Iowa, Wisconsin rivalry still hanging in there for Big Ten

CHICAGO -- The biggest news out of Big Ten

media days is the possibility of a nine-game conference schedule.

Commissioner Jim Delany said Monday the conference is strongly considering a nine-game schedule with the 12school configuration the Big Ten now finds itself in. It won't happen in 2011 when Nebraska makes it 12, but when Big Ten

schedules clear out around 2015 (which is how long it would take, Nebraska Athletics Director Tom Osborne said Monday), it could very well happen.

If nine games happen, Iowa and Wisconsin should go on ad infinitum.

The Hawkeyes and Badgers -- a series Iowa leads 42-41-2 -- are one of the rivalries that could be left behind in the discussion on divisions for the 12 teams.

That discussion began Monday with conference athletic directors and will continue today. Delany said he expects the divisions to be revealed in 30 to 45 days.

The prevailing sentiment in Chicago is that Penn State and Wisconsin switch what would be geographic divisional set up and there's your divisions. That would put the rivalry on life support, likely pinning the Badgers to Minnesota -- the nation's oldest rivalry -- for an interdivisional matchup.

Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz has decided to completely compartmentalize the whole expansion topic.

Iowa doesn't play expansion on the field, so why stew about it?

'Anything's possible,' he said. 'Whatever ends up happening, whatever changes there are, it's just part of expansion, I guess. I've never been through this, either. . . .

We'll get settled in and at the end of the day, I think it's going to be a good thing for everybody.' When Nebraska joined the Big Ten

in June, Badger Coach Bret Bielema, a former Iowa player and assistant coach, openly campaigned for the Badgers to end the season with a game against Nebraska.

Monday, he said he just wants a meaty traditional rival to end the season.

'If it were Iowa, I'd love it to be Iowa,' he said. 'I just want it to be something. Something you can sink your teeth into.

'The conference has gone given Minnesota and Iowa that seat and that's fine, I've been a part of that one. Floyd of Rosedale is a great thing.

If they want that one, give them that one. But I would like something.' With Iowa and Minnesota seemingly tied to the hip, Nebraska-Wisconsin might make sense.

'Nobody wants to screw with the MichiganOhio State game, which is great, I understand that.

Just give us a chance,' Bielema said. 'I thought that (Wisconsin-Nebraska) might be something to really matter. Two teams that traditionally have been very good have an end-of-the-year game.'