WI/IA/NE

[FreakyDeke]

Does anyone know if the B1G has any plans to break up the WI/IA/NE home and away situation we have going on? Having them all at home this year will be awesome, but next year will be pretty disappointing. At least next year the games are spread out, but in 2014 we have to go on the road to those 3 schools in a 4 weeks span. That's pretty brutal.

 

[Tim Riggins]

I couldn't agree more, I'm not sure if my wallet will be able to handle these next year. Iowa and Nebraska are a must for me.

It shouldn't be too difficult to switch one of the three during the next cycle but if this is the worst thing to happen to us with expansion, I'm ok with it.

 

[Schnauzer]

I've been wondering the same thing. Feast/famine/feast I'd rather have some home and away balance with those three teams. I guess keeping the games with the main rivals had its own little negative payback.

 

[station19]

I remember two or three months ago Maturi was saying he would like to get the Iowa Wisconson games switched so they were not both home or both away.

 

[NateDawgUM]

I agree. These are my three "must attend" games, now that I'm too old and busy to hit up every single Big Ten game. I'd rather have a split of Minneapolis trips and road game trips, rather than all one or the other. This was my only complaint when the divisions/schedules came out.

 

[mplsbadger]

Wisconsin and Minnesota don't share any 'every year' opponents making it really complicated so the focus would be on Legends opponents.

We'd need a troika of Minnesota, Iowa/Nebraska, and MI/MSU/NW to agree to a onetime switch.

Currently the division home / away groups of 'every year' opponents for each team are:

Minnesota - NE/IA/WI - MI/MSU/NW
Nebraska - MSU/NW/IA - MN/PSU/MI
Iowa - NW/MI/MSU - MN/PU/NE

Michigan - MN/NE/OSU - NW/MSU/IA
Northwestern - IL/IA/NE - MI/MN/MSU
MSU - MI/MN/IN - NE/IA/NW

Nebraska might be willing to swap MN for NW but probably would not want to swap MN for MSU because they would not want to get @ MSU/PSU/MI in the same year.
Iowa would probably be willing to swap MN for MSU or NW but probably not for MI as that would result in road games @ MI and NE in the same year.

That leaves:
Michigan - Out. We already play @ Nebraska in the same years and Iowa would not want to swap.
NW - Out. Although IA and NE would be game, NW probably would not want to swap IA or NE for Minnesota and then have to play @ Ann Arbor, East Lansing, and either IA or NE in the same year.
MSU - Our best dance partner. Nebraska would probably not agree but Iowa probably would. MSU would probably be willing to swap IA for MN to get out of playing road games at IA and NE in the same year.

So finding a dance partner to switch with isn't that easy. MSU is the best candidate. It wouldn't really change how many home games either team gets.