Sounds to me like the Big 10 wants to do the same but can't make it work given there current alignement

Jackson



Pac-10 spinning extra game into round robin
By Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY
With Division I-A football teams allowed to play 12 games a season starting in 2006, Pacific-10 schools will use the extra game to add a conference contest, pending the expected approval of school presidents at conference meetings June 5. The Big Ten will discuss adding league games Wednesday at its spring meetings, but that proposal isn't expected to be adopted.
The Pac-10 will play a full round-robin football schedule with each school in the 10-team league playing nine conference games instead of eight, which had been the case with an 11-game schedule.

Last year Pac-10 athletics directors and the conference's 30-member council (school ADs, senior women's administrators and faculty representatives) endorsed the addition of a league game in anticipation of last month's NCAA ruling.

"Everyone from the coaches to the athletic directors who have discussed it at all think that's the most appropriate and attractive way for us to go," Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen said. "Most importantly, we want to have complete competition among all members and not have that missed opponent someday determine the championship. ... At the same time, in a day where it's harder to schedule non-conference games, this also gives quality games on each team's schedule."

The math in the 11-team Big Ten isn't so simple. To have a true round robin, two league games would have to be added. Each school then would have only two non-conference games a year. Currently, each school plays eight league games and does not play two other members.

"Adding two games to be a full round robin would be television friendly, fan-friendly and true championship friendly, but it wouldn't be friendly to achieve a winning season," Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said. "If you play a conference game, the average winning percentage is 50%. In non-conference in football and basketball, we're somewhere between a 66% and 75% success rate."

In the past only Michigan and Illinois favored more conference games, Delany said. The league is also in discussion with the Mid-American Conference regarding future schedules, he said.

The Atlantic Coast, Southeastern and Big 12 conferences have divisions, the Big East eight teams.

If Big 10 and Pac 10 dates dry up then we just might have to expand by 1 in order to have a complete schedule. Let's see how this plays out.

Is there any rule that would prevent the Big East from playing a conference member more than one time a regular season? The Big East could play seven conference games & play a rival home & home. For example, Pitt could play West Virginia at home as a conference game & play then play West Virginia as an away out of conference game. I know it sounds kind of crazy, but it would help scheduling, attendence, & it would help strength of schedule.

Brick City Pirate Wrote:Is there any rule that would prevent the Big East from playing a conference member more than one time a regular season? The Big East could play seven conference games & play a rival home & home. For example, Pitt could play West Virginia at home as a conference game & play then play West Virginia as an away out of conference game. I know it sounds kind of crazy, but it would help scheduling, attendence, & it would help strength of schedule.

When we were in the A10 football after Boston University drop their football program we play UMass twice back in 1998, the year they won I-AA nation championship but we beat them both times. Before we left ,1999, they beat us good.

Brick City Pirate Wrote:Is there any rule that would prevent the Big East from playing a conference member more than one time a regular season? The Big East could play seven conference games & play a rival home & home. For example, Pitt could play West Virginia at home as a conference game & play then play West Virginia as an away out of conference game. I know it sounds kind of crazy, but it would help scheduling, attendence, & it would help strength of schedule.

It does sound crazy, but I agree with the concept with respect to the Big East.

MongoSlade Wrote:

Brick City Pirate Wrote:Is there any rule that would prevent the Big East from playing a conference member more than one time a regular season? The Big East could play seven conference games & play a rival home & home. For example, Pitt could play West Virginia at home as a conference game & play then play West Virginia as an away out of conference game. I know it sounds kind of crazy, but it would help scheduling, attendence, & it would help strength of schedule.

It does sound crazy, but I agree with the concept with respect to the Big East.

It has some merit but in reality if approved the Big East would feel pressured to create additional games attractive to TV. This could hurt the league's best teams' records. They would want the Big Four to play each other again, i.e. Pitt vs WVU and UL vs Syracuse The unintended outcome could be a top 10 team getting upset.

I agree with Mark. Playing a rival a second time is likely to lead to a loss. For example, I can't imagine either WVU OR PITT sweeping 2 games from the other in the same season.

If the OOC games dry up, we may have to split earlier and add at least 2 teams. If the P10 and other conferences feel it is too difficult to schedule 4 OOC games, how can we possibly schedule 5 OOC? To make matters worse, everytime another conference chooses to play a 9th conference game, it takes away from 10-12 possible opponents from us.

I don't mind a 10-team conference. At least every can team still play everyone else each season in football and you can still do a home & home round robin in hoops. It's 12-team leagues I'm not a fan of.

Actually, this could be good for the Big East.

Under the assumption that people on this board are reporting correct rumors.... Penn State could leave the Big 10 to join the (split) Big East. The Big 10 could then start a round robin schedule like the Pac 10.

chess Wrote:Actually, this could be good for the Big East.

Under the assumption that people on this board are reporting correct rumors.... Penn State could leave the Big 10 to join the (split) Big East. The Big 10 could then start a round robin schedule like the Pac 10.

Yeah, chess could be an interesting time for us.