Around the Big Ten

[entropy]

LOL... woops..

[Dr. Strangelove]

Sparty schedules Oregon for a home-and-home, demonstrating again that they are the boldest team in Michigan

http://www.registerguard.com/web/updates/27792977-55/ducks-state-series-michigan-oregon.html.csp

[WM Wolverine]

Sparty usually plays a tough OOC; a good opponent in addition to ND. One of the toughest schedules among teams from the power conferences.

Then again, isn't Indiana their inter-division rival? Not too often they'll play 2 or more of Ohio, PSU & Wisky in the East.

[hack]

Not regarding that as bait, but I would assume the following responses from those who know more than me about this:

1. Michigan just isn't gonna do it regardless cause of gate receipts, why bother taking the risk, yada yada.

2. MSU needs that sorta thing more than Michigan to stay prominent.

[WM Wolverine]

M plays a mighty tough schedule, year-in, year-out... They play in the B10, play ND OOC, play Ohio as its inter-division rival...

With the Pac 12 - B10 alliance, M will regularly play the top teams in the Pac 12 in addition to their tough B10 schedule.

[WM Wolverine]

How often does Ohio play more than one decent OOC opponent in a season?

[lineygoblue]

Michigan has been there, done that regarding Oregon.

We lost both games.

[Dr. Strangelove]

This series is replacing West Virginia (who are oing to a 9-game conference schedule).

So over the next decade Sparty has scheduled a three game series against Boise State, (2012, 2022-23), Oregon (2014-15), Alabama (2016-17), and Miami (2020-21). By 2016 there should be a Pac12 team on the schedule for everybody every year. They offset that with playing Notre Dame less.

[lineygoblue]

Good for Sparty. Its about time they toughened up their schedule and joined the big boys.

[Dr. Strangelove]

How often does Ohio play more than one decent OOC opponent in a season?

Dunno. The Bobcats usually play a pretty weak 1-AA team like Howard or Delaware State

As for tOSU, they've been relatively weak lately. Miami isn't what it used to be and Colorado is much worse, else last year's schedule might've been pretty good. Navy was respectable in 2009 to go along with USC (both teams beat Notre Dame FWIW).

The schedules in 2006, 2003, and 2002 were solid.

Looking forward I think Central Florida is a solid mid-major team + Cal. 2013 we have Vandy and at Cal. Meh. The 2014-18 schedules are looking tough.

[Optimus Prime]

DSL's clearly powered by "Budweiser" this evening.

[WM Wolverine]

Pac 12 -> B10 alliance is going to change scheduling pretty drastically and not just in football. Were soon going to be tied to the hip to the Pac 12, hopefully it works out well for all involved..

I like how they've proposed the football setup. Pac 12-B10 play in weeks 2, 3 & 4; 4 games each week... Top teams in B10, play top teams in Pac 12; 1-year at home, next on the road...

[Dr. Strangelove]

Probably means Michigan and OSU will see a lot of USC.

Oddly enough, Michigan and USC have only played twice in the regular season and not since the 50's. If they do match up strength against strength, the least desirable locations (Wazzu and Oregon State) are pretty much going to be avoided all the time.

[Dr. Strangelove]

There are already a lot of Big10/Pac12 games on the books in the upcoming decade:

2012
Illinois @ Arizona State
Nebraska @ UCLA
Ohio State vs. California
Wisconsin @ Oregon State

2013
Illinois vs. Washington
Nebraska vs. UCLA
Northwestern @ California
Ohio State @ California
Wisconsin @ Arizona State

2014
Illinois @ Washington
Michigan State @ Oregon
Northwestern vs. California
Wisconsin @ Washington State

2015
Michigan State vs. Oregon
Northwestern vs. Stanford
Wisconsin vs. Washington State

2016
Northwestern @ Stanford

2017
Minnesota vs. Oregon State
Wisconsin vs. Washington

2018
Minnesota @ Oregon State
Wisconsin @ Washington

2019
Northwestern vs. Stanford

2020
Northwestern @ Stanford

2021
Minnesota @ Colorado
Northwestern vs. Stanford

2022
Minnesota vs. Colorado
Northwestern @ Stanford

[entropy]

Pretty amazing that 4 BIG teams are in the sweet 16... Maybe more amazing, 4 schools from Ohio.