Ninth league game could provide balance to Big Ten football schedule

Immediately after his league expanded to 12 schools last June, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said competitive balance was the first guiding principle in deciding football divisional play among its 11 schools (plus Nebraska). Rivalries were a close second and geography a distant third.

The Big Ten divided its football schools based on prowess over 17-year-period  and split Ohio State from Michigan, Penn State from Nebraska and Wisconsin from Iowa into separate - but equal - divisions. The league also sliced its bottom six football program in half with geography and rivalries seemingly playing a larger role. The triangle of Indiana, Purdue and Illinois stuck together while Minnesota, Michigan State and Northwestern found a home with rivals Iowa and Michigan.

Delany's divisional alignment was  meticulously balanced. Nobody can argue that. But with the creation of a permanent cross-divisional opponent, some teams have obvious advantages over others in the league's current eight-game schedule. For instance, Michigan State will play Indiana - which had the most losses over the 17-year period - every year and Ohio State four times over 10 years. Michigan, however, will play Ohio State - which had the most wins over the 17-year period -  every year and Indiana four times over 10 years. Wisconsin's cross-divisional rival (Minnesota) hasn't even tied for a Big Ten title in 44 years, while Penn State's cross-divisional rival (Nebraska) has won three national titles in the last 17. 

Next year, Iowa and Nebraska play five common opponents in divisional and non-divisional play (Penn State). Among uncommon opponents, Iowa plays Indiana and Purdue - two teams with losing records last year - while Nebraska plays Ohio State and Wisconsin - two schools that played in BCS bowls in January. Divisional titles could be decided about which teams a program plays on a permanent or rotational basis. It may not sound like much now, but just wait until uncommon opponents determine a berth in the Big Ten championship game. Be ready because it's coming.

But there is a way to solve that problem. It appears likely the Big Ten will adopt a ninth football game to its annual schedule, possibly by 2015. If that happens, the league should add a second permanent rival to each school's annual schedule based on the same tenet it used to form the divisions: balance. In non-divisional play, each program should play one traditional upper division and one traditional lower division opponent permanently. On a rotational basis, the league should couple opponents by upper and lower division status.

Currently, Iowa plays six league schools annually: Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern within the division and Purdue as its permanent cross-divisional rival. If long-time foe Wisconsin was tabbed as Iowa's second permanent cross-divisional rival, Iowa would play a traditional upper division foe (1 as listed below) and lower division foe (2) ever year. Then among Iowa's four non-divisional, non-permanent opponents, the schedule should be grouped as Ohio State-Illinois for two years, then Penn State-Indiana for two years. That would achieve almost perfect balance between playing traditional and non-traditional powers annually.

Additionally, a second rivalry restores Iowa-Wisconsin and Michigan State-Penn State on an annual basis. Both games were highly anticipated trophy games among the fan bases. Ohio State-Northwestern dates nearly 100 years, and Michigan-Illinois has been played 92 times. Minnesota-Purdue and Nebraska-Indiana are no more silly than the current permanent rivalry between Iowa and Purdue.

Here's how the Big Ten's scheduling could look  if the league implements a second permanent rivalry once it goes to nine annual games:

LEGENDS DIVISION

IOWA

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Purdue (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Wisconsin (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Ohio State (1), Illinois (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Penn State (1), Indiana (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

MINNESOTA

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Wisconsin (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Purdue (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Ohio State (1), Illinois (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Penn State (1), Indiana (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

MICHIGAN

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Ohio State (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Illinois (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Penn State (1), Indiana (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Wisconsin (1), Purdue (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

NORTHWESTERN

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Illinois (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Ohio State (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Penn State (1), Indiana (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Wisconsin (1), Purdue (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

MICHIGAN STATE

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Indiana (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Penn State (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Wisconsin (1), Purdue (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Ohio State (1), Illinois (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

NEBRASKA

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Penn State (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Indiana (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Wisconsin (1), Purdue (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Ohio State (1), Illinois (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

LEADERS DIVISION

WISCONSIN

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Minnesota (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Iowa (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Michigan (1), Northwestern (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Nebraska (1), Michigan State (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

PURDUE

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Iowa (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Minnesota (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Michigan (1), Northwestern (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Nebraska (1), Michigan State (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

OHIO STATE

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Illinois, Indiana, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Michigan (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Northwestern (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Iowa (1), Minnesota (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Nebraska (1), Michigan State (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

ILLINOIS

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Northwestern (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Michigan (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Iowa (1), Minnesota (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Nebraska (1), Michigan State (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

PENN STATE

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Nebraska (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Michigan State (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Michigan (1), Northwestern (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Iowa (1), Minnesota (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

INDIANA

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Divisional opponents: Illinois, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Michigan State (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Nebraska (1)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]First cycle: Michigan (1), Northwestern (2)[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Second cycle: Iowa (1), Minnesota (2)[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]