The Big Ten's future division alignment is taking shape. Barring a late shift in the discussions between athletic directors and league officials, the only question to sort out is: Will Indiana or Purdue move West?
League sources have told ESPN.com that the Big Ten, as expected, will go with a geographic split for its divisions in 2014. As we first reported last month, time zones are expected to divide the divisions. The only problem: eight Big Ten schools are located in the Eastern time zone, including future members Maryland and Rutgers, while just six are located in the Central time zone....
Although no announcement is imminent and discussions will continue, here's what the divisions are expected to look like (the division names have yet to be decided):
"East" division
Maryland
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Penn State
Rutgers
Purdue or Indiana
"West" division
Illinois
Iowa
Minnesota
Nebraska
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Purdue or Indiana
Before Hoosier fans and Boiler fans panic about their annual rivalry, rest assured that the Bucket game will be preserved with a protected crossover. Barring a change in the discussions, Indiana-Purdue will be the only protected crossover, as the Big Ten wants to create as much flexibility as possible with its schedules....
Those aren't even divisions IMO. They should move Michigan St west and keep Michigan - Michigan St as the protected crossover.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BIG10
League sources have told ESPN.com that the Big Ten, as expected, will go with a geographic split for its divisions in 2014. As we first reported last month, time zones are expected to divide the divisions.
Looking at those divisions, I'd say the Big 10 is definitely getting it wrong. The East Division is massively harder than the West Division.
The ONLY way that would be acceptable to me were the SEC to do it would be if UF got in the easier division....and surprise surprise, nobody who projects alternative divisions sees fit to put UF in an easier division. Instead UF always gets stuck in the UF/UGA/Tennessee/Bama/Auburn division basically handing the other division to LSU every year. Uhh....no thanks.
Just move Auburn east, Tennessee and Mizzo west, split the Missies, nobody cares about them anyway.
No need, the SEC just needs to do what the Big 10 is doing, have two protected cross-divisional series, Bama/Tenn. and UGA/AU, and let all the other schools rotate between the divisions.
Bama/Tenn and UGA/AU are really the only four schools in opposite divisions that insist on playing each other every year.
I don't think the rest of the league cares about their permanent opposite divisional opponent.
Just move Auburn east, Tennessee and Mizzo west, split the Missies, nobody cares about them anyway.
Not quite that easy.
Auburn actually has rivalries with Bama, UF, UGA, LSU and Tennessee (UF and Tennessee are dormant). For those who weren't around pre-90s, Auburn/UF was probably right behind the UGA and FSU games as a rivalry.
Tennessee his rivals with Bama, UF, Vandy, UK and Tennessee, plus I would say UGA.
The idea solution as far as preserving and renewing the historical rivalries, though HIGHLY unlikely) would be for the SEC to expand to 16 teams with OU and another Western team, move OU, Mizzou and the other team to the SEC West and then Bama and Auburn to the SEC East. That would preserve and renew most of the most historical SEC rivalries. But again, that will never happen.
Auburn actually has rivalries with Bama, UF, UGA, LSU and Tennessee (UF and Tennessee are dormant). For those who weren't around pre-90s, Auburn/UF was probably right behind the UGA and FSU games as a rivalry.
Tennessee his rivals with Bama, UF, Vandy, UK and Tennessee, plus I would say UGA.
The idea solution as far as preserving and renewing the historical rivalries, though HIGHLY unlikely) would be for the SEC to expand to 16 teams with OU and another Western team, move OU, Mizzou and the other team to the SEC West and then Bama and Auburn to the SEC East. That would preserve and renew most of the most historical SEC rivalries. But again, that will never happen.
We simply have to wait for OU to realize how much $$$ they are leaving on the table being tied to Bevo, and they'll come (once the SEC Network is up and running and the SEC renegotiates its TV deals with CBS and/or ESPN, at that point, the SEC will be way out in front of the Big 12(10) in terms of $$$).
At that point we'll just have to figure out who would be the best school for that 16th spot.
I would take OK State, but I am sure arguments could be made for another school.
The only way OU ends up in the SEC, in my opinion, is if they leave OSU. That's a lot to ask. OU could probably choose between the SEC, Pac-12 or Big-10 on it's own in a heartbeat. I think OU is one of those few home run schools, like Texas A&M or UNC, that the conferences would expand before they want to for. But having to take OSU just to have that opportunity just isn't worth it.
At some point OU needs to look at what's best for them. They are really limiting their options being tied to OSU and they will continue to play second fiddle as long as they stay tied to Texas.
The only way OU ends up in the SEC, in my opinion, is if they leave OSU. That's a lot to ask. OU could probably choose between the SEC, Pac-12 or Big-10 on it's own in a heartbeat. I think OU is one of those few home run schools, like Texas A&M or UNC, that the conferences would expand before they want to for. But having to take OSU just to have that opportunity just isn't worth it.
At some point OU needs to look at what's best for them. They are really limiting their options being tied to OSU and they will continue to play second fiddle as long as they stay tied to Texas.
My real ideal SEC expansion would be OU and UNC.
That would be a homerun.
I would also make a run at Texas. I know there is a lot of folks who think they are a cancer, but if they came on the SEC's terms, we'd be a fool not to take them, ego and all.
OU and Texas would make the SEC a mini-version of the NFL. We'd be the Goliath of college football.
I would also make a run at Texas. I know there is a lot of folks who think they are a cancer, but if they came on the SEC's terms, we'd be a fool not to take them, ego and all.
I wouldn't completely rule out Texas either, but while Texas is a big school, Texas A&M really does what the SEC needs in getting into Texas. I personally think getting UNC and adding the NC TV markets would be more valuable to the SEC than adding Texas, even though Texas is a MONSTER school.
I actually think the SEC could handle Texas' ego but the LHN would have to completely go away for the SEC to even consider Texas.
I wouldn't completely rule out Texas either, but while Texas is a big school, Texas A&M really does what the SEC needs in getting into Texas. I personally think getting UNC and adding the NC TV markets would be more valuable to the SEC than adding Texas, even though Texas is a MONSTER school.
I actually think the SEC could handle Texas' ego but the LHN would have to completely go away for the SEC to even consider Texas.
We could just fold the LHN into an SECTV2; with 16 schools, there'd be enough content for 2 networks.
I think the Big 10 is right in making their divisions East and West. And dividing it along the time zones makes sense too. So what if one may be a little stronger than the other. Those things, especially now, will always be in flux.
And the SEC, until this past year, always had a logical East West division of teams. Texas A&M in the West was of course, right. But placing Missouri, the team in the farther NW position of the conference in the SEC East was dumb. Missouri should have been placed in the West. And then Auburn, our oldest rival, should move to the East. But I don't think Alabama approved so that was that.
__________________ Saturday, May 18, 2013. Armed Forces Day U.S.A. Always thankful for the magnificent Men and Women who have served, and are serving, in the U.S. Military.
The Big 10 is getting something right
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