Big Ten scores the touchdown, but misses extra point regarding divisions

By Matt Vachlon

The Big Ten announced its new divisional alignment last week and Michigan and Ohio State were placed in separate divisions.

Yet there was no rioting here in Big Ten country. No people with torches on a march to Park Ridge, Ill., home of the Big Ten Conference Headquarters.

After all, Ohio State and Michigan will still be playing each other the last game of the season.

Thus, the fans won!

But really it was Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany who emerged victorious, simply for holding his ground.

You see, logic definitely dictated that the league’s four premier programs: Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State and Penn State needed to be split. It’s always a big event in college football when two bluebloods share the field, so they rightfully were spread evenly across divisions.

And splitting the Michigan and Ohio State was absolutely the right move.

Big Ten championships have historically been on the line when these two meet, so while playing for a division title sounds nice as a concept, it’s just not the same. The only way to keep these high stakes was to leave the opportunity open for Michigan and Ohio State to meet in the Big Ten Championship Game.

And while I probably would’ve moved the game to a date earlier in November, those who worry that “The Game” might lose some of its luster by being played at the end of the season, with a potential repeat matchup in the championship game a week later, are being foolish. Remember, the credo of the BCS is that the whole season is a playoff. If anything, there’s now less room for error since the game will be played so close to the end of the season.

As for the rest of the divisional make up, I was a little disappointed. I think Delaney over thought the process.

Competitive balance should not have been the main priority after dealing with the four aforementioned programs. Rivalries, after all, are what make college football special, and, for the most part, they go hand in hand with geography. Having those games have implications on the divisional standings when it doesn’t involve tradition-rich programs also doesn’t hurt.

Consider that in-state rivals Illinois and Northwestern are now split up. Over 100 years of history between Wisconsin and Minnesota has been banished to opposite divisions. And worst of all, since a protected crossover game will at least assure that the first two aforementioned matchups will still occur on an annual basis, Iowa and Wisconsin won’t be protected.

Sorry, I’m just not convinced that Wisconsin and Iowa are so elite that they had to be separated. Check how their all-time records stack up against their Big Ten brethren if you don’t believe me.

And while I know that Delany looked at data from 1993 to the present to determine balance, the move is still short-sighted. Iowa and Wisconsin have indeed ranked up with the big boys during that time frame, however, Northwestern, Illinois and Purdue have all made Rose Bowl appearances since then, as well. What’s to stop one of them from forming the next dynasty?

Add in the fact that the ACC has been criticized for a very similar format and I would’ve done a geographical North-South split.

To do so, I would’ve flip-flopped Northwestern and Wisconsin. The move appears minor as it only preserves one more trophy game than was previously protected, but Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota should be in the same division. It also allows for an annual Nebraska-Wisconsin game which is what both schools reportedly wanted and puts Illinois and Northwestern back in the same division.

Now I know my divisions appear unbalanced, but name one school (besides Michigan and Ohio State) that is missing any of its traditional rivals. And happiness is what really matters anyway.

Just ask Nebraska.