Your 2015 And 2016 Big Ten Schedules

This is a rare case of divisions not changing anything because MSU didn't play OSU that much before.  They didn't play each other 14 times since 1980 before last year. 

As for our conference rotation, this kind of reminds me of when we played Penn State at home during even years when we had to play at Notre Dame and OSU.  But then after Chris Perry at home in overtime in 2002, PSU rotated off the schedule for 2 years and then played at Ann Arbor again which gave us Henne to Manningham on the final play...but that changed to playing at ND, OSU and PSU in even numbered years now.  

I liked it better when we had an equal number of good home and away games instead of them all falling into one category.  Those 2012 and 2016 away games scare the crap out of me.    

If I recall this correctly, the MSU-IU is a constant because MSU and IU are "protected secondary rivalry" schools or some such rot.  Again relying on memory, I think the schools themselves agreed to those rivalries.  On one hand, you have to wonder if the MSU brain trust opted for IU to have a perpetual virtual bye-week on their schedule and thus pad their schedule ad infitum.  On the other hand, I'm not sure who else would have had MSU as their "secondary rival".  The PSU - MSU land grant business seemed really forced from afar.  And who else really cares about MSU other than U-M?  So maybe the MSU - IU pairing is more of "no other prom date available/interested" situation than an MSU schedule-padding ruse.

In any event, I'm not sure that's the "B1G screwing Michigan" so much as Sparty gonna Spart.

Whatever, you have to beat the best to be the best.  I would like to see those hard games even out with home and away a little but that's ok.  It is just a little harder to earn and I am fine with that.

So.

You're in favor of not playing OSU?

I don't have any problem playing a harder schedule than MSU on average over the years.  We're better than they are!  Long term, we will field a superior program and won't have to worry that we play a harder schedule.  As long as we beat them it shouldn't matter.

OSU, Nebraska, Wisconsin and PSU have comparably difficult schedules which is good enough for me.

Brandon has said he doesn't want to play MSU in a night game. However, I do believe it will happen sooner or later though, maybe when it looks clear to him that we'd be heavy favorites to ensure they don't attempt to burn our city down after a win.

too many MSU fans come to town for that game. Ann Arbor fills to overflowing with many fans who come for the atmosphere not even going to the game. Tensions run high as Sparties start doing as Sparties do, which in the past has at the very least meant an end to half of Ann Arbor's jack-o-lantern population (they target anything M-related).

Suffice to say, moving that post-game atmosphere to the wee hours is asking for a riot. This is one of the most volatile and ill-behaved fanbases in the region--it would be flat-out stupid to give them a moon to howl at when the AA police dread their coming at noon.

Night games in the Big House are an unqualified success.  They need to happen every year regardless of who we have to schedule.  If it's Northwesten, then it's Northwestern.  That's much better than not having one.  We should always be able to schedule at least a Division opponent when we can't schedule a big rilvary opponent like ND.  We shoud be having one this year.

The really funny thing is that it is actually a trophy game, and what a perfect trophy given the fan bases

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Brass_Spittoon

Very good point.  The rich history of the MSU-IU rivalry includes (A) a game in 1987 to determine who went to the Rose Bowl (I still remember Coach Bill Mallory (then IU's coach) making a great speech to MSU after losing the game - see here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zctViBi6QQ ) and (B) ________________________.  Uhm, anyone able to help me with (B)?

Anyone?

The Old Oaken Gerbil

But didn't we WANT to play OSU every year? We can't have it both ways. Accept that we're playing a harder schedule than our divisional competition, or argue we shouldn't play OSU.

The game between Michigan and MSU will be much more decisive than the occassional Indiana/OSU mismatch.

It's not as if Michigan will lose to OSU every year and MSU will never play OSU.

I am glad someone said it.   

This is just getting back to putting Michigan and OSU in separate divisions. That way didn't cause permanent schedule inequality *and* let us play OSU 100% of the time. But FOX would pay more for the posibility of a M/OSU conference championship game, so it was no good.

OSU has been one of our protected games, for like, forever. And other teams like Wisconsin and MSU have rotated off of playing the Buckeyes. It's not new to the divisions. Before Penn State came along, MSU's was Michigan and...nobody. Somehow where we had to play Ohio every year when no one else did (till Penn State, later), we still have managed to do pretty well.  And don't forget, that means Ohio State has to play us every year too.  I have bigger problems with the "random" stuff always seeming to work against us. I don't mind MSU playing Indiana...they're supposed to. But why is OSU getting a virtual bye every week before us by playing them?  (Not to be confused with the actual bye PSU used to get).  This isn't new either...somehow Indiana rotated off our schedule twice before PSU did once after joining the Big Ten; but that's not supposed to happen.

If it was Iowa playing Indiana every year, no one would care. It's just because it's the Spartans. 

You don't mess with tradition. It's like a holiday.