How B1G changes rumored to be coming to Big Ten impact Penn State Football

Help the Big Tem represent itself nationally

Scheduling more Power 5 schools in the non-conference schedule gives fans, media, and most importantly the College Football Playoff committee a better idea about how the Big Ten stacks up against other major conferences on a given year, as opposed to waiting until bowl season.

This past season was a good example when Ohio State and Oregon faced off in a non-conference matchup, where each team was one of the best in their conference.

Even if it is not a matchup between two ranked teams, it could act as a good measuring stick between conferences. For example, if a middle-of-the-pack Big 10 team goes on the road and beats one of the better teams in the ACC, it could provide a reassurance that the Big 10 is the stronger conference in that given year.

It also could create more “common opponents” among teams from different conferences, which could be useful come playoff selection/seeding time.

Finally, eliminating divisions would allow for the two best Big 10 teams to meet in the conference championship, rather than just the east winner vs the west winner. This could help the conference reach the playoff more often, and with potentially more teams, especially if/when the playoff expands.