But, in fairness, the Big Ten sucks. It really does. We've gone back to the Big 2 Little 8 days (Little 12 obviously). Penn State is the 3rd best team in the conference and they got their asses kicked by the top 2. And the Big Ten West.........what a joke, Illinois really had a chance to take a stranglehold against a bad MSU team who suspended 8 players and they shit the bed yesterday. Does anyone want that division? After the shitty seasons that WIsconsin and Iowa were having, watch - one of them will be in Indy - with a 7-5 (5-4 conference) record, while an 11-1 (8-1) Michigan or Ohio State team stays home. I wanted Illinois or Purdue to be in the Indy game - just to have someone different than boring old Wisconsin or Iowa, but we'll probably end up with the same old same old and they'll lose in Indy 45-10.
Are we really expanding with USC and UCLA. Is that happening.
Next year, and I know it won't happen, the Big Ten needs to realign for with a North-South set up. Move the Michigan-Ohio State game to early October............because with one of those two losing in the final week it seriously hurts the Big Ten's chances at 2 teams in the 4 team playoff. You cancel the Championship game (like the Pac 12 did) and it helps. When you have 6 or 7 weeks left after a loss you can likely climb back into the race.
If we stick with East/West for 2024 we are going to end up with USC and only USC in Indy every year. And would they still have the game in Indy? Kind of unfair to the West Coast teams.
I don't know. I feel like the USC/UCLA (and probably Oregon, Stanford, Cal and Utah) thing isn't really going to happen, because it shouldn't, but money will decide it all.
If the Big Ten stayed at 14, My alignment would be
Big Ten North
Maryland
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Northwestern
Purdue
Wisconsin
Big Ten South
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Nebraska
Ohio State
Penn State
Rutgers
9 Conference Games
6 Division games + 2 nondivisional 1 Protected Rival
Protected Rivals
Maryland - Rutgers - Big East Teams
Michigan - Ohio State - Border War
Michigan State - Penn State - they've built it up now
Minnesota - Iowa - Another Border War
Northwestern - Illinois - State Bragging Rights
Purdue - Indiana - More State Bragging Rights
Nebraska - Wisconsin - The could play for the Big Red trophy, a Trophy that looks like a giant pack of Big Red gum - there you go, a corporate sponsor.
With USC and UCLA.........I don't know........Could you split them in a North-South division? Or will they stay East-West and move Illinois or Northwestern to the East? I freaking hate this West Coast expansion.
Is it likely going to look like this
Big Ten West
Cal
Iowa
Minnesota
Nebraska
Oregon
Stanford
UCLA
USC
Utah
Wisconsin
Big Ten East
Illinois
Indiana
Maryland
Michigan
Michigan State
Northwestern
Ohio St.
Penn St.
Purdue
Rutgers
Talk about ugly. Would they have 10 conference games? 9 in Division and 1 out of division. It just doesn't make sense. We'd never play Wisconsin or Iowa again. I know they are only adding USC and UCLA right now, but that's going to change.