Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[jwinslow]

I don't necessarily have a problem with an in-season rematch against the weasels. What could be better than beating them once? Beating them twice, of course.

So we have to beat them twice, but they only have to win of the two, and the benefits are the same.

This becomes an even bigger problem if we ever get some sort of playoff, which is more feasible if the b12 crumbles and forms three mega conferences, west, heartland, south... Maybe the acc/big east join forces too.

 

[jlb1705]

I REALLY don't like the idea of Ohio State & TSUN being in separate divisions. For me that's a deal breaker. Keep the the most historic rivalry in all of sports together or just drop the whole mess.

That's why I mentioned as part of my post to make a provision to have them play each other every year regardless of divisional alignment.

There's no way this shakes out in a way where OSU vs. M*ch. doesn't happen every year somehow. Jaxbuck posted the scenarios earlier. If you have them in the same division, The Game can never again truly be for the conference championship. In separate divisions it could be, but it would be after a rematch. Neither one has me excited, but to me the latter is preferable.

 

[jlb1705]

So we have to beat them twice, but they only have to win of the two, and the benefits are the same.

OK, I didn't think of it that way, and that probably changes my mind about it. I realize that any time you have a conference broken into divisions there a chance of something like that happening, but I really don't like the idea of those a-holes backing into a championship like that.

Maybe the acc/big east join forces too.

That would be one helluva basketball conference, but football-wise it would be the biggest collection of mediocrity since the XFL.

 

[BigWoof31]

Curious to get the opinions of BP'ers on the "time before Glendale"


Did you guys want a rematch with Michigan in the BCS title game in 2006?

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

You know what happens. OSU becomes WVA or Ga Tech, the kings of an inferior conference, and well, yeah, they looked pretty good but look at the comp... and then they play Toledo, Bowling Green and Ohio U and you think that should get them in an NC game. Milli, the same sword we use to cut down good teams in the ACC/Big East will cut against the Buckeyes if PSU and Michigan turn to mush.

we win our games and it doesn't matter. we lose our games and we didn't belong there to begin with.

What BN27 said.

 

[jlb1705]

Curious to get the opinions of BP'ers on the "time before Glendale"


Did you guys want a rematch with Michigan in the BCS title game in 2006?

I didn't. I wanted the Wolverines to go to the Citrus Bowl, like you're supposed to if you lose The Game.

I didn't really look at matchups or anything like that. I thought the Buckeyes were good enough (and motivated enough) to take care of whoever they would face.

 

[Muck]

OK, I didn't think of it that way, and that probably changes my mind about it. I realize that any time you have a conference broken into divisions there a chance of something like that happening, but I really don't like the idea of those a-holes backing into a championship like that.

My reasoning was the same as jwinslow's. Keeping them in the same division means that The Game still has meaning. Whoever wins The Game going to the Bigger Ten championship game 9 times out of 10.

 

[jwinslow]

OK, I didn't think of it that way, and that probably changes my mind about it. I realize that any time you have a conference broken into divisions there a chance of something like that happening, but I really don't like the idea of those a-holes backing into a championship like that.



That would be one helluva basketball conference, but football-wise it would be the biggest collection of mediocrity since the XFL.

Maybe they get Notre Dame to join in to make it remotely respectable.

 

[Oh8ch]

Did you guys want a rematch with Michigan in the BCS title game in 2006?

There was a huge split. among OSU fans. I was adamantly against it at the time - for the same reason I would want OSU and UM in the same division in the Big Ten (given that he are going to have to live with divisions). I hate rematches. (Isn't the whole argument for playoffs something about "proving it on the field"?)

In retrospect, it would have been the best thing that could have happened for the conference. Instead of giving bragging rights to USC and Florida the conference could have been thumping its chest regardless of who won the rematch.

 

[RugbyBuck]

Did you guys want a rematch with Michigan in the BCS title game in 2006?

Hell yeah. We would've stomped the vulvarenes again and avoided being exposed as not yet ready for prime time by Florida.

 

[Jaxbuck]

Curious to get the opinions of BP'ers on the "time before Glendale"


Did you guys want a rematch with Michigan in the BCS title game in 2006?

I didn't want a rematch from the point of view it would drive them nuts/be salt in the wound.

I was fine with a rematch from the point of view we would have beat their ass again and they knew it. The final score of The Game in '06 was much closer than it should have been save for a few unforced OSU errors.

We used to have a lot more scUMers on the board and I distinctly recall them saying they didn't want a rematch so they didn't have to listen to all the "0-5" talk from us.

 

[Muck]

There was a huge split. among OSU fans. I was adamantly against it at the time - for the same reason I would want OSU and UM in the same division in the Big Ten (given that he are going to have to live with divisions). I hate rematches. (Isn't the whole argument for playoffs something about "proving it on the field"?)

In retrospect, it would have been the best thing that could have happened for the conference. Instead of giving bragging rights to USC and Florida the conference could have been thumping its chest regardless of who won the rematch.

Agreed on all points.

 

[RugbyBuck]

A rematch usually isn't ideal and I don't know that you'd want to design it that way, but if it works out that way I'd see at as like going for it on fourth and one. You damn near ought to be able to get one yard any time you want it whether the other side knows it's coming and is ready or not. You ought to be ready, able and fired up to beat scUM any time you get the opportunity.

 

[jlb1705]

Larry Scott, Pac-10 must try to include Texas in expansion plans - George Schroeder - SI.com

To make expansion worthwhile, Pac-10 must try to land Texas

Story Highlights
The point of expansion in Pac-10, elsewhere is to improve conference value

Texas adds enough value to justify expansion, but few other schools would

Utah and Colorado are attractive candidates, but BYU and Boise State aren't

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Larry Scott, Pac-10 must try to include Texas in expansion plans - George Schroeder - SI.com

Honestly, I'm not too worried about this. Pac 10's television contract isn't any better than that of the Big 12, and Texas wouldn't be given the disproportionate split that they now get.

On the academic side, and I do believe that some influence in Texas' decision will come from a desire to placate a faculty that is really [censored]ed off at the administration right now, the Pac 10 does have Stanford, Cal, UCLA and Washington. They also have Arizona State, Washington State and Oregon State with no formal academic consortium to match the CIC.

As I detailed in an earlier post, travel distances are actually worse than to Big Ten campuses.

So, the Pac 10 offers far less money, less of an academic component and greater travel distances. The only positive that I can see in their pitch would be better Olympic Sports--not that the Big Ten is bad in this regard given the last 20 years of Directors' Cup standings.