Here is an idea for The Big 10 Kickoff

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husker70

husker70

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How about a balanced crossover. Sure you can have a rivalry game. But if you finish first in your Division in 2014, then your cross over is against the Opposite first place finisher. A rematch of the Championship. Second vs. Second, and so forth. No more poaching no more dodging, no more favoritism. Ohio State gets 2 this year Minnesota and Illinois. I am thinking if they win they get Wisconsin and or Iowa. This balance improves strength of schedule, and could allow a team to knock out a favorite in the other division.
 

husker is astute. Not perfect, but astute.
 

I like the idea. The one issue is with timing. Normally, they like to set the schedules several years in advance. If you match up teams according to their records, the schedules would have to be set from year to year, and that could (I suppose) have an impact on setting non-conf schedules.

Still, if you can work out the logistics, I like the idea.
 

So rotating though the division is not balanced, shows favoritism, allows dodging and is "poaching"? The reason that Minnesota's schedule has been odd lately is because we went from no divisions to two divisions to two new divisions in a span of 5 seasons.

A placement match-up becomes a scheduling nightmare immediately. What do you do for the season after that? Who plays at home? Right now, the NC schedule is based on whether a team gets 4 or 5 conference games at home. Toss out the NC schedule every year and start over? Does a certain team only then get 4 home Conference games years in a row because of this blind trust that it will "work out" eventually? You might not see a certain opponent at home for 20 years. Seems far more ripe for injustice.

Is it fair for a 4-5 third place team to play a 7-2 third place team from the other? That's what is going to happen.

If anything a rotation through the opposite division is the fairest way to do it.
 

husker70 said:
How about a balanced crossover. Sure you can have a rivalry game. But if you finish first in your Division in 2014, then your cross over is against the Opposite first place finisher. A rematch of the Championship. Second vs. Second, and so forth. No more poaching no more dodging, no more favoritism. Ohio State gets 2 this year Minnesota and Illinois. I am thinking if they win they get Wisconsin and or Iowa. This balance improves strength of schedule, and could allow a team to knock out a favorite in the other division.
Click to expand...

I like what you're suggesting but what would be really cool is if you could leave the last game of each season as an TBD opponent and have them play then. It could be done as part of the day of the B1G Championship game weekend. And to make things really interesting, have the coaches of the last place teams play for their jobs ;-)
 


I am only spit balling here, but here is your 2015 schedule
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin and Iowa
Michigan State vs. Iowa and Nebraska
Penn State vs. Nebraska and Minnesota
Michigan vs. Minnesota and Northwestern
Indiana vs. Northwestern and Illinois
Rutgers vs. Illinois and Purdue
Maryand vs. Purdue home and away.

I know I missed some, some how but its a start. Whether you like the battle at the top or the home and way between Maryland and Purdue there is something for everyone.

And when it goes to 9 games and three crossovers, the top three or four in each league will be head to head.


Example

OSU vs. Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska
MSU vs. Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska
PSU vs. Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska
Michigan vs. Minnesota, Northwestern, Illinois
Indiana vs. Minnesota, Purdue , Illinois
Maryland vs. Minnesota, Northwestern, Illinois
Rutgers vs. Purdue home and away and Northwestern

Allowing teams like Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Iowa to play Maryland and Rutgers proves nothing.
Same goes for OSU, MSU, PSU playing Purdue, Illinois is part of the Big 10 scheduling for a favorite
 

husker70 said:
How about a balanced crossover. Sure you can have a rivalry game. But if you finish first in your Division in 2014, then your cross over is against the Opposite first place finisher. A rematch of the Championship. Second vs. Second, and so forth. No more poaching no more dodging, no more favoritism. Ohio State gets 2 this year Minnesota and Illinois. I am thinking if they win they get Wisconsin and or Iowa. This balance improves strength of schedule, and could allow a team to knock out a favorite in the other division.
Click to expand...

This is already being discussed with parity based scheduling. Talks were that it would start in 2015 but the league appears to have decided to give Rutgers/Maryland a tour of the big names in their introduction seasons likely to generate fan interest. I'm guessing Rutgers/Maryland fans would prefer to see Nebraska, Iowa or Wisconsin if having to play teams from the West rather than Northwestern and Purdue.

Edit: I guess nothing 'official' was announced but Tom D looks into the 2018/2019 schedules and it sure seems the top teams are playing each other more often http://btn.com/2013/10/16/dienhart-my-2018-19-football-schedule-analysis/
 

husker70 said:
I am only spit balling here, but here is your 2015 schedule
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin and Iowa
Michigan State vs. Iowa and Nebraska
Penn State vs. Nebraska and Minnesota
Michigan vs. Minnesota and Northwestern
Indiana vs. Northwestern and Illinois
Rutgers vs. Illinois and Purdue
Maryand vs. Purdue home and away.

I know I missed some, some how but its a start. Whether you like the battle at the top or the home and way between Maryland and Purdue there is something for everyone.

And when it goes to 9 games and three crossovers, the top three or four in each league will be head to head.


Example

OSU vs. Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska
MSU vs. Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska
PSU vs. Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska
Michigan vs. Minnesota, Northwestern, Illinois
Indiana vs. Minnesota, Purdue , Illinois
Maryland vs. Minnesota, Northwestern, Illinois
Rutgers vs. Purdue home and away and Northwestern

Allowing teams like Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Iowa to play Maryland and Rutgers proves nothing.
Same goes for OSU, MSU, PSU playing Purdue, Illinois is part of the Big 10 scheduling for a favorite
Click to expand...

Your 8 with 2 example has Wisconsin playing one crossover and Purdue playing 3. I would suggest it look more like this:

OSU vs. Wisky and Iowa
MSU vs. Wisky and Iowa
PSU vs. Minnesota and Nebraska
Michigan vs. Minnesota and Nebraska
Indiana vs NW and Purdue
Maryland vs. Illinois and Purdue
Rutgers vs NW and Illinois

Also I would adjust the bottom 4 in the 9 and 3 example

Michigan vs. Minnesota, Illinois, Purdue
Indiana vs NW, Illinois, Purdue
Maryland vs Minnesota, NW, Illinois
Rutgers vs Minnesota, NW, Purdue

No home and away series for the bottom teams in each division.
 

As I said it was quickly wadded and your edit is spot on. What good does it do the Conference if they are trying to get a team to the final 4 and strength of schedule is suppose to now be a factor, and they manipulate the schedule so that crossovers favor the favorite? You can see Michigan State stepping up their non conference schedule with Oregon in Eugene. Wisconsin to Dallas to face LSU. That is to enhance their record.
 



Yep. Let's get the top teams playing each other. Whoever can come out unscathed deserves a shot. If not, you are not deserving. I would love to see it happen.
 

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