B1G Rewind: Re-ranking allows league to keep Citrus Bowl

IOWA CITY - A strange re-ranking of Mississippi State and Michigan State led to the Big Ten retaining the Citrus Bowl in this year's lineup and allow all 10 of its eligible teams to compete in bowl games.

Last week, Michigan State was ranked eighth and Mississippi State was 10th by the College Football Playoff selection committee. Despite neither team playing this weekend, Mississippi State vaulted Michigan State to finish seventh and the Spartans remained eighth in the final standings.

Why is that important? The highest ranked non-champion among the Big Ten, SEC or Notre Dame competes in the Orange Bowl against an ACC opponent. When the Big Ten competes in the Orange Bowl, it loses its Citrus Bowl slot to the ACC. With 10 teams bowl-eligible, the Big Ten was in danger of not having enough bowls for its teams. So that little tweak sent Mississippi State (10-2) to the Orange Bowl, moved Michigan State (10-2) to the Cotton Bowl and preserved the Citrus Bowl for the Big Ten. The Spartans will play Big 12 co-champion Baylor (11-1), which was ranked fifth in the final College Football Playoff standings.

'I know that a lot of people had us pegged toward going to the Orange Bowl, because of the all the scenarios involving the rankings and et cetera,” Michigan State Coach Mark Dantonio said. 'But at the beginning of the day, quite honestly, I wanted to go to the Cotton Bowl. The opportunity to play in the Cotton Bowl would definitely put us against either TCU or Baylor, one of the two teams. Either way, whether they made it into the playoffs or not. And I felt like that would be a great game for us competitively.”

With the Big Ten keeping its Citrus Bowl spot, Minnesota (8-4) earns its first New Year's Day bowl berth since 1962. The Gophers, which finished second in the Big Ten West Division, play Missouri at noon on Jan. 1.

Big Ten West Division champion Wisconsin (10-3) plays SEC West squad Auburn (8-4) Jan. 1 in the Outback Bowl. It is the Badgers' 13th consecutive season with a bowl bid but first in appearance in Tampa since 2007.

Nebraska (9-3) returns to the Holiday Bowl against USC (8-4) on Dec. 27. The Cornhuskers played in the Holiday Bowl in 2009 and 2010 as a member of the Big 12. Iowa (7-5) faces Tennessee (6-6) in the TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl. It is the Hawkeyes' second trip to the Jacksonville, Fla.-bowl.

Maryland (7-5) competes in the Foster Farms Bowl against Stanford (7-5). The bowl is new to the Big Ten's official alignment, although Illinois competed in the bowl after the 2011 season. Rutgers (7-5) plays North Carolina (6-6) in the Quick Lane Bowl on Dec. 26 in Detroit.

Penn State (6-6) will advance to the Pinstripe Bowl to face former annual foe Boston College (7-5) of the ACC. Illinois (6-6) plays Louisiana Tech (8-5) on Dec. 26 in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

CONTINENTAL SHIFT

This is the first season of the East-West divide in Big Ten play. Like everything, there were pluses and minuses with the shift. I think the geographical shift is a plus because it allows most neighbors (except those in the Big Ten's central region) to play one another annually. The previous split over competitive equality kept most of the league's primary rivalries, but it eliminated others like Wisconsin-Iowa and Michigan- Penn State. Geography maintains those rivalries.

There are a few negatives, however. Already there's a split in media coverage from organizations who focus primarily on one division and not the other. That's natural based on the teams the outlets cover. It could become a negative if there becomes a split in thought and attitude or if the East Division becomes a juggernaut and the West appears just along for the ride.

Competitive equality was the basis for the Legends/Legends divisions and the concept was reasonable. In a 115-year-old conference, there's enough tradition to tie everyone together competitively. I thought all along that geography was the right move, but I'd have split Michigan rather than Indiana. A West Division with Michigan State, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Iowa would produce a champion capable of competing with Ohio State and, in time, Michigan and Penn State. A down year among the current West Division teams could shine a spotlight in the competitive differences between the divisions.

Perception matters in college football, and the divisional changes bear watching, especially as Ohio State continues to dominate the league structure. If Michigan State maintains its level of play and if Penn State and Michigan restore their historical place among the elite, the Big Ten could have an issue with competitive balance.

POWER RANKINGS

1. Ohio State (1) 12-1 8-0

Left no doubt it is the league's most dominant franchise

2. Michigan State (3) 10-2 7-1

Gets either a motivated opponent or one without the right frame of mind

3. Wisconsin (2) 10-3 7-1

Must recover quickly from that epic pounding

4. Minnesota (4) 8-4 5-3

Earns first New Year's Day bowl since 1962

5. Nebraska (5) 9-3 5-3

Marquee match-up with USC in the Holiday Bowl

6. Rutgers (6) 7-5 3-5

Nice finish, picks up an ACC opponent in a bowl game

7. Maryland (7) 7-5 4-4

From one wharf to the other, not a bad trip

8. Iowa (8) 7-5 4-4

Could be last Big Ten team standing on Jan. 2

9. Illinois (9) 6-6 3-5

Squeezed into a bowl against a high-scoring offense

10. Penn State (10) 6-6 2-6

Gets to face a former rival in a prime location

11. Michigan (11) 5-7 3-5

Big Ten needs relevant Wolverines squad; coaching hire is vital

12. Northwestern (12) 5-7 3-5

Not that far away from moving back to the league's upper half

13. Indiana (13) 4-8 1-7

One injury changed a potentially strong season into a quagmire

14. Purdue (14) 3-9 1-7

Boilers improved but need a step up next year to show improvement

STANDINGS

WEST DIVISION

Wisconsin 10-3 7-1

Nebraska 9-3 5-3

Minnesota 8-4 5-3

Iowa 7-5 4-4

Illinois 6-6 3-5

Northwestern 5-7 3-5

Purdue 3-9 1-7

EAST DIVISION

Ohio State 12-1 8-0

Michigan State 10-2 7-1

Maryland 7-5 4-4

Rutgers 7-5 3-5

Penn State 6-6 2-6

Michigan 5-7 3-5

Indiana 4-8 1-7

SATURDAY'S RESULTS

Ohio State 59, Wisconsin 0

UP NEXT

Heart of Dallas Bowl: Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech, noon, Dec. 26

Quick Lane Bowl: Rutgers vs. North Carolina, 3:30 p.m., Dec. 26

Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State vs. Boston College, 3:30 p.m., Dec. 27

Holiday Bowl: Nebraska vs. USC, 7 p.m., Dec. 27

Foster Farms: Maryland vs. Stanford, 9 p.m., Dec. 30

Outback: Wisconsin vs. Auburn, 11 a.m., Jan. 1

Citrus: Minnesota vs. Missouri, 11:30 a.m., Jan. 1

Cotton: Michigan State vs. Baylor, 11:30 a.m., Jan. 1

Sugar: Ohio State vs. Alabama, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 1

TaxSlayer: Iowa vs. Tennessee, 2:20 p.m., Jan. 2

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com