Second protected Big Ten rivalry looks dead, but still a good idea

To no one's surprise the Big Ten will expand its league football schedule from eight games to nine beginning in 2017.

Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany made that issue a priority when the league realigned last summer. Delany has said multiple times the league's teams should play more often rather than less often. A nine-game league schedule allows for stronger television inventory and no more late September snoozefests like in 2010 and this fall.

The league chose to balance its divisions competitively over a 17-year evaluation period rather than geographically, which uprooted a few rivalries. It also chose to create permanent cross-divisional opponents, which preserved rivalries but lacked balance.

Delany told ESPN.com today that a second protected cross-divisional rivalry "has not been discussed."  Delany also said, '"The second protected rival, that tends to undermine the competitive equity."

I disagree. Based on the current eight-game league schedule, some teams have obvious advantages over others. 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 permanent cross-divisional rival (Minnesota) hasn't even tied for a Big Ten title since 1967, while Penn State's cross-divisional rival (Nebraska) has won three national titles in the last 17.

This fall, Legends Division members Iowa and Nebraska will play five divisional opponents and one common non-divisional opponent, Penn State. Among uncommon opponents, Iowa plays Indiana and Purdue - teams with losing records last year - while Nebraska plays 2010 Big Ten co-champs and BCS qualifiers Ohio State (on the field anyway) and Wisconsin. Future divisional titles, Big Ten title appearances and BCS bowl berths could be decided about which teams a program plays on a permanent or rotational basis.

But the ninth game could avoid those scenarios if the league adds a second permanent rival to each school's annual schedule. All the league has to do is apply the same tenet it used to form its divisions: competitive balance. In permanent non-divisional play, each program should play one traditional upper division and one traditional lower division opponent. On a rotational basis, the league should couple opponents by upper and lower division status.

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 rival Wisconsin was tabbed as Iowa's second permanent cross-divisional rival, the Hawkeyes 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 matchups were 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.

The league has a chance to restore its rivalries and balance its schedule. Here's how the Big Ten's scheduling could look if the league reverses course and implements a second permanent rivalry when it goes to nine annual games in 2017:

LEGENDS DIVISION

IOWA

• Divisional opponents: Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Purdue (2)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Wisconsin (1)
• First cycle: Ohio State (1), Illinois (2)
• Second cycle: Penn State (1), Indiana (2)

MINNESOTA

• Divisional opponents: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Wisconsin (1)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Purdue (2)
• First cycle: Ohio State (1), Illinois (2)
• Second cycle: Penn State (1), Indiana (2)

MICHIGAN

• Divisional opponents: Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Ohio State (1)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Illinois (2)
• First cycle: Penn State (1), Indiana (2)
• Second cycle: Wisconsin (1), Purdue (2)

NORTHWESTERN

• Divisional opponents: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Illinois (2)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Ohio State (1)
• First cycle: Penn State (1), Indiana (2)
• Second cycle: Wisconsin (1), Purdue (2)

MICHIGAN STATE

• Divisional opponents: Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Indiana (2)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Penn State (1)
• First cycle: Wisconsin (1), Purdue (2)
• Second cycle: Ohio State (1), Illinois (2)

NEBRASKA

• Divisional opponents: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Penn State (1)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Indiana (2)
• First cycle: Wisconsin (1), Purdue (2)
• Second cycle: Ohio State (1), Illinois (2)

LEADERS DIVISION

WISCONSIN

• Divisional opponents: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Minnesota (2)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Iowa (1)
• First cycle: Michigan (1), Northwestern (2)
• Second cycle: Nebraska (1), Michigan State (2)

PURDUE

• Divisional opponents: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Iowa (1)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Minnesota (2)
• First cycle: Michigan (1), Northwestern (2)
• Second cycle: Nebraska (1), Michigan State (2)

OHIO STATE

• Divisional opponents: Illinois, Indiana, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Michigan (1)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Northwestern (2)
• First cycle: Iowa (1), Minnesota (2)
• Second cycle: Nebraska (1), Michigan State (2)

ILLINOIS

• Divisional opponents: Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Northwestern (2)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Michigan (1)
• First cycle: Iowa (1), Minnesota (2)
• Second cycle: Nebraska (1), Michigan State (2)

PENN STATE

• Divisional opponents: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Nebraska (1)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Michigan State (2)
• First cycle: Michigan (1), Northwestern (2)
• Second cycle: Iowa (1), Minnesota (2)

INDIANA

• Divisional opponents: Illinois, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin
• Permanent cross-divisional opponent: Michigan State (2)
• Second permanent cross-divisional opponent: Nebraska (1)
• First cycle: Michigan (1), Northwestern (2)
• Second cycle: Iowa (1), Minnesota (2)