Interesting - Sagarin

[Hoosierfan2017 19,886]

44 minutes ago, Hovadipo said:

You’ll have to trust me on that because it’s nothing public, but if I remember correctly it was actually James Franklin leading the charge on it. The discussions were based around a rotating schedule like you mentioned with protected rivalries.

I love everything about it and agree divisions are unnecessary, there’s other ways to get 2 teams into the B1G title game.  Also agree that we have no shot at winning the B1G as things currently stand unless another pandemic happens and we fix one bad half of football in Columbus this time. 

Makes sense that Franklin wants a change. PSU would be top dog in an OSU-less division. You’d think the Big 10 would want to change too. With OSU/PSU/UM/MSU in one division, chances are that the best two teams in the conference won’t meet in the conference title game a not insignificant number of years. 

[Southside 1,914]

8 hours ago, Lebowski said:

I've been a fan of creating a North-South division alignment looking like this.

North: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan and Michigan St.
South: Indiana, Illinois, Ohio St., Penn St., Rutgers, Maryland and that other school remaining. 

While IUFB would still be facing OSU and PSU they'd eliminate Michigan and MSU.  Also this type of divisional alignment is a little more aligned full of parity within each division.  The current alignment isn't, in my opinion.

Regardless, it doesn't appear any kind of realignment is coming in the future, unfortunately.  It is what it is.  IUFB is just going to have to get better and I think they're on the right track of doing just that.  It just takes time.

Yep, I'd be down with that. If I'm honest though, I'd simply forget all about N, S, E, and W.... and I'd put same states teams in opposite divisions so they could each win their divisions and play each other in the conference Championship. I'd still let them play every year (each team get's a static rivalry game each year). I just think the "distance" and "region" thing is a bit overrated. 

X Division - OSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue, Nebraska, Maryland

Y Division - PSU, Iowa, Michigan St, Northwestern, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota

Rivalry games (cross div, yearly)

Mich/MichSt, IU/PU, NW/IL, Neb/Iowa, Wisc/MN, Mar/Rut, OSU/PSU

[LIHoosier 24,997]

2 hours ago, Hovadipo said:

I think we’re closer to re-alignment than some realize. It’s been at least discussed in conference meetings as recently as this past winter. 

I hope going back to 8 conference games instead of 9 is also on the table. Having 5 away conference games has killed everyone.