How should the Big 10 set up its two divsions?

We are starting to hear news that Nebraska will be in the Big Ten as soon as 2011. With that in mind we must now wonder how the Big Ten will split the conference up, and which schools will be in which division. Before we get to that we must take a look at a few things that must happen; Michigan Ohio State must play each other every year on the final weekend of the College Football Season. Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State must be in the same division, and finally the divisions should be formed around geography.

Ok I would break up the conference in to an East and a West division. In the East I would have Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Indiana, Purdue, and Penn State. In the West I would have Northwestern, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Iowa. I like to build divisions that make geographical sense, and having the schools close to each other be division rivals will only help build new rivalries. I would have each team in this conference play all of the teams in its own division once, and play three teams from the opposite divisions each year.

The main argument against this plan is the east seems a bit more loaded than the west. Many will argue that Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State should all not be in the same division. However I think it the BCS system this will only help this conference. The schedules will be tough, and the teams each year will get tough by playing them. For Big Ten fans this is a clear victory.

Related Links:

•The Business of College Football
•MTR College Sports.com