Shief
- Champaign Area
Bear with me, I am going to put my 'let's expand the B1G to X teams' hat on and work out some scenarios. I've seen articles and videos from various people about potential target teams, schedules, etc. and here are my thoughts.
High level, B1G should probably give USC and UCLA some western teams to play on a regular basis. However, I've been led to believe that 80% of the college sports viewership is in the Eastern half of the US. So, how do we balance these two situations?
20 Teams
B1G cares about both athletic history and academic prowess. In the west, Stanford, Cal, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona would be options due to their AAU status and histories. In the east, Virginia, North Carolina, Duke, and Georgia Tech are AAU and have good histories but Notre Dame is Notre Dame and Florida State and Miami are working to improve their academics, supposedly.
I would look to add Oregon and Washington in the west and 2x in the east between ND, UNC, and UVA to get to 20 teams.
Football would have 10 conference games and there are no divisions. The 2 nonconference games can be against anyone but it is encouraged that one game be against an SEC or B12 team, IL can play Mizzou annually as an out of conference rival. A team will have a fixed rival that they will play annually, likely on Thanksgiving weekend, and the other 9 games will rotate so that you'll play every other team at home and away in a 4 year period. The top 2 overall will then play for the conference title.
24 Teams
We will consider the same teams above as potential targets.
In the west, I would go with Washington, Oregon, Stanford, and either Cal or Colorado. In the east, Notre Dame, UNC, Virginia, and FSU or Miami.
Similar to above, there will be no divisions, only protect rivals and rotating games. Each team would play 9 conference games with 2 being annual rivals, one game on Thanksgiving weekend, and 7 rotating games. In a 6 year period, a team would play the rotating teams twice, once at home and once away. The 3 nonconference games would include an SEC or B12 team and 2 games against whomever. Top 2 or 4 teams overall have a mini playoff for the conference title. Illinois could play against Mizzou annually as a nonconference rival and see what makes sense for the other 2 games (preferably one is against a B12 team annually like Cincinnati, Kansas, or a Texas school).
Another option, 12 conference games and no nonconference games. A team would play a protected rival each year and rotate the other 11 games to play all other teams home and away in a 4 year cycle. The top 2 or 4 teams overall meet in a mini playoff to find conference champ.
Enough of my ramblings, what do you all think?
High level, B1G should probably give USC and UCLA some western teams to play on a regular basis. However, I've been led to believe that 80% of the college sports viewership is in the Eastern half of the US. So, how do we balance these two situations?
20 Teams
B1G cares about both athletic history and academic prowess. In the west, Stanford, Cal, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona would be options due to their AAU status and histories. In the east, Virginia, North Carolina, Duke, and Georgia Tech are AAU and have good histories but Notre Dame is Notre Dame and Florida State and Miami are working to improve their academics, supposedly.
I would look to add Oregon and Washington in the west and 2x in the east between ND, UNC, and UVA to get to 20 teams.
Football would have 10 conference games and there are no divisions. The 2 nonconference games can be against anyone but it is encouraged that one game be against an SEC or B12 team, IL can play Mizzou annually as an out of conference rival. A team will have a fixed rival that they will play annually, likely on Thanksgiving weekend, and the other 9 games will rotate so that you'll play every other team at home and away in a 4 year period. The top 2 overall will then play for the conference title.
24 Teams
We will consider the same teams above as potential targets.
In the west, I would go with Washington, Oregon, Stanford, and either Cal or Colorado. In the east, Notre Dame, UNC, Virginia, and FSU or Miami.
Similar to above, there will be no divisions, only protect rivals and rotating games. Each team would play 9 conference games with 2 being annual rivals, one game on Thanksgiving weekend, and 7 rotating games. In a 6 year period, a team would play the rotating teams twice, once at home and once away. The 3 nonconference games would include an SEC or B12 team and 2 games against whomever. Top 2 or 4 teams overall have a mini playoff for the conference title. Illinois could play against Mizzou annually as a nonconference rival and see what makes sense for the other 2 games (preferably one is against a B12 team annually like Cincinnati, Kansas, or a Texas school).
Another option, 12 conference games and no nonconference games. A team would play a protected rival each year and rotate the other 11 games to play all other teams home and away in a 4 year cycle. The top 2 or 4 teams overall meet in a mini playoff to find conference champ.
Enough of my ramblings, what do you all think?
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