towards a team's overall record and use those results to help with the polls, College Football Playoffs, and bowl game designations. Don't let them play a role in determining the Divisional representative. There is just too large of a disparity in games against teams from the other division.

Anyone think this makes some sense?

 

[1983]

I mostly agree.

 

[dannygopher9100]

Our crossovers had 13 big ten wins. Iowa's had 3.

 

[upnorthkid]

I know, this is a huge 'What if' based on how the year went down, BUT...

What if the Gophers had gone 6-0 versus teams from the West and everything else played out as it did? The Gophers would have "WON" the West but would not have been the representative from the West in the B1G Championship game. Iowa still would have. This needs to be addressed.

Playing Michigan and Ohio State certainly was not equal to playing Indiana and Maryland from the East. Not even close. I don't care if over time the schedules balance out. Each year is unique. For example, teams playing Michigan the last few years didn't play a possibly significantly improved Michigan of the future. If that's the case, whoever plays Michigan the next couple of years is at a disadvantage. They were significantly improved this year already and it would not be surprising if they continued to trend upward.

I think games versus teams from the East should not count in Divisional standings. Period. Count the wins and losses towards a team's overall record and use those results to help with the polls, College Football Playoffs, and bowl game designations. Don't let them play a role in determining the Divisional representative. There is just too large of a disparity in games against teams from the other division.

Anyone think this makes some sense?

This will go down with the 9 game conference schedule (more like teams will be played). If you aren't going to count them in the divisional standings, it makes things get really hairy down the stretch with scheduling. Let's say that 2 teams in the west play each other the last week of the season (MN and Wisco). MN has lost a Non conf game and one in divisional play and is eliminated from CFP contention. Wisco has not lost yet. MN and Wisco both have 2 games vs the East div before they're end of season game. MN decides to rest it's best players who are dinged up to get them healthy and gets rocked and drops to 7-4. Wisco plays it's starters and the starting QB gets hurt late in another win. Now are 11-0. The Gophers, now due to having everyone healthy, **** stop the Badgers, win the Axe, and win the west by that logic despite dropping 3 conference games due to a head to head win over 11-1 Wisco because, in part, they were able to get healthy late in the year.

It removes incentive from games when you start saying cross div games don't matter. If that's the case, just split the conference and only make 6 conf games "mandatory" and you can schedule whoever else you want. It's luck of the draw. If you want to show you're the best team, win the games on the field and the rest will speak for itself. The Gophs will get the benefit in some seasons, other teams will get it in others. But if we become the power in the west division, it really won't matter when we consistently beat everyone else we play in the west.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I know, this is a huge 'What if' based on how the year went down, BUT...

What if the Gophers had gone 6-0 versus teams from the West and everything else played out as it did? The Gophers would have "WON" the West but would not have been the representative from the West in the B1G Championship game. Iowa still would have. This needs to be addressed.

Playing Michigan and Ohio State certainly was not equal to playing Indiana and Maryland from the East. Not even close. I don't care if over time the schedules balance out. Each year is unique. For example, teams playing Michigan the last few years didn't play a possibly significantly improved Michigan of the future. If that's the case, whoever plays Michigan the next couple of years is at a disadvantage. They were significantly improved this year already and it would not be surprising if they continued to trend upward.

I think games versus teams from the East should not count in Divisional standings. Period. Count the wins and losses towards a team's overall record and use those results to help with the polls, College Football Playoffs, and bowl game designations. Don't let them play a role in determining the Divisional representative. There is just too large of a disparity in games against teams from the other division.

Anyone think this makes some sense?

As long as the crossover games rotate the same for everyone it is just one of things that is what it is. It is going to be the case every year where some teams have tougher crossover games then others. That being said while you might be able to guess that some teams are going to be better then others heading into the season there is really no way to be certain (Michigan and Iowa are prime examples of teams playing far better this season then last).

On top of that do you think any of us will be feeling sorry for Bucky at this point next year when they open Big Ten play with the following:
at Michigan
at Michigan State
vs Ohio State
at Iowa

I know I for one want all three of those crossover games to count on their record. Just like I want ours against Penn State, Maryland and Rutgers to count.

 

[upnorthkid]

As long as the crossover games rotate the same for everyone it is just one of things that is what it is. It is going to be the case every year where some teams have tougher crossover games then others. That being said while you might be able to guess that some teams are going to be better then others heading into the season there is really no way to be certain (Michigan and Iowa are prime examples of teams playing far better this season then last).

On top of that do you think any of us will be feeling sorry for Bucky at this point next year when they open Big Ten play with the following:
at Michigan
at Michigan State
vs Ohio State
at Iowa

I know I for one want all three of those crossover games to count on their record. Just like I want ours against Penn State, Maryland and Rutgers to count.

This looks like a jolly good time for them to start the B10 slate. Yikes. Legit shot at 0-4 and basic elimination before we even hit mid October

 

[MNVCGUY]

This looks like a jolly good time for them to start the B10 slate. Yikes. Legit shot at 0-4 and basic elimination before we even hit mid October

I hadn't seen that until I looked it up a little bit ago. Gotta admit it made me smile to see that, couldn't happen to a better team to start off the Big Ten season with a slate of games like that. It gets better too because after Iowa they play Nebraska at home and then go to Northwestern. They have a legit shot of starting 0-6 before they play Purdue and Illinois. We have all been waiting for Wisconsin to truly falter and with that schedule (did I mention they start with LSU?) next year could certainly be the year where Wisconsin gets knocked down a peg or two.

 

[GophersInIowa]

If they can leave the schedule alone for awhile now, things will eventually even out. The problem has been they have redone the schedule so many times recently due to adding teams and restructuring the divisions. Therefore we've run into situations like with us hardly ever playing Indiana.

 

[dannygopher9100]

If they can leave the schedule alone for awhile now, things will eventually even out. The problem has been they have redone the schedule so many times recently due to adding teams and restructuring the divisions. Therefore we've run into situations like with us hardly ever playing Indiana.

Which is such a shame because I loved going to Indiana in 2013. They come to TCF for the first time in 2019.

 

[Ralph_Wiggum]

No, all big ten games should count in the divisional standings. But, I would like to see a quicker rotation though. Play 3 and then Play the next 3 and then play the 1 and then the next 2. Each big ten will have 5 or 4 home games. I like how the NFL rotates. All NFC North teams play NFC west teams this year with two on the road and two at home. Next year the NFC North will play another division which ever is in the rotation. They also do this with a division from the AFC. You don't have two year cycles of home and away.

 

[Gophers2Omaha]

This looks like a jolly good time for them to start the B10 slate. Yikes. Legit shot at 0-4 and basic elimination before we even hit mid October

That is pretty much my point. Wisconsin's schedule next year shows that the disparity could be even worse with the addition of a third crossover game. I can't stand Bucky but they could very well be eliminated from West contention and be 0-3 in the conference before even playing a team from the West. Shouldn't the West be represented by the team that truly won the West by beating the most teams in their Division. Instead, teams are getting a head start on winning their Division or being placed in a hole based on their crossover opponents.

In saying that, how jacked are all of us going to be when Wisconsin is welcoming Nebraska to town at 1-6 or 2-5. Besides their early B1G slate, opening with LSU at Lambeau Field could be yet another loss. Plus, Georgia State made their first bowl game this year...a team on the rise. One can dream...

Based ONLY on crossover schedules the next two years Wisconsin is done in 2016 but is going to have a head start on everyone else in the West in 2017. Crossover schedule should not have that much influence on determining the West champion.

Based on my argument, get ready Gopher fans, we have a good shot at winning the West next year! I would bet it is down to the Gophers (@ Penn St., @ Maryland, Rutgers), Nebraska (@ Indiana, @ Ohio St., Maryland), and Iowa (@ Rutgers, @ Penn St., Michigan) based on crossover schedules unless Purdue (@ Maryland, Penn St., @ Indiana) pulls off a surprising season.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

[dannygopher9100]

That is pretty much my point. Wisconsin's schedule next year shows that the disparity could be even worse with the addition of a third crossover game. I can't stand Bucky but they could very well be eliminated from West contention and be 0-3 in the conference before even playing a team from the West. Shouldn't the West be represented by the team that truly won the West by beating the most teams in their Division. Instead, teams are getting a head start on winning their Division or being placed in a hole based on their crossover opponents.

In saying that, how jacked are all of us going to be when Wisconsin is welcoming Nebraska to town at 1-6 or 2-5. Besides their early B1G slate, opening with LSU at Lambeau Field could be yet another loss. Plus, Georgia State made their first bowl game this year...a team on the rise. One can dream...

Based ONLY on crossover schedules the next two years Wisconsin is done in 2016 but is going to have a head start on everyone else in the West in 2017. Crossover schedule should not have that much influence on determining the West champion.

Based on my argument, get ready Gopher fans, we have a good shot at winning the West next year! I would bet it is down to the Gophers (@ Penn St., @ Maryland, Rutgers), Nebraska (@ Indiana, @ Ohio St., Maryland), and Iowa (@ Rutgers, @ Penn St., Michigan) based on crossover schedules unless Purdue (@ Maryland, Penn St., @ Indiana) pulls off a surprising season.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Winning at Penn State would be a great way to start the Big Ten season.

 

[MGGopher]

I agree. I heard this discussion on BTN Live a couple months ago and some of them agreed as well. I think they might've even been specifically referencing the Gophers chances at the West. But yes, if you beat every other team in your division, you're the best and should be champion. Period.

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[GophersInIowa]

No, all big ten games should count in the divisional standings. But, I would like to see a quicker rotation though. Play 3 and then Play the next 3 and then play the 1 and then the next 2. Each big ten will have 5 or 4 home games. I like how the NFL rotates. All NFC North teams play NFC west teams this year with two on the road and two at home. Next year the NFC North will play another division which ever is in the rotation. They also do this with a division from the AFC. You don't have two year cycles of home and away.

I think this may be one of the first times I've agreed with you. Exactly how it should be in my opinion as well.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

I agree. I heard this discussion on BTN Live a couple months ago and some of them agreed as well. I think they might've even been specifically referencing the Gophers chances at the West. But yes, if you beat every other team in your division, you're the best and should be champion. Period.

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I would be on board with a rule that gives the division title to anyone who goes 6-0 in their division.

 

[mplsbadger]

For about 18 years the Gophers, Hawkeyes, and Badgers played every year while Ohio State got Michigan and Penn State. This evens out - that didn't.

 

[MaxyJR1]

Unbalanced B1G Schedules Need to be Addressed when determining Divisional Cha...

I still want regional 11 team divisions where they play 10 games and then two non-conference games. 8 divisions, so 88 teams in top division of football. Pair champions for championship week (quarterfinals) by computer and then you are down to your final four.


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[upnorthkid]

That is pretty much my point. Wisconsin's schedule next year shows that the disparity could be even worse with the addition of a third crossover game. I can't stand Bucky but they could very well be eliminated from West contention and be 0-3 in the conference before even playing a team from the West. Shouldn't the West be represented by the team that truly won the West by beating the most teams in their Division. Instead, teams are getting a head start on winning their Division or being placed in a hole based on their crossover opponents.

In saying that, how jacked are all of us going to be when Wisconsin is welcoming Nebraska to town at 1-6 or 2-5. Besides their early B1G slate, opening with LSU at Lambeau Field could be yet another loss. Plus, Georgia State made their first bowl game this year...a team on the rise. One can dream...

Based ONLY on crossover schedules the next two years Wisconsin is done in 2016 but is going to have a head start on everyone else in the West in 2017. Crossover schedule should not have that much influence on determining the West champion.

Based on my argument, get ready Gopher fans, we have a good shot at winning the West next year! I would bet it is down to the Gophers (@ Penn St., @ Maryland, Rutgers), Nebraska (@ Indiana, @ Ohio St., Maryland), and Iowa (@ Rutgers, @ Penn St., Michigan) based on crossover schedules unless Purdue (@ Maryland, Penn St., @ Indiana) pulls off a surprising season.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

You can't have it both ways though. Either you'd have to eliminate the cross overs all together or have them count or you're looking at resting players in irrelevant games in the standings if you're eliminated from the CFP which Wisconsin may be after one b10 game. This would just be silly and lead to a very weak alliance between the divisions and a watered down product

 

[matt]

Do you think a 6-10 Packers team that went 6-0 in the NFC North should make the playoffs over a 14-2 Vikings team?

 

[GoUgophers]

People have been crying about this in the SEC for years.

Sack up and deal with it. Otherwise, I suggest you go peel some orange slices and focus on your kid's soccer team during the fall.

 

[Seany]

I hadn't seen that until I looked it up a little bit ago. Gotta admit it made me smile to see that, couldn't happen to a better team to start off the Big Ten season with a slate of games like that. It gets better too because after Iowa they play Nebraska at home and then go to Northwestern. They have a legit shot of starting 0-6 before they play Purdue and Illinois. We have all been waiting for Wisconsin to truly falter and with that schedule (did I mention they start with LSU?) next year could certainly be the year where Wisconsin gets knocked down a peg or two.

Man that is a rough fricken schedule.

RE: them starting out next season against LSU, I've been wondering if there's any kind of correlation between starting out the season against a powerhouse team and the injuries that seem to so often accumulate throughout the season in the aftermath of that. I'm just thinking of us and Sconnie this season in particular, them starting out against Alabama and us against TCU, and how the injuries on both our teams just seemed to really snowball as the season went along. Their offensive line has not been right since the Alabama game, and ourselves, well, the injuries this season speak for themselves.

I just wonder if facing such a physically challenging team straight off the bat like that doesn't potentially set a lesser team up for an awful lot of cumulative injuries as the season rolls along.

 

[GopherHomer]

People have been crying about this in the SEC for years.

Sack up and deal with it. Otherwise, I suggest you go peel some orange slices and focus on your kid's soccer team during the fall.

I dislike your Iowa-ness, but I agree with you on this one. Although, in the SEC Auburn does kind of get the shaft having Georgia as a permanent cross-over for rivalry purposes.

 

[upnorthkid]

Do you think a 6-10 Packers team that went 6-0 in the NFC North should make the playoffs over a 14-2 Vikings team?

agreed and great point. Same as a 6-6 team over an 11-1 in the B10

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

agreed and great point. Same as a 6-6 team over an 11-1 in the B10

Yeah, Matt and Upnorthkid hit the nail on the head.

The only difference in this debate is that college football places more importance on conferences than the NFL. The playoffs are decided by overall record, not conference record (pre-tiebreakers). As far as getting to post-season, a win against the Jets is as good for the Vikes as a win against the Bears. In college football, a win against Colorado State isn't as important as a win against Nebraska. It shouldn't be, but that's a difference in college football.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Absolutely games vs. the East should count on B1G record

Unfortunately with conference expansion, unbalanced (and quite often unfair) schedules are part of the equation. But yes, absolutely all conference games should count. Would be silly if games vs. the East don't count on the B1G record.

Next year, the worm turns the Gophers way with no Michigan State, Ohio State, or Michigan on the B1G schedule. Must take advantage of that. Iowa doesn't need to apologize for taking advantage of its favorable B1G schedule this year, nor should the Gophers apologize in 2016 if they do the same.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Unfortunately with conference expansion, unbalanced (and quite often unfair) schedules are part of the equation. But yes, absolutely all conference games should count. Would be silly if games vs. the East don't count on the B1G record.

Next year, the worm turns the Gophers way with no Michigan State, Ohio State, or Michigan on the B1G schedule. Must take advantage of that. Iowa doesn't need to apologize for taking advantage of its favorable B1G schedule this year, nor should the Gophers apologize in 2016 if they do the same.

I believe Iowa should apologize.

 

[JoeDirt]

I wish they would just go to 10 conference games instead of 9. Teams in conference would never go more than two years without playing each other thus making conference schedules basically equal. It would also solve the unbalanced home schedule issue, teams playing five away games is a disadvantage to those playing five home games.

 

[GVBadger]

The Badgers schedule next year is awesome. Quality opponents up and down the slate and finally some breathers at the end.

 

[Golden Elephant]

The issue of whether to count crossover games or not in division standings becomes more relevant now that there are 3 crossover games. Now, there theoretically could be a team that could go 0-3 against the other division and go 5-1 or 6-0 against its own division and be beaten out by an inferior 7-2/8-1 team.

But even that could mostly be avoided if the B1G would take care to more evenly schedule crossovers. No one should ever play MSU, Mich, & OSU in the same year just like we should've never played OSU & Mich the last 2 years. Each West team should have crossovers that include at least 1 from Mich/OSU/MSU and at least 1 from Ind/Mary/Rut. The West is a more balanced division, but ideally each East team should play 1-2 of Neb/Wisc/IA/MN/NW and not get both Purdue & Illinois (except for Indiana which has the permanent crossover with Purdue).

But all that said, there's nothing we can do about it now. 2016 is our year to strike, just like 2014 & 2015 were Iowa's (they went 1 for 2). Let's hope we take advantage.

 

[bemidjigopher]

That is pretty much my point. Wisconsin's schedule next year shows that the disparity could be even worse with the addition of a third crossover game. I can't stand Bucky but they could very well be eliminated from West contention and be 0-3 in the conference before even playing a team from the West. Shouldn't the West be represented by the team that truly won the West by beating the most teams in their Division. Instead, teams are getting a head start on winning their Division or being placed in a hole based on their crossover opponents.

In saying that, how jacked are all of us going to be when Wisconsin is welcoming Nebraska to town at 1-6 or 2-5. Besides their early B1G slate, opening with LSU at Lambeau Field could be yet another loss. Plus, Georgia State made their first bowl game this year...a team on the rise. One can dream...

Based ONLY on crossover schedules the next two years Wisconsin is done in 2016 but is going to have a head start on everyone else in the West in 2017. Crossover schedule should not have that much influence on determining the West champion.

Based on my argument, get ready Gopher fans, we have a good shot at winning the West next year! I would bet it is down to the Gophers (@ Penn St., @ Maryland, Rutgers), Nebraska (@ Indiana, @ Ohio St., Maryland), and Iowa (@ Rutgers, @ Penn St., Michigan) based on crossover schedules unless Purdue (@ Maryland, Penn St., @ Indiana) pulls off a surprising season.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Like Iowa I don't think Northwestern loses a whole lot they'll be tough at the Bank