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  • LJS ranks the BIG schedules...


    With so many words written about the recently released Big Ten football schedules for 2014, it seems only fitting to review the paths of each team for the season coming up.

    Because it's June and it beats twiddling your thumbs, that's why.

    In this 2013 schedule breakdown, you’ll see numbers based on the records of each team during conference play a season ago.

    While these numbers certainly help in ranking the teams' schedules from easiest to hardest, they were not the sole determining factors.

    Take Michigan State, for example. The Spartans went 3-5 in the Big Ten last year. If you go solely by their record from last season, they wouldn’t factor in as a very difficult opponent for the upcoming season.

    But when you consider Michigan State lost all five of its conference games by four points or fewer last year, returns 17 starters, and is considered a potential top-20 squad by some preseason prognosticators, then it's fair to argue a game against the Spartans would be a much tougher test than it appears.

    If you were to go strictly by last year’s win-loss totals, the combined league record of Nebraska’s opponents was 27-37, tying Michigan State for the easiest slate.

    But we rank neither of those teams with the easiest league schedule. Both were in the running, mind you. But that spot was reserved for someone else.

    Anyway, away we go, starting with the team with the hardest slate. It also happens to belong to the worst team.
    1. ILLINOIS

    Road games: Nebraska, Penn State, Indiana, Purdue (they were 18-14 in league play in 2012).

    Home games: Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State, Northwestern (22-10 in 2012).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 40-24.

    Synopsis: This isn’t the hardest schedule just because Illinois is seemingly a mess and everyone looks tough in comparison. No, this road would be legitimately rough for anybody.

    Here's a team that went 0-8 in the Big Ten last year that gets to play Nebraska, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State and Northwestern.

    Not exactly comforting for second-year coach Tim Beckman, who is already on the hot seat. He couldn't even catch a break with potential winnable home games against Indiana and Purdue. The Illini play both on the road.


    2. IOWA

    Road games: Minnesota, Ohio State, Purdue, Nebraska (20-12).

    Home games: Michigan State, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Michigan (18-14).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 38-26.

    Synopsis: Iowa gets the rough draw Nebraska had the previous two years, playing both Ohio State and Wisconsin out of the Leaders Division. It could spell bad news for a Hawkeye team that won just two games against an easier schedule a year ago.

    On the flip side, from a football scheduling standpoint, maybe no one is more fortunate than the Hawkeyes to have Rutgers and Maryland joining the party next year.

    Because of their addition and the schedule changes that come with them, the Hawkeyes avoid Michigan and Ohio State next year, getting Maryland and Indiana instead.


    3. MINNESOTA

    Road games: Michigan, Northwestern, Indiana, Michigan State (16-16).

    Home games: Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State, Wisconsin (19-13).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 35-29.

    Synopsis: What’d Jerry Kill ever do to those Big Ten schedule-makers? Minnesota faces tough cross-division foes Penn State and Wisconsin. There's Indiana on the schedule, sure, but Minnesota will have to win that one on the road.

    Hey, it could be worse. Like Minnesota’s 2014 schedule, in which the Gophers will get both Ohio State and Michigan out of the East Division. And, oh, yeah, that schedule next year includes road trips to Nebraska and Wisconsin.


    4. PURDUE

    Road games: Michigan State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Indiana (15-17).

    Home games: Nebraska, Ohio State, Iowa, Illinois (17-15).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 32-32.

    Synopsis: This schedule rates so difficult because of its layout. Here's how the Boilermakers open Big Ten play: Nebraska-Michigan State-Wisconsin-Ohio State. Yikes.

    We'll grant you the second half of the schedule seems as favorable as the first half is unfavorable. But will Purdue have anything left in the tank by the time it gets to those last laps?


    5. MICHIGAN

    Road games: Penn State, Michigan State, Northwestern, Iowa (16-16).

    Home games: Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio State (19-13).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 35-29.

    Synopsis: The good news is that the Ohio State and Nebraska games are at home. But key Legends Division games against Michigan State and Northwestern are on the road, along with a trip to Happy Valley.

    To win their first division title since the Big Ten went to 12 teams, the Wolverines will need to have the answers from Nov. 2-16, when they play the Spartans, Wildcats and Huskers in consecutive weeks.


    6. NORTHWESTERN

    Road games: Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois (13-19).

    Home games: Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State (19-13).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 32-32.

    Synopsis: Northwestern wears the cleats Nebraska wore the past two years, with Ohio State and Wisconsin playing the Wildcats right off the bat in Big Ten play.

    The road schedule might not be as easy as last year’s opponent records suggest, but it's manageable enough to keep the Wildcats in contention for the division title if they can win against either Wisconsin or Nebraska.

    The question is what they do at home when a couple of blue-blood programs visit. And remember what we saw last year, when Nebraska fans took over Evanston. That home game against Ohio State might not be so homey.


    7. PENN STATE

    Road games: Indiana, Ohio State, Minnesota, Wisconsin (16-16).

    Home games: Michigan, Illinois, Purdue, Nebraska (16-16).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 32-32.

    Synopsis: The schedule has its light patches, but the tough stuff is grouped together. Penn State plays Ohio State and Michigan in consecutive games in October, then Nebraska and Wisconsin back-to-back in November.


    8. INDIANA

    Road games: Michigan State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio State (18-14).

    Home games: Penn State, Minnesota, Illinois, Purdue (11-21).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 29-35.

    Synopsis: You could make an argument that the Hoosiers belong higher up on the list given all the heavyweights on the road. But for a program in Indiana's position, you could also say there's a lot to like about this schedule.

    For a program that could do some building by just winning three or four conference games, the opportunity is there based on the teams visiting Bloomington.

    If I’m Kevin Wilson, I like the fact I get some of the less-established programs on my turf. Do well at home and the rest is house money. Shock any of those teams on the road and there’s a contract extension in it for you.


    9. NEBRASKA

    Road games: Purdue, Minnesota, Michigan, Penn State (17-15).

    Home games: Illinois, Northwestern, Michigan State, Iowa (10-22).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 27-37.

    Synopsis: The road is clear of Buckeyes and Badgers -- at least in the regular season.

    And Nebraska’s home slate sure seems a cushy one on paper, though maybe not as much as the numbers above suggest, if you think Michigan State is better than the record it put up last season.

    It's also quite true Nebraska could be favored in its first eight games. On the other hand, don't lose sight of the challenging finish of Northwestern-Michigan-Michigan State-Penn State in consecutive weeks from Nov. 2-23.


    10. OHIO STATE

    Road games: Northwestern, Purdue, Illinois, Michigan (14-18).

    Home games: Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State, Indiana (14-18).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 28-36.

    Synopsis: Two of the toughest tests come early, with Wisconsin and Northwestern leading off Ohio State’s Big Ten schedule.

    After that, four of the next five games are against teams that didn’t crack .500 in league play last year. And Penn State comes to the Horseshoe.

    Of course, Ohio State will have to finish the deal against bitter rival Michigan. At the Big House. The question is will the Buckeyes walk in there 11-0?


    11. MICHIGAN STATE

    Road games: Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Northwestern (14-18).

    Home games: Indiana, Purdue, Michigan, Minnesota (13-19).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 27-37.

    Synopsis: It’s quite the favorable setup for Sparty, with cross-division games against Illinois, Indiana and Purdue. Not to mention, rival Michigan comes to East Lansing.

    The challenge will come in winning key divisional games at Northwestern and Nebraska. But even in regard to that, Michigan State catches a break, with a bye week coming just before those two games.


    12. WISCONSIN

    Road games: Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota (12-20).

    Home games: Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana, Penn State (16-16).

    2012 combined league record of opponents: 28-36.

    Synopsis: The Badgers have an early road test against Ohio State, which might be bad news, considering that could be the tiebreaker in the division. But just look how the rest of the schedule opens up after the Buckeyes. Wisconsin's other seven foes combined for just 20 conference wins last year.

    The cross-division games are pretty favorable: Minnesota, Iowa and Northwestern. And Northwestern is at home.

    But it’s the road schedule that really causes us to rank this the easiest schedule. Aside from the Buckeyes, Wisconsin's three other road opponents had a combined four conference wins last year.
    Grammar... The difference between feeling your nuts and feeling you're nuts.

    Comment


    • Looks like Johns Hopkins is on board

      Comment


      • Hurray, a B10 Lacrosse league.

        Comment


        • 26M for Big Ten vs 21M for SEC vs 20M for Big 12....

          *****************
          By Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com

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          The Southeastern Conference will distribute approximately $289.4 million among its 14 league members in the revenue sharing plan for the 2012-13 fiscal year, which ends Aug. 31, league commissioner Mike Slive announced Friday.

          SEC blog

          SEC ESPN.com's Chris Low and Edward Aschoff write about all things SEC football in the conference blog.

          More:
          • Blog network: College Football Nation

          This is the highest total ever distributed in SEC history.

          The revenue sharing plan includes money generated by football television, bowl games, the SEC championship in football, basketball television, the SEC men's basketball tournament, NCAA championships and supplemental distribution.

          Each school will receive approximately $20.7 million in revenue distribution.

          The $14.1 million retained by the schools participating in bowls and the $980,000 divided among all of the league's schools by the NCAA for academic enhancement isn't included in the $289.4 million that will be distributed. Neither is revenue gained by schools from local media packages.

          Last year, the SEC distributed $244 million among its schools and $219.9 million during the 2010-11 fiscal year.

          In 1980, he SEC distributed just $4.1 million among its members and didn't reach $100 million until 2003 ($101.9 million).

          ************************

          IRVING, Texas -- The Big 12 announced distributions of $198 million to its 10 member schools for the 2012-13 school year on Friday, the final day of the league's spring meetings.

          Big 12 blog

          Big 12 ESPN.com's David Ubben writes about all things involving the Big 12 in the conference blog.

          More:
          • Blog network: College Football Nation

          Eight Big 12 schools will receive $22 million, while newcomers TCU and West Virginia will receive half shares of $11 million. Those terms were part of both schools joining the Big 12 back in July 2012.

          The $198 million and $22 million per school are both conference records. The conference revenue is tallied from the Big 12's media rights deals with ESPN/ABC and Fox Sports as well as revenue from bowl games and the NCAA men's basketball tournament. The money does not include revenue from universities' Tier 3 media rights, which can be used to earn revenue as each school sees fit.

          "We'll get a pretty significant ramp-up from here on out," Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said. "That moves up this next year due to a signing bonus from ESPN, and then after that, the new TV deal and the Champions Bowl kicks in."

          The Big 12 just completed the first year of its 13-year grant of rights deal with ESPN/ABC and Fox Sports, and Bowlsby said the conference's members should be earning more than $40 million per year by the end of that contract.

          TCU and West Virginia will receive 67 percent shares in the 2013-14 school year, 84 percent shares in 2014-15 and full shares in 2015-16.

          That number could reach $30 million per school soon as the money from the conference's media rights deals escalates later in the contract, and the Big 12 will distribute approximately $4 million more once the contract from its Champions Bowl agreement with the SEC begins.

          "We're happy. We're happy with our equal share," said Texas president Bill Powers, who spoke before Bowlsby but deferred the official announcement to the league commissioner.

          The $198 million is $15 million more than the Big 12 distributed in 2011, and the $22 million is $3 million more per school.
          Grammar... The difference between feeling your nuts and feeling you're nuts.

          Comment


          • Originally posted by WM Wolverine View Post
            Hurray, a B10 Lacrosse league.
            That's the spirit!!

            Comment


            • Big Ten Icons.

              Comment


              • The Big Ten has released its conference schedule for 2015, and if you've already studied the 2014 schedule, you shouldn't be too surprised. Each teams' opponents -- including crossover games -- remains the same, while the home and road games are reversed from '14. The full 2015 conference schedule is here.

                As a reminder, 2015 is the final season of eight conference games before the Big Ten switches to a nine-game league schedule in 2016. As such, the schedules may go through some more adjustments in '16.

                So here's what the crossover games will look like in 2015:

                East Division

                Indiana: at Purdue (protected), vs. Iowa
                Maryland: at Iowa, vs. Wisconsin
                Michigan: at Minnesota, vs. Northwestern
                Michigan State: at Nebraska, vs. Purdue
                Ohio State: at Illinois, vs. Minnesota
                Penn State: at Northwestern, vs. Illinois
                Rutgers: vs. Nebraska, at Wisconsin

                West Division

                Illinois: vs. Ohio State, at Penn State
                Iowa: at Indiana, vs. Maryland
                Minnesota: vs. Michigan, at Ohio State
                Nebraska: vs. Michigan State, at Rutgers
                Northwestern: vs. Penn State, at Michigan
                Purdue: vs. Indiana (protected), at Michigan State
                Wisconsin: at Maryland, vs. Rutgers

                Some thoughts: •Like in 2014, the conference season will start early, as Rutgers plays at Penn State on Sept. 19. The two teams had a series scheduled before Rutgers became a Big Ten member, and the conference opted to keep it where it was scheduled. Every other team will start league play on Oct. 3.
                •Every team will have one week off during Big Ten play. Nebraska doesn't get its first free Saturday of league action until Nov. 21, which is six days before the season finale against Iowa.
                •Several big rivalry games remain on the final weekend, including Ohio State at Michigan, Wisconsin at Minnesota, and Indiana at Purdue, with the Boilers hosting the Hoosiers after playing two straight years in Bloomington. Every team will have the same final-week opponent as it did in 2014.
                •Michigan State (Oct. 10), Ohio State (Oct. 24) and Nebraska (Nov. 14) will make their first trips to Rutgers in Big Ten play, while Michigan (Oct. 3), Penn State (Oct. 24), Wisconsin (Nov. 7) and Indiana (Nov. 21) do the same at Maryland.
                •Michigan State fans worried about how the Spartans will fare in the stacked East Division might shudder at the 2015 road slate: at Michigan (Oct. 17), at Nebraska (Nov. 7) and at Ohio State (Nov. 21), as well as at Rutgers. Northwestern has a similarly tough road schedule, playing at Michigan (Oct. 10), at Nebraska (Oct. 24), at Wisconsin (Nov. 21) and at rival Illinois (Nov. 28).
                •Nebraska's dud of a home schedule in 2014 looks a bit better in 2015, as Wisconsin, Michigan State, Northwestern and Iowa all come to Memorial Stadium.
                •Ohio State again looks set up for success, as the Buckeyes first three Big Ten road games are at Indiana, at Rutgers and at Illinois before the season-ender in Ann Arbor. Penn State is the only traditional league power Ohio State will play until the final two weeks of the regular season, and the Lions come to the 'Shoe.
                •Wisconsin should feel good about its 2015 chances. The Badgers play at Nebraska on Oct. 10, but the only other league road games are against Illinois, Rutgers and Maryland. As in 2014, Wisconsin doesn't play Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State or Michigan State. Could the West title be decided in the second week of October?
                •Minnesota plays Nebraska, Michigan and at Ohio State in one three-game stretch in October. Though there's a bye after the Huskers game, that will be put up or shut up time for the Gophers. Meanwhile, Maryland opens with Michigan, then goes to Ohio State, then has a bye before Penn State comes to College Park. Randy Edsall -- assuming he's still the coach in 2015 -- better have his team ready.
                •The Iowa ticket sales department might have to work overtime in the summer of 2015 to get fans excited about this Big Ten home schedule: Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota and Purdue.
                Grammar... The difference between feeling your nuts and feeling you're nuts.

                Comment


                • Originally posted by WM Wolverine View Post
                  Hurray, a B10 Lacrosse league.
                  We might be ahead of the curve on this one. Lacrosse is blowing up...there are high schools even here in Kansas City who have it as a varsity sport now.

                  Comment


                  • I agree on Lacrosse, it's already a revenue neutral sport (very low costs) with potential for growth.

                    Comment


                    • Its growing here in Michigan too. It is growing so quickly that we don't have enough officials to cover the games. The MHSAA is practically begging officials to become certified in lacrosse so they can get the games covered.
                      "in order to lead America you must love America"

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                      • Maryland's first six games in 2015 are:

                        Michigan
                        @ OSU
                        Penn State (in Baltimore)
                        @ Iowa
                        Wisconsin
                        @ Michigan State

                        Have fun, Terps...

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                        • Supposedly a picture of Indiana's new helmet

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                          • Looks like a very tacky attempt to rip off Michigan's striped design.

                            Horrible.

                            But of course, they'll think its cool ...
                            "in order to lead America you must love America"

                            Comment


                            • I was not noticing the stripes so much as noticing it looks like a Christmas ornament

                              Comment


                              • Even Santa shits on IU football. He's not fooled.

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