From B1G to B18.
After this season ends, USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington will join the Big Ten conference. An interesting geographical distribution for sure, but to me, how to play the games is easy.
Because there are 18 teams, divisions would pit 9 teams in each of two divisions. The Big Ten also plays a 9-game conference schedule. According to Rece Davis on college gameday on August 26, there are no divisions after this season. But having 18 teams and 9-game conference schedule, I think the Big Ten needs to rethink that decision. The big question that comes here is, how can all the teams play each other in a reasonable amount of time as big ten members without divisions? To me, divisions make it incredibly easy for that to happen.
There are an even number of teams in both divisions when geographically splitting North and South across Michigan. Resulting divisions would be as follows:
Big Ten North
Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Rutgers, Northwestern
Big Ten South
UCLA, USC, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State, Maryland
This isn’t a super popular idea because Michigan and Ohio State are in separate divisions. But, imagine if Michigan and Ohio State are so head and shoulders above the rest that they both win their divisions every year. What would that mean, they play for bigger stakes every year.
What makes this an easy model to follow is that with 9 games in the conference schedule, you play everybody in your division and one different crossover every year. If you’re a Michigan or Ohio State player as well, wouldn’t it motivate you more to play your heart out to get a shot at your rival in a bigger stake game?
College Football Prediction Central with Paul Shen 