Big Ten Conference Divisions

[Sportsbuck]

This was a chatbox argument between myself, NAHSTE, Virix, Atlas and a couple of others.

There's been controversy since Day 1 surrounding the Big Ten divisions and the way they were divided up. OSU and Michigan put in seperate divisons to ensure a meeting in the CCG to generate bigger interest, better ratings, and more $. Now, lets take a look at the past 25 years, and see just how many times this matchup actually would've came into play.

Now, I'm going to make 2 seperate lists: One that determines the CCG participants based on the current way the divisions were divided up, and one that goes purely based on their conference record at the time.

Current Divisions
1986: Ohio State - Michigan
1987: Michigan State - Indiana
1988: Michigan - Illinois
1989: Michigan - Illinois
1990: Illinois - Iowa
1991: Michigan - Indiana
1992: Michigan - Ohio State
1993: Ohio State - Michigan (Mich came in 6th overall in the conf this year)
1994: Penn State - Michigan
1995: Northwestern - Ohio State
1996: Ohio State - Northwestern
1997: Michigan - Penn State
1998: Ohio State - Michigan
1999: Wisconsin - Michigan
2000: Michigan - Purdue
2001: Illinois - Michigan
2002: Ohio State - Iowa
2003: Michigan - Ohio State
2004: Michigan - Wisconsin
2005: Ohio State - Iowa
2006: Ohio State - Michigan
2007: Ohio State - Michigan
2008: Ohio State - Michigan State
2009: Ohio State - Iowa
2010: Wisconsin - Michigan State
Total: 7 meetings in 25 years

Conference Standings
1987: Michigan State - Indiana
1988: Michigan - Michigan State
1989: Michigan - Illinois
1990: Illinois - Iowa
1991: Michigan - Iowa
1992: Michigan - Ohio State
1993: Ohio State - Wisconsin
1994: Penn State - Ohio State
1995: Northwestern - Ohio State
1996: Ohio State - Northwestern
1997: Michigan - Penn State
1998: Ohio State - Michigan
1999: Wisconsin - Michigan
2000: Michigan - Northwestern
2001: Illinois - Michigan
2002: Ohio State - Iowa
2003: Michigan - Ohio State
2004: Michigan - Iowa
2005: Ohio State - Penn State
2006: Ohio State - Michigan
2007: Ohio State - Illinois
2008: Ohio State - Penn State
2009: Ohio State - Iowa
2010: Wisconsin - Ohio State
Total: 5 meetings in 25 years

So, was it really that great of a decision to make divide the divisions up so poorly for the chance that once every four years Ohio State and Michigan will play for a conference title? Put them in the same division, just like Alabama-Auburn, thats how it should've been done.

Should've just divided it at the Indiana/Illinois border:
East: OSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State

On another note, hopefully the names of these divisions get changed because they are just awful.

 

[packersfan4eva]

We have some retards running the Big 10. The trophy names are fine, though.

 

[NAHSTE]

We have some retards running the Big 10. The trophy names are fine, though.

:yep:

There is no way this is good for The Game. You cannot convince me that raising the stakes for the biggest rivalry in college football would've been a bad thing.

 

[Bear Pand]

Shame on the Big 10 trying to handpick the championship games so they can make a ton of money off of it. They only have one real shot to set the divisions and they let their own greed mess it up. There's 12 teams in the league, set up a structure that's fair for everyone, not one that's set up for Mich and OSU.

Structure isn't even that great for OSU-Mich anyway. WHo really wants to see those teams potentially play two weeks in a row?

 

[Sharkweather]

I really don't understand the unbalanced division hate. If you look at all the programs over the past few years and where they seem to be going currently as far as the future, it's really not that bad.

Ohio St. - Nebraska
Wisconsin - Michigan St.
Penn St. - Iowa

Illinois/Indiana/Purdue - Michigan/Minnesota/Northwestern (flip a coin with all 6 imo)

 

[NAHSTE]

Shame on the Big 10 trying to handpick the championship games so they can make a ton of money off of it. They only have one real shot to set the divisions and they let their own greed mess it up. There's 12 teams in the league, set up a structure that's fair for everyone, not one that's set up for Mich and OSU.

Structure isn't even that great for OSU-Mich anyway. WHo really wants to see those teams potentially play two weeks in a row?

What do you mean? It'd be awesome, they could share the bragging rights! It's a much kinder, gentler compromise. I win this week, you win next week. It's just what this rivalry needed to infuse some much needed intensity.

:doh:

I really don't understand the unbalanced division hate. If you look at all the programs over the past few years and where they seem to be going currently as far as the future, it's really not that bad.

Ohio St. - Nebraska
Wisconsin - Michigan St.
Penn St. - Iowa

Illinois/Indiana/Purdue - Michigan/Minnesota/Northwestern (flip a coin with all 6 imo)

Are you joking? Michigan State is enjoying a highwater season and really isn't as good as they look. They're historically a second tier B10 program. But it's impossible to do it like this anyway, it's too cyclical. Schools will trade places in the hierarchy all the time.

Geographical is the best and fairest way, but I guess chasing a buck works too ... Ask the ACC how that works out.

 

[Sharkweather]

Are you joking? Michigan State is enjoying a highwater season and really isn't as good as they look. They're historically a second tier B10 program. But it's impossible to do it like this anyway, it's too cyclical. Schools will trade places in the hierarchy all the time.

Geographical is the best and fairest way, but I guess chasing a buck works too ... Ask the ACC how that works out.

As long as Dantonio doesn't croak on the sidelines, I see no issues.

 

[Krebs]

and how many times will the CCG have mich-osu matchup if they're in the same division?

0

 

[Spidey]

I dont really give a shit about The Game or Mich and OSU in the championship. I'm pissed cause Wisconsin got fucked. All of our rivals or opportunity for great rivalries are in the other division.

And our game every year with the other division is fucking Minnesota, which I understand you have to keep, but it can barely be considered a rivalry anymore with Minnesota unable to be D2 teams.

Goodbye yearly UW vs Iowa game which probably produced the game of the year in th Big Ten this year, possibly the nation. Goodbye potentially awesome rivalry with Nebraska. Hello Purdue, Illinois, and Indiana. Whoopee. All sorts of tradition between Wisconsin and those teams. Penn State and obviously Ohio State will be tough games year in and year out but even so, theres not much tradition between Wisconsin and either of those programs.

Life will move on and maybe new rivalries will grow but at the moment this whole divisions thing really fucking sucks for the Badgers.

And yes the naming of the divisions and new logo are horrific. Bunch of tards running the Big Ten.