Initially I liked it because it was a chance to see more conference opponents. Now it is just the chance to see Maryland every year.
Assuming everyone replace it with a home cupcake and the home cupcake replaced one of the two games that knock them to an imbalance Home/Road.
If we ended the 9 game conference schedule:
Ohio State would’ve played a cupcake instead of either Nebraska or Iowa. 50% chance at 11-2. 50% chance at 12-1. Would have the advantage of a better SOS.
Penn State would’ve had the same record 10-2
Michigan State would’ve lost Minnesota or Northwestern. 50% 9-3 or 50% 10-2 which would’ve helped Ohio State.
Michigan would’ve lost either Wisconsin or Purdue. 50% chance at 9-3 or 50% chance at 8-4. Would only help Ohio states SOS not Wisconsin’s because if they had one one more game it meant they didn’t play @Wisconsin
Rutgers would lose @Nebraska loss or @Illinois win Might stay at 4-8 or might jump to 5-7. 50/50.
Indiana same boat as Rutgers. Likely would still get locked Urdu’s game and have no change in record losing a big ten win @illinois and replacing it with a non-conference win.
Maryland would’ve either lost minnesota win and replaced it with a non conference win to stay at 4-8 or lost Wisconsin loss and replaced it with non conference win to improve to 5-7
Wisconsin - no change in record. Possibly a decrease in SOS by possibly having Michigan fall off the schedule. But many of the opponents records would be better by a game and if they replaced Maryland with a non conference cupcake SOS doesn’t take that big of a hit.
Northwestern Split their two home crossovers against Penn State and Michigan State. 50/50 shot to be a 10 win team rather than a 9 win team. If they’re a 10 win team it likely gives Wisconsin a top 15 win
Iowa either loses their Ohio State win or their Penn State loss. Iowa probably doesn’t want to lose either of those games due to the upset of Ohio State and the quality of Penn State. But if they lost Penn State and kept the Ohio State win, they’d likely be 8-4 and a fringe top 25 team. Iowa fans are the only ones who likely much prefer 9 game schedule this year in terms of its impact on results. If they lose the Ohio State win and go 7-5 that’s a pretty mediocre season compared to their actual 7-5. But that’s only a 50% chance of occurring
Purdue likely loses their Michigan loss because Indiana is a locked game. They go 7-5 instead of 6-6.
Nebraska either loses Ohio State loss or Rutgers win. If they lose Ohio State loss and replace it with non conference win does 4-4 conference season save the coaches job. Nebraska fans might like the 9 game schedule this year because it may have contributed to their new coach.
Minnesota loses one of two and likely picks up a non conference win to be 6-6 and bowling.
Illinois likely loses one of two losses and picks up maybe a win. Though I’m not sure they could beat every cupcake.
Overall big ten record likely goes from 96-74 to 102-68
Assuming everyone replace it with a home cupcake and the home cupcake replaced one of the two games that knock them to an imbalance Home/Road.
If we ended the 9 game conference schedule:
Ohio State would’ve played a cupcake instead of either Nebraska or Iowa. 50% chance at 11-2. 50% chance at 12-1. Would have the advantage of a better SOS.
Penn State would’ve had the same record 10-2
Michigan State would’ve lost Minnesota or Northwestern. 50% 9-3 or 50% 10-2 which would’ve helped Ohio State.
Michigan would’ve lost either Wisconsin or Purdue. 50% chance at 9-3 or 50% chance at 8-4. Would only help Ohio states SOS not Wisconsin’s because if they had one one more game it meant they didn’t play @Wisconsin
Rutgers would lose @Nebraska loss or @Illinois win Might stay at 4-8 or might jump to 5-7. 50/50.
Indiana same boat as Rutgers. Likely would still get locked Urdu’s game and have no change in record losing a big ten win @illinois and replacing it with a non-conference win.
Maryland would’ve either lost minnesota win and replaced it with a non conference win to stay at 4-8 or lost Wisconsin loss and replaced it with non conference win to improve to 5-7
Wisconsin - no change in record. Possibly a decrease in SOS by possibly having Michigan fall off the schedule. But many of the opponents records would be better by a game and if they replaced Maryland with a non conference cupcake SOS doesn’t take that big of a hit.
Northwestern Split their two home crossovers against Penn State and Michigan State. 50/50 shot to be a 10 win team rather than a 9 win team. If they’re a 10 win team it likely gives Wisconsin a top 15 win
Iowa either loses their Ohio State win or their Penn State loss. Iowa probably doesn’t want to lose either of those games due to the upset of Ohio State and the quality of Penn State. But if they lost Penn State and kept the Ohio State win, they’d likely be 8-4 and a fringe top 25 team. Iowa fans are the only ones who likely much prefer 9 game schedule this year in terms of its impact on results. If they lose the Ohio State win and go 7-5 that’s a pretty mediocre season compared to their actual 7-5. But that’s only a 50% chance of occurring
Purdue likely loses their Michigan loss because Indiana is a locked game. They go 7-5 instead of 6-6.
Nebraska either loses Ohio State loss or Rutgers win. If they lose Ohio State loss and replace it with non conference win does 4-4 conference season save the coaches job. Nebraska fans might like the 9 game schedule this year because it may have contributed to their new coach.
Minnesota loses one of two and likely picks up a non conference win to be 6-6 and bowling.
Illinois likely loses one of two losses and picks up maybe a win. Though I’m not sure they could beat every cupcake.
Overall big ten record likely goes from 96-74 to 102-68