Creative Big Ten scheduling could preserve Iowa's annual football rivalries

The Big Ten could protect the annual clashes between Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin through careful scheduling until the league schedule grows to nine games in 2015.

If Iowa ends up in one division and Minnesota/Wisconsin are in another, the Big Ten likely would preserve one rivalry annually as a cross-over game. But the league also could finesse the schedule and cross-over philosophy to accommodate those rivalries in the current eight-game slate.

Here's an example: Say Iowa and Minnesota become a protected rivalry in 2011 and 2012. The Big Ten could schedule Iowa-Wisconsin twice as regular-season, non-divisional games those seasons as well. Then for 2013-2014, Iowa's protected rivalry could change to Wisconsin and the league could schedule Iowa-Minnesota as regular-season, non-divisional games.

Then, in 2015 with a nine-game league schedule, the league could allow each school to schedule a second annual cross-over opponent. Under the scenario I rolled out Friday, here's what could happen:

Division I: Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Northwestern

Division II: Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Purdue

Iowa's Big Ten opponents 2011-2012: Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Illinois, Northwestern, Minnesota (protected), Wisconsin, Ohio State/Penn State

Iowa's Big Ten opponents 2013-2014: Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin (protected), Minnesota, Penn State/Purdue

Iowa's Big Ten opponents 2015 and forward: Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Illinois, Northwestern, Minnesota (protected), Wisconsin (protected), Ohio State/Indiana (2-year rotation), Penn State/Purdue (2-year rotation)