Ohio St should be the Illini's other protected rival; notes on Big Ten football scheduling
September 26, 2008 12:40 PM
Big Ten conference play is a block of 9 weeks, beginning at the end of September or the start of October. Each team plays 8 games (4 home, 4 away), with a bye week. By now we all should know that the Illini play Western Michigan in Detroit (!!!) November 8 during their Big Ten bye.
The Big Ten preferred completion date to conference play is the weekend before Thanksgiving (insert joke about Big Ten teams in bowls on 50-day layoffs), although from time to time due to calendar issues it gets pushed to Thanksgiving weekend.
Protected rivalries
In 1997 the Big Ten began the "protected rivalries" scheduling scheme, which mandates that you're stuck with two teams every season in football no matter if you're their rival or not.
The Illini's protected rivals are Northwestern (makes sense) and Indiana (makes no sense). Keeping the in-state series intact is a no-brainer, the Illini have played the Wildcats 101 timesmore than any other opponent. On the other hand Illinois and Indiana have played on only 64 occasions, which ranks 7th on the Illini's list of game played against.
The Illini's 2nd protected rival should be Ohio St. The Illini and Buckeyes have played 94 timessecond only to Northwesternand until recently had an impressive consecutive streak going: 89-straight contests from 1914 to 2002.
Unfortunately when this scheme was cooked up in the mid-1990s Illinois was bottoming out under Lou Tepper and Penn St was a national power. Thus, a make-believe rivalry was born between Ohio St and Penn St.
Big Ten protected rivalries
Team | Protected rivals |
Illinois | Indiana, Northwestern |
Indiana | Illinois, Purdue |
Iowa | Minnesota, Wisconsin |
Michigan | Michigan St, Ohio St |
Michigan St | Michigan, Penn St |
Minnesota | Iowa, Wisconsin |
Northwestern | Illinois, Purdue |
Ohio St | Michigan, Penn St |
Penn St | Michigan St, Ohio St |
Purdue | Indiana, Northwestern |
Wisconsin | Iowa, Minnesota |
With the 8-game schedule in an 11-team league, the Big Ten has a 2-year rotation of 2 teams that are not on a league member's conference schedule. Ohio St is next off the schedule in 2011-2012 (booo!).
Big Ten teams off Illinois' schedule
Seasons | Teams not on schedule |
1997-1998 | Michigan, Minnesota |
1999-2000 | Purdue, Wisconsin |
2001-2002 | Iowa, Michigan St |
2003-2004 | Ohio St, Penn St |
2005-2006 | Michigan, Minnesota |
2007-2008 | Michigan St, Purdue |
2009-2010 | Iowa, Wisconsin |
2011-2012 | Minnesota, Ohio St |
Thread Filed under: Illini Football, Ohio State Buckeyes