By Shannon Ryan
As expected, the Big Ten announced on Wednesday night its split into two six-team divisions and revealed its 2011 and 2012 schedules.
One division includes Northwestern, Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan State and Minnesota. The other division includes Illinois, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue and Indiana.
The yet-to-be-named divisions applies only to football, leaving basketball with one 12-team division.
"We focused on competitive equality, traditional rivalries and geography," commissioner Jim Delaney said in a statement. "We considered multiple models and countless permutations in an effort to achieve the most competitively balanced divisions while at the same time respecting our traditions, preserving existing rivalries, and creating opportunities for the establishment and growth of new rivalries."
Here are the complete 2011 and 2012 Big Ten schedules
As expected, the Big Ten announced on Wednesday night its split into two six-team divisions and revealed its 2011 and 2012 schedules.
One division includes Northwestern, Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan State and Minnesota. The other division includes Illinois, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue and Indiana.
The yet-to-be-named divisions applies only to football, leaving basketball with one 12-team division.
"We focused on competitive equality, traditional rivalries and geography," commissioner Jim Delaney said in a statement. "We considered multiple models and countless permutations in an effort to achieve the most competitively balanced divisions while at the same time respecting our traditions, preserving existing rivalries, and creating opportunities for the establishment and growth of new rivalries."
Here are the complete 2011 and 2012 Big Ten schedules
In 2011, Illinois and Northwestern start the conference season with their rivalry game on Oct. 1 in Memorial Stadium. In 2012, the in-state rivals face each other to end the conference schedule on Nov. 24 at Northwestern.
Illinois plays other cross-over games against Michigan and Minnesota in 2011 and 2012. Northwestern faces cross-over teams Penn State and Indiana in those seasons.
Illinois and Northwestern will continue to play for the Land of Lincoln Trophy despite being in different divisions. Indiana-Michigan State, Penn State-Nebraska, Purdue-Iowa and Wisconsin-Minnesota are the other crossover games.
Vote: Do you like the way the Big Ten split up the divisions?
"I was very pleased at the end we came up with two competitive divisions," Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther said. "You could flip us either way. ... You look at the powerful schools who have had the dominance, they had to be split. I felt that both divisions were being set up equally."
Added Illinois head coach Ron Zook: "The Big Ten is a great conference now, you have a great program (Nebraska) coming in, it's just going to make it that much better."
Many eyes were on when the rivalry game between Ohio State and Michigan would be played and which other rivalry games remained protected. It remains the last game of the conference season as it has traditionally.
In 2015, the conference could move to a nine-game schedule, commissioner Jim Delaney said.
Officials who worked on creating the split said they focused on creating competitive fairness over splitting by geographical divides.
Earlier this summer, the conference added Nebraska as a 12th team, the first addition since Penn State joined in 1993.
The Ohio State-Michigan game will continue to be played at the end of the regular season, according to the Associated Press.
"I'm very pleased that we came out of this with protected rivalries that will go on permanently with Ohio State and Michigan State," Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon told The Associated Press. "We'll play Ohio State in the last game of the regular season, following a tradition that has lasted for decades. And if we both earn the right, we can play the Buckeyes again in the Big Ten championship game."
For years, the matchup known simply as "The Game" in Big Ten country has been the conference's signature rivalry, one of the most storied and tradition-rich in all of sports. The Buckeyes and Wolverines have played 106 times since 1897.
Twenty-two times "The Game" has determined whether Ohio State or Michigan won the Big Ten championship.
Delany stressed that the top criteria for dividing the teams is competitive balance. The Big Ten has been using data since 1993, Penn State's first year in the league.
The league, said Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, has been analyzing "everything -- overall record, conference record, opponents, opponents' records, BCS ratings, Sagarin ratings."
Illinois plays other cross-over games against Michigan and Minnesota in 2011 and 2012. Northwestern faces cross-over teams Penn State and Indiana in those seasons.
Illinois and Northwestern will continue to play for the Land of Lincoln Trophy despite being in different divisions. Indiana-Michigan State, Penn State-Nebraska, Purdue-Iowa and Wisconsin-Minnesota are the other crossover games.
Vote: Do you like the way the Big Ten split up the divisions?
"I was very pleased at the end we came up with two competitive divisions," Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther said. "You could flip us either way. ... You look at the powerful schools who have had the dominance, they had to be split. I felt that both divisions were being set up equally."
Added Illinois head coach Ron Zook: "The Big Ten is a great conference now, you have a great program (Nebraska) coming in, it's just going to make it that much better."
Many eyes were on when the rivalry game between Ohio State and Michigan would be played and which other rivalry games remained protected. It remains the last game of the conference season as it has traditionally.
In 2015, the conference could move to a nine-game schedule, commissioner Jim Delaney said.
Officials who worked on creating the split said they focused on creating competitive fairness over splitting by geographical divides.
Earlier this summer, the conference added Nebraska as a 12th team, the first addition since Penn State joined in 1993.
The Ohio State-Michigan game will continue to be played at the end of the regular season, according to the Associated Press.
"I'm very pleased that we came out of this with protected rivalries that will go on permanently with Ohio State and Michigan State," Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon told The Associated Press. "We'll play Ohio State in the last game of the regular season, following a tradition that has lasted for decades. And if we both earn the right, we can play the Buckeyes again in the Big Ten championship game."
For years, the matchup known simply as "The Game" in Big Ten country has been the conference's signature rivalry, one of the most storied and tradition-rich in all of sports. The Buckeyes and Wolverines have played 106 times since 1897.
Twenty-two times "The Game" has determined whether Ohio State or Michigan won the Big Ten championship.
Delany stressed that the top criteria for dividing the teams is competitive balance. The Big Ten has been using data since 1993, Penn State's first year in the league.
The league, said Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, has been analyzing "everything -- overall record, conference record, opponents, opponents' records, BCS ratings, Sagarin ratings."
I agree with Mick, though I wouldn't mind if Wisconsin comes out on top. -James, from atlanta movers
I like the alignment, but until Michigan comes back, if it ever does, Nebraska is the big winner here. Wisconsin and Northwestern should be switched. Doing so keeps Wisconsin's trophy rivalries in place. Northwestern and Illinois are in the same division as they should be. It makes a sort of North/South divide.
Now let me ask this? Is the conference going to relign the divisions every few years. For instance what if Michigan doesn't return to prominence, and let's say Wisconsin becomes a jaugernaut? This could very easily happen, and what if a tradition non-power becomes one? Oh my that could really goof up the so-called "balance."
Competitive balance? Was Michigan deemed to be an elite program or an also ran?
Let's assume Michigan was deemed go back to top status.
Is the assumption that Michigan will return to top status and everyone else's will remain the same?
And what's the deal with coming out with divisions with no names? Can't think of any identity for them?
How about the Mish and the Mash.
Does anyone read the entire article prior to posting comments? It doesn't seem like it as so many of you have facts completely different than the article.
Clueless Joe - You must truly be clueless. The fifth line in the article states the divisions DO NOT apply to basketball. It remains one 12 team division.
If this applies to basketball also it's a total joke. MSU would get a cake walk while OSU, PU, Wisconsin, Illinios and soon-to-be-back Indiana would be a super-division. Does anyone know what's happening on that?
This whole debate reminds me of this Onion classic on the Midwest...
http://www.theonion.com/articles/midwest-peace-talks-shattered-by-illinois-tollboot,484/
Thought they did a great job with the splits. Seems very balanced to me as far as talent is concerned.
I'm at a loss to find the 'logic' in splitting almost every long-standing rivalry, save MSU/UofM and IU/PU.
NONE of the WI rivalries (Paul Bunyan Axe with Minnesota and Heartland Trophy with Iowa) get retained.
Big 'Ten' management gets the WTF Trophy on this botched split.
It is roughly a North-South split with Wisconsin the only outlier. Competitive balance remains and the conferences' best rivalries remain intact. Outstanding job Big Ten officials! Touch 'em all!
Lets just play like in the past and still have the 2 Div. But what do I know.
This would have been a lot better if they had switched Wisconsin and Northwestern.
Illinois has been so pathetic maybe they should be put in a 3rd division or maybe in Division III. It would be fun to see them play Millikin, Illinois Wesleyan, U of Chicago and Wabash like they did early last century. I hope to see some current century talent from them this year.
So please clarify: Does this mean the Illini will never play Michigan or just every other year or something? Great rivalry. Would hate to see it end.
Bob, to quote a recent Internet sensation, "you are so dumb. You are really dumb. For real."
The article clearly states that Illinois and Northwestern will play each other every year. And the University of Missouri is two hours (or so) due west of the University of Illinois. The University of Iowa is two hours (or so) due west of Northwestern. But then, why let actual truths get in the way of Internet screaming?
"Great - no more Northwestern for the Illini. Used to be the Illini could count on 1 win a year in football (at least in 68-72) when I was there; except, couple of those we lost to Northwestern. Those were our trib Bottom 10 winning seasons.
Southern division - Iowa City is due west of U of Ill. Northwestern - 2 hours away.
= ??????????
Oh well"
Bob, NW and Illinois play the yearly cross over game, meaning they DO play every year. Also, Iowa City is due west of Chciago, not U of ILL.........you obvisouly went there.
Did any of the Bid Ten Officials Get past High School? Does not sound like it.
East-West was the only way to go that made sense...but god forbid Ohio State and Michigan could only play once a year instead of the distant future possibility that one year they will both be in the title game. Ask the Big 12 how splitting up OU and NU worked for a titan title game...
Wow, competitive balance, eh? Gee, that never changes, does it? (well, maybe for OSU it doesn't). But, is Penn State going to be the same kind of power in the post-Paterno era? (see where FSU is going post Bowden). It just feels so phoney and temporary to me. And how the heck do you get from Lincoln Neb to Happy Valley (or vice-versa?)
The divisions are just for football. For basketball, they play a large enough conference schedule that you can still play everyone. It's just that to fit Nebraska in each team will no longer play another of the others twice. Right now they play an 18-game conference schedule, so each team will play 7 of the other 11 teams twice, and the remaining 4 teams only once. Simply increases the number of teams only played once each year from 2 to 4 teams. For the tournament, now 8 teams will have to play on Thursday instead of only 6 teams, and only 4 will receive byes instead of 5.
Well, it happened. The Big 10 screwed this up big time.
should have been:
West:
Nebraska
Iowa
Mnnn.
Wisconsin
Illinois
Northwestern
East:
Indiana
Purdue
Ohio St.
Mich.
Mich. St.
Penn St.
Absolute morons
If they were to flip Iowa and Wisconsin.
I would of used the border of IL/IN to split the two conferences:
BigTen West: Nebraska, Minn, Iowa, Wisconsin, ILL and NW.
BigTen East: MSU, Michigan, Purdue, Indiana, OSU, PSU.
That would keep most of the good rivals together, but sorta makes the East the better half of the conference, especially in basketball.
Great - no more Northwestern for the Illini. Used to be the Illini could count on 1 win a year in football (at least in 68-72) when I was there; except, couple of those we lost to Northwestern. Those were our trib Bottom 10 winning seasons.
Southern division - Iowa City is due west of U of Ill. Northwestern - 2 hours away.
= ??????????
Oh well.
for basketball also...don't know about other sports
Football only divisions
Not to sound stupid, but are these two divisions for all sports or just football?