(05-09-2014 09:46 PM)BruceMcF Wrote: (05-09-2014 04:59 PM)Marge Schott Wrote: Is the Big Ten dumb? Would they not move to a single-division format if the ACC's proposed legislation goes through?
Maybe, maybe not, depends on whether it passes, what passes and whether there is an alternative that works substantially better on a 9 conference game schedule.
5 fixed opponents plus home and away against four then home and away against the other four for a four year cycle is 9 games, so the question is whether someone can come up with a network of 5 fixed opponents for each school that makes a majority including OSU and TSUN substantially happier than the East/West division setup, including rules for picking the two for the CCG that all can agree to.
I doubt they do it, but hope they do. That said, I see no reason to go with 5 fixed opponents. Go with 3 instead (so you play the other 10, 60% of the time). You miss one or two things you'd rather not miss then, but not huge deals and you play everyone else more.
Possible schedule:
Maryland: Rutgers, Penn State, (Michigan State)
Rutgers: Maryland, Penn State, (Nebraska)
Penn State: Ohio State, Maryland, Rutgers
Ohio State: Michigan, Penn State, Illinois
Michigan: Ohio State, Michigan State, Minnesota
Michigan State: Michigan, Indiana, (Maryland)
Illinois: Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue
Northwestern: Illinois, Purdue, Indiana
Indiana: Michigan State,Purdue, Northwestern
Purdue: Indiana, Illinois, Northwestern
Minnesota: Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan
Wisconsin: Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska
Iowa: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska
Nebraska: Iowa, Wisconsin, (Rutgers)
The put in the ones I thought were necessary/made sense and was left with one game needed still for Michigan State, Nebraska, Maryland, and Rutgers. Since Maryland and Rutgers were already matched, I had to match those two with Nebraska and Michigan State.