Around the Big Ten

[iam416]

Don't like the NFL scheduling aspect.

The 9-game conference schedule and the "parity" schedule point directly and indisputably to an automatic bid for the conference champion.

As for losing games, Wisconsin and Iowa are the only West division teams I enjoy seeing OSU play. Nebraska, small sample size and all, also qualifies. I don't have much affinity for the gray, dreary games at Champaign or West Lafayette. Minnesota is god-awful. And nFw is meh. The latter two are, at least, good road trips.

I think Maryland almost fits into a nFw/Minnesota category. It will be a good road trip. Ohio State fans will own the stadium. Should be, at least, ok. Rutgers? Eh, don't know. Personally, I think Rutgers actually could end up being a credible program, but that would place me in the minority.

Also, of course, I doubt expansion is done.

[entropy]

agree.. I think expansion is just on pause.

though I'd strike at KU before the Big12 wakes up.. jmo

[hack]

Yes please. But man they'd have a cakewalk in basketball assuming they and Mizzou would be added to the West division. M, MSU, Indiana and OSU on one side and KU, Wisconsin and maybe Illinois on the other. Whoa.

But how would it work with 4 pods of 4? Would that help?

[The Oracle]

Or no divisions and no pods.

[entropy]

Yes please. But man they'd have a cakewalk in basketball assuming they and Mizzou would be added to the West division. M, MSU, Indiana and OSU on one side and KU, Wisconsin and maybe Illinois on the other. Whoa.

But how would it work with 4 pods of 4? Would that help?

would basketball have divisions??? I thought divisions was just a football concept.

[entropy]

Or no divisions and no pods.

I think if you went to 16 or more teams, you'd need to create pods.. jmo

[drok]

PAC 12 is talking about moving back from 9 games to 8 games. ACC backed off its decision to go to 9 games. SEC is still at 8 games. Does the B1G stay at 9?

[The Oracle]

I think if you went to 16 or more teams, you'd need to create pods.. jmo

For basketball, why? Just rotate who you place once like they do now. Big East made it work.

[entropy]

For basketball, why? Just rotate who you place once like they do now. Big East made it work.

not for basketball.. just football

[The Oracle]

I was originally only addressing basketball...re: Kansas having a cakewalk in the west division.

[entropy]

I was originally only addressing basketball...re: Kansas having a cakewalk in the west division.

my bad..

[Wild Hoss]

I think if you went to 16 or more teams, you'd need to create pods.. jmo

Have to get the rules changed first.

NCAA rules for FBS conferences require that any conference with 12 or more teams must be:

A) Split into two divisions with the same number of teams in each division.
B) Every team in each division must play each other in round-robin competition.
C) If there is a conference playoff at the end of the regular season, it is limited to one championship game.

Hence, no pods and no non-divisional format. No reason we could move schools back and forth between divisions every four years or so however.

[entropy]

it's not like the SEC follows the rules...

[Mackenzie]

Have to get the rules changed first.

NCAA rules for FBS conferences require that any conference with 12 or more teams must be:

A) Split into two divisions with the same number of teams in each division.
B) Every team in each division must play each other in round-robin competition.
C) If there is a conference playoff at the end of the regular season, it is limited to one championship game.

Hence, no pods and no non-divisional format. No reason we could move schools back and forth between divisions every four years or so however.

I may not be understanding this but.... Couldn't you have two divisions with 2 pods in each division. Play a round robin of 7 games and have the two pods in each division face off in a divisional playoff (8 games) with the winner of the two division pods playing in the championship game. Guess that would eliminate any crossover games or perhaps leave room for only one if the conference championship game does not count as a 9th game. But, what the heck, with 16 teams any semblence of a real conference may be gone anyway.

[Wild Hoss]

I may not be understanding this but.... Couldn't you have two divisions with 2 pods in each division. Play a round robin of 7 games and have the two pods in each division face off in a divisional playoff (8 games) with the winner of the two division pods playing in the championship game. Guess that would eliminate any crossover games or perhaps leave room for only one if the conference championship game does not count as a 9th game. But, what the heck, with 16 teams any semblence of a real conference may be gone anyway.

C) If there is a conference playoff at the end of the regular season, it is limited to one championship game.

I'm thinkin' no...that'd pretty clearly fall under the definition of a playoff game.