The Lions' Pride

Outer schools would be poor choice, IMO. You're essentially forcing the "outer schools" to pay more in travel costs. Which I'm quite sure Maryland specifically asked about when they were talking about joining the Big Ten.

Not sure any of those look good. If I had to say one, I'd vote for the first option. The second one is too loaded in our division. And it doesn't split the brand names (which the Big Ten seemed to put importance on in the first go-around).

I was thinking they could do a north-south type split. Looking at option 2, you go with

North: Neb, Minn, Ioa, Wisc, NW, MSU, UM

South: Pur, Ill, OSU, Ind, PSU, RU, UM.

But then you've got the two new schools in the same division.

So the BIG is now comfortable with Michigan and OSU in the same division? I'd vote east/west I want those road games to MD and RU. Inner/outer is easiest for us.

East/West makes sense in a few areas but in a typical year would be balanced in favor of the East. The inner/outer idea is interesting from a competition standpoint, but what are they going to call it then? The Belly Button conference featuring the Innie and Outtie divisions?

I bet they just use the current setup and add a team to each division, and maybe rename them (we can hope).

The easiest option would be to move Illinois to the other division and add both MD and Rutgers to PSU's division. That would result in minimal change and no have to real effect on the balance of power.

I voted east-west, option 2.

Not worried about competitive balance, I think facing a stronger divisional slate would help BIG teams for post season in future. Look at SEC west, that's where the most power teams are the past few years.

That makes entirely too much sense, therefore it will never happen.

I've always like North/South but by my reckoning the teams would be (fartherst North to fartherst South) as follows:

Minn.
Wisc
MSU
UM
NW
Iowa
PSU

Rutgers
Purdue
Illinois
OSU
Nebraska
Indiana
MD

Geographically, however this is not a balanced Conf. alignment power-wise.

I think the Inner/Outter alignment is the most balanced. Especially if you figure the B1G play with the latest expansion is to hook ND. Foreseeably ND is the newest addition to the Inner division with another team (ACC?) joining the OUter Div.

I might add with respect to Inner/Outer, the cost of travel is heavily weighted on the Outer Div and that is not fair. At the end of the day, the B1G will likely keep the current alignment and assign Rutgers & MD to one or the other of the existing B1G Divisions.

BTW I Commented that a N/S alignment would be preferred. However, PSU would need to be in the South and move Rutgers or Purdue to the North Division to achieve a balance among the power schools in the B1G

Kirk

I like this idea..

I have said they don't have to be a geographically split - just add both MD and RU to the Leaders and then move either PU, IL or IU to the Legends... Your split has them just moving UW over instead of the 3 I mentioned..

Pretty much what I expound RE: N/S

Inner/Outer is power-balanced but travel-unfair. If the B1G were to offset unfair travel costs, then I am onboard with the Inner/Outer alignment.

Interestingly, the B1G survey heavily favors the current status-quo. So, I predict there won't be a "true" East/West, unless some embrace a Nebraska in the "East"...haha.

North/South was not an option.

Inner/Outer is unbalanced, travel-wise.

So, considering how conservative our B1G Conf. is, we're only left with status-quo and deciding on which team among MD and Rutgers goes to the Leaders or Legends.

At the end of the day...F-Emmert; F-B1G; F-dickRod; F-NCAA; F-Delaney.

Cheers!

Kirk