Big Ten Divisions, Everything You Need To Know

Ok deep breath. Robert Bolden is the starting quarterback, the 2011 schedules have been released, and the Big Ten divisions have been unveiled. If you’ve got a headache you aren’t the only one so lets break it down for you in a straightforward way that will make you the most informed guy at the watercooler.

First off, let’s get down to the actual divisions, they’ll be named soon, but for right now they’re X, and O. These divisions were created on the basis of three factors: ensuring competitive equality, maintaining rivalries, and securing geographical boundaries. These divisions will only apply to football and Delany stated that sports like basketball will be on their own but will most likely stay as they are.

So what will happen now?

• Each team will play all of the teams in their division.
• There is a protected crossover game each year. In Penn State’s case they will play Nebraska each year.
• There are two rotating crossover games. These are two teams from the opposite division that Penn State will play for two years and then rotate out. For 2011 and 2012 these teams will be Northwestern and Iowa. In 2013 these teams will change. These games will count in divisional standings.
• Delany says record within a division will determine a 3-team tie. BCS rankings would be next step, but those details have yet to be figured out.
• The Big Ten likely will go to nine conference games beginning in 2015, at which time it could add a second protected crossover game and preserve more rivalries. But league commissioner Jim Delany gave no indication on the Big Ten Network that a second protected crossover is coming.

So what does this mean?

• Penn State can only play Michigan, Iowa, and Michigan State twice every 6 years.
• No more Land Grant trophy. They trophy may stay around for crossover games, but it will no longer be the season ending game.

So what does Penn State’s Schedule look like?

• In 2011 Penn State will play 5 teams ranked in Top 10 of this year’s AP pre-season poll: Alabama (1), Ohio State (2), Nebraska (8), Iowa (9)

Reaction- What you’ll notice first is Penn State will play Ohio State on the road two years in a row in 2010 and 2011. While on the outset it seems unfair, Penn State hosted Ohio State in 94′ and 95′ after joining the Big Ten. With the resetting of the schedules from 2011 on somebody was going to get a tough road. At this point I’m not going to get my pants in bunch over that one, I will miss my last shot at Pryor though.

Outside of that bit of bad luck Penn State still has a pretty sick home schedule with Iowa, Nebraska, and Alabama all making the trip to Happy Valley. A year end home game with Wisconsin also gives Penn State fans a solid game to end the regular season. Delany did say that the Wisconsin-Penn State game is not a set in stone year ending game so take it for what it is.

At this point you can’t really argue with the schedule or divisions. There are details to be worked out and kinks in the system but those issue will be worked out the closer we get to the 2011 season.