Dividing up the 12 in the Big Ten

Let's start with the premise that there really is no right answer.

Now that the Big Ten has 12 schools, it will likely need divisions for football. This is how it works. Twelve teams, two divisions and one $12 million championship game.

During Nebraska's introduction into the Big Ten last Friday, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany wasn't prepared to talk specifics in regard to divisions.

He stressed the importance of “competitive fairness,” with the idea of avoiding the debacle that became the Big 12 South (Texas, Oklahoma) vs. Big 12 North (Colorado, K-State, et al). Rivalries and geography will be the other factors.

“We're going into this with the idea that rivalries do matter,” Delany said. “They really matter, but not all rivalries are equal.”

He said some schools have three intense rivals. Others have ”modest” rivalries.

“We're going into this with the idea of appreciating the value of those rivalries, all within the context of competitive fairness,” Delany said.

Big Ten football schedules also could change. Right now, schools play four non-conference games and eight in the Big Ten. Nebraska athletics director Tom Osborne said that could change, saying there could be one more conference game, moving to a 9-3 model.

As much as the Big Ten and SEC harangue toward each other, the SEC's scheduling model is worth exploring. The SEC is a 12-team conference, after all.

Each SEC team plays an eight-game conference schedule that comprises the five teams in its division, one permanent opponent in the other division and two teams in the other division that rotate on and off the schedule.

This format ensures that a school will play every conference member four times in a 10-year period. In that same period, every school will make at least two visits to every SEC stadium.

Using this model, you can have a divisions where Ohio State and Michigan aren't stapled together. Simply make them permanent cross division opponents.

This would free the Big Ten from geography, which, let's face it, on paper would be a potential Big 12 North vs. South. Strict geography would have Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State in the Big Ten East, with Iowa, Wisconsin and Nebraska holding down the West.

Recent history, that works, works pretty well. But history history, that's three of the top 10 winningest programs ever in the same division.

Permanent cross division gives the Big Ten the freedom to make that a two-and-two deal. Perhaps, it'd go Ohio State and Michigan in the Archie Griffin Division with Penn State and Nebraska in the Nile Kinnick Division. This way, the conference is splitting up four of the top 10 winningest programs.

This splits the four teams that have historically had the best programs. It doesn't ensure competitive balance (see Michigan), but it's a start.

Here is, perhaps, the biggest sticking point, and it goes back to something Delany said.

“We're going into this with the idea that rivalries do matter,” Delany said. “They really matter, but not all rivalries are equal.”

So, does Floyd the Pig trump the Paul Bunyan Ax? Is the Old Oaken Bucket a bigger deal than Land of Lincoln Trophy? Does the Iowa-Wisconsin bull beat the Penn State-Michigan State Land Grant trophy for most contrived?

This is arguing taste. You can't argue matters of taste. So, some of these are going to go away. Maybe not the ones mentioned above, but if you're going to make an omelette . . .

Here are the canons of Big Ten rivalries:

Ohio State-Michigan

Michigan-Michigan State

Indiana-Purdue

Illinois-Northwestern

Iowa-Nebraska

Wait, Iowa-Nebraska? Look at the above map. Nebraska's collective bus for any Big Ten sport goes through Iowa. The conference is going to staple Iowa and Nebraska. Yes, Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema is openly petitioning for the Badgers and Huskers to hook up for a season finale and a trophy game.

Could happen, but the Big Ten will bend to geography in this case and it'll be Iowa-Nebraska.

What do you do with Wisconsin and Minnesota? Put them in separate divisions and make them a permanent cross divisional rival. Does Iowa have to play Wisconsin every year? The two have since 1995. This might be one of the eggs. Not predicting this, but it's possible.

So, here you go (and, no, I'm not married to the divisional names, just throwing it out there, just like pretty much everything else in this post). (Also, the permanent cross-over rival is listed in the top division. Went for balance and rivalry there.):

ARCHIE GRIFFIN DIVISION

Ohio State (Penn State)

Michigan (Nebraska)

Michigan State (Northwestern)

Wisconsin (Illinois)

Minnesota (Iowa)

Purdue (Indiana)

NILE KINNICK DIVISION

Penn State

Nebraska

Iowa

Indiana

Northwestern

Illinois

This assumes the eight conference games stay in place, with five divisional games, one permanent rival and two rotating cross-over games. Thus, each team would be allowed to schedule four non-conference games. If the Big Ten goes to nine-conference games, just add another rotating cross-divisional game.

Simple. Yeah, right.

OK, let 'er rip and, please, post your ideas. This topic either grabs you or it doesn't, but it's reality in 2011.