Sep 01, 2010
Big Ten ready to make announcement on division alignments

Will Ohio State and Michigan be in the same Big Ten division or will they be split up? We'll find out tonight when the Big Ten announces its conference alignment when it is announced on the conference's network.

The plan will be revealed during the Big Ten football preview show that starts at 7 p.m. ET. Schedules for the 2011 and 2012 seasons will also be revealed.

Jeff Rabjons of the Indianapolis Star reported Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern and Minnesota would be in one division. The other would have Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana and Illinois.

The Buckeyes and Wolverines both appear to want to be in separate divisions, giving the schools the opportunity to play twice in a season. Last week, Michigan athletic director David Brandon echoed those thoughts.

"Because we're in a situation where one of the best things that could happen, in my opinion in a given season, would be the opportunity to play Ohio State twice. Once in the regular season and once for the championship of the Big Ten."

If they are in the same division, then it would be impossible to have the schools meet in a conference championship game.

With both teams in opposite divisions, it would likely mean their annual regular season game would not be played on the final weekend, something that has happened every year since 1943. The possibility of change has inspired an Ohio lawmaker to urge the state to pass a resolution asking the Big Ten to keep the date of the game the same.

Some news of the alignment has already been leaked. Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said the Badgers would not be in the same division as rival Iowa.

Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips told the Chicago Tribune on Monday he believes the Wildcats will maintain their annual rivalry with Illinois.

Phillips said he agreed with commissioner Jim Delany's philosophy that "competitive balance" should be the top priority. Protecting rivalries comes second, geography third.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... ignments/1

No OSU, PSU, or Wisconsin for my Spartans - Wahoo! Nebraska will be tough but Northwestern, Minnesota, and Michigan are all pansies...