9-Game Big Ten Schedules - Good or bad for tOSU?

[Woody1968]

The news was a potential move to a 9 game schedule in 2016:
http://www.freep.com/article/201304...e-nine-game-football-schedule-early-next-week

 

[RSBucky]

If we eliminate FCS teams, will the SEC do the same?

 

[Zurp]

If we eliminate FCS teams, will the SEC do the same?

They'll probably add another FCS team to their schedules. Someone has to pick up the slack the Big Ten has dropped.

 

[jlb1705]

We have a thread for divisional realignment. Please leave this thread for discussing 9-game conference schedules vs. other options. Thanks.

 

[ant80]

I wonder how the 9 games are to be played. 7 teams in a division, so 6 games will be played intra-division. In addition, there will be one inter-division rival that each team plays every year, if they maintain the trend of the SEC. Which leaves 2 games for inter-division teams that aren't the rival. That means each team will play the non-rival inter-division teams twice in a 6-year span.

Thinking about this right now, I'd prefer it if they go to a 10 conference games, where each team will play the non-rival inter-division teams twice in a 4-year span. Just my 2c.

 

[jlb1705]

Thinking about this right now, I'd prefer it if they go to a 10 conference games, where each team will play the non-rival inter-division teams twice in a 4-year span. Just my 2c.

I'd love to see it too, but it won't happen unless they start to allow a 13 or 14-game regular season. They are already going to take a bit of a haircut on going to 9 games since it will take away a home game (and all the associated revenue) for half the teams in the league every year.

 

[ant80]

I'd love to see it too, but it won't happen unless they start to allow a 13 or 14-game regular season. They are already going to take a bit of a haircut on going to 9 games since it will take away a home game (and all the associated revenue) for half the teams in the league every year.

The number of games allowed by the NCAA has only increased the past 50 years. And we did play a 13 game regular season in 2002, thereby becoming the 1st team in NCAA history to go 14-0. I think it will happen within the next 2 decades. Whether the B1G will have the guts to go to 10-regular season games when that happens remains to be seen.

 

[BIATCHabutuka]

For competitive reasons, I would divide into two 7 team divisions and only play 5 in division games, skipping one based on past history / strength of schedule. Then you get 4 games against the other division and again schedule them on past history / strength of schedule, skipping 3.

That way the best teams all play each other no matter what. The weak teams (heres looking at you Indiana) get a chance to play the other weak teams and become bowl eligible.

No protected rivalries officially, but the conference commish can intervene in the schedule making process as needed.

Also throw in a rule where you can't skip the same team in your division more than 2 years in a row. Also throw in a rule where you must play every team in the conference every 4 or 5 years no matter what. Not sure if the math adds up, but that is what I would do if I were Jim Delaney.

 

[bukIpower]

I like the move personally because there is just no point to playing teams like UAB or Buffalo really. I don't know about you guys but too many times we play teams like that only to either win BIG (we're suppose to) or more often than not the other team makes more plays than they should against us and then I feel like it was a wasted week not only for the fans but more importantly for the players.

These kids are human. I'd imagine it's hard to get amped up for a MAC school and to really take the threat seriously that they may lose the game. The players will be more likely to take every week serious which IMO can only help the players prepare for the season.

On another note I love the Horeshoe and I personally feel that when a challenging team comes to our house there isn't a stadium in College football that is as intimidating (especially at night) but when we play Akron, UCF, Buffalo etc boy are we quiet. Adding another conference game will only help keep the energy levels in the shoe' where they should be. That in itself will help when we have recruits coming to visit and they hear how loud and crazy it can really be.

 

[IronBuckI]

For competitive reasons, I would divide into two 7 team divisions and only play 5 in division games, skipping one based on past history / strength of schedule. Then you get 4 games against the other division and again schedule them on past history / strength of schedule, skipping 3.

That way the best teams all play each other no matter what. The weak teams (heres looking at you Indiana) get a chance to play the other weak teams and become bowl eligible.

No protected rivalries officially, but the conference commish can intervene in the schedule making process as needed.

Also throw in a rule where you can't skip the same team in your division more than 2 years in a row. Also throw in a rule where you must play every team in the conference every 4 or 5 years no matter what. Not sure if the math adds up, but that is what I would do if I were Jim Delaney.

Round robin within each division is required in order to hold a conference championship game.