"The Game" in October?
CBS Sports Gary Danielson was just talking to WFAN's(NY sports) Mike Francessa. He said that he has talked to people in the Big 10 without being specific as to who. He said that they plan on moving Michigan-Ohio to the middle of the season (October). He didn't say when this will happen. The reason being they don't want to ever see them play in back to back weeks should both teams go to the new championship game. He said the Big 10 didn't want to hit Michigan and Ohio fans all at once with the changes in the conference and that's why they're delaying a little in doing this.
December 9th, 2011 at 6:10 PM ^
December 9th, 2011 at 5:28 PM ^
If "The Game" gets moved to mid-October, it will always be referred to as "The Other Game."
December 9th, 2011 at 5:52 PM ^
December 9th, 2011 at 5:53 PM ^
I'll believe it when I see it. If it does happen, though, I would bet it would be 2017 with the 9-game schedule so that they can try to use that as the excuse for why it needs to be that way.
December 9th, 2011 at 6:08 PM ^
In the new B1G, there are three circumstances under which The game is played:
Neither can get in - this was the circumstance this year and The Game still means The Game.
Either can get in - this could make the game even better.
Both are in - this is no good. Could there ever be a circumstance where The Game doesn't matter? This is it. They are both already certain to play for the mythical B1G chamionship in a week, why bother playing the first version and risking injury?
Also, I don't really care when we play Ohio, just as long as we BEAT OHIO.
December 9th, 2011 at 6:14 PM ^
In your third scenario, if one or both are have a shot at the national chapmionship The Game means something. Still, this is why we should be in the same division,
December 9th, 2011 at 7:59 PM ^
I'll know your a fine young man, but I have ZERO TOLERANCE for people who say they don't care when the game is played. Weren't you paying attention to the hold your breathe atmosphere created by the timing of the game two weeks ago. If that game is played in early October, it basically does become another game because you can't focus everything you have on that game because we have 6 more weeks of games to get ready for.
December 9th, 2011 at 6:29 PM ^
Jim Delany is a real ass so anything's possible. I hate the Leaders and Legends and Michigan and Ohio should be in the same division. We need to add ND and Pitt or Kansas(basketball) and redo the divisions with better names, like directions.
I heard a guy today on the radio say there will be four super conferences and the winner of each conference will be in a plus-1 playoff scenario and all the bowls can still exist.
I think the BCS is goung to die soon becuasuse they f-ed this year up so badly.
By the way Gary D also said the spread is dead several years ago and the PAC-12 has at least five teams that will run it. Danielson took too many head shots while playing for the Lions.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:40 PM ^
If we're lucky. Everybody knows that MSU has been pushing to move the Michigan-Sparty game to the last week of the season for 30 years now. Perles talked about it every year, insisting that they were our biggest rival.
December 9th, 2011 at 6:33 PM ^
First off, No. Secondly, No. and Finally, Fuck that noise. Can we sit Dave Brandon down and force him to watch "The Rivalry". Any normal person would not consider moving the game after watching it.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:25 PM ^
He doesn't need to watch anything. He played in the rivalry.
December 9th, 2011 at 6:42 PM ^
This is heresy.
December 9th, 2011 at 6:47 PM ^
How's this for balance?
Leaders: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois.
Legends: Michigan State, Iowa, Penn State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Northwestern.
December 9th, 2011 at 6:59 PM ^
For Balance? Pretty terrible. If you wanna keep it balanced, just swap out ohio and nebraska.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:05 PM ^
The Big Ten is blessed with a natural competitive East - West split. Why fuck around? Just take yes for an answer.
East: Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, MSU, Purdue, Indiana
West: Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, NW, Minn
December 9th, 2011 at 11:52 PM ^
No, I agree that it's terrible. I think the real issue that the B1G is having with putting us in the same division is that, historically speaking, we have been the two most dominant programs in the conference. If they were to rearrange the split in a way that puts us in the same division, my bet would be that they lump us with four teams with far less impressive histories and put the rest of the "annual powers" into the other division.
December 9th, 2011 at 6:54 PM ^
The part about not wanting to hit UM and OSU fans with changes all at once? Were they opposed to adding Nebraska and a championship game? There's no way waiting is going to make that change less objectionable.
When UM does (beat) OSU two straight weeks, that change might get proposed. But honestly, who really cared whether there were a few weeks between this year's rematch?
December 9th, 2011 at 7:19 PM ^
I believe this will happen. UM-OSU was the only crossover game during the last week of the season. The B1G is going to want all intra division games the last week of the season to enhance the chances and therefore suspense of who may play in the Championship game the next week. It sucks, but I think it is just inevitbale.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:06 PM ^
Then put us in the same division as Ohio. You'll have all the suspense and intensity you want.
December 9th, 2011 at 11:44 PM ^
Illinois played Minnesota on Nov. 26. Wasn't going to be deciding anything after Zook's epic failure and Minnesota being Minnesota, but there's that. Penultimate weekend had Iowa vs. Purdue and MSU vs. Indiana.
In 2012, the final weekend includes two that are both rivarly games, albeit of different degrees:
- Michigan at osu
- Illinois at Northwestern
And the weekend before has everyone staying in division. For the course of the conference season in 2012, the number of inter-division games each week is: 3, 4, 1, 2, 2, 1, 3, 0, 2 (18 total games, 36 total opponents, 12 teams times 3 inter-division games).
Not sure the tea leaves prove anything.
December 10th, 2011 at 8:21 AM ^
Ah, thats right. I guess if one team played a crossover, that would entail needing a 2nd crossover game as well, my bad. I ws doing the thinking in my head and remembered UNL vs Iowa, MSU vs NW, and totally forgot about Minnesota.
December 9th, 2011 at 7:55 PM ^
Gary Danielson can suck it.. He's full of shit. MAN, I can't stand that guy. What a traiterous tool.
December 9th, 2011 at 8:04 PM ^
Proposal:
East Division:
- Michigan
- MSU
- OSU
- Purdue
- Indiana
- Penn State
West Division:
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Illinois
- Northwestern
Schedule the out of division games in Oct, and the division games in Nov.
Rotate the championship game sites between the East and the West winners.
December 9th, 2011 at 8:11 PM ^
Need to move penn state and give us a snacky-cake like minnesota.
December 9th, 2011 at 8:25 PM ^
The Sandusky scandal will leave PSU in ashes for the near future. Plus, Jerry Kill will fix Minny if his health allows him to.
December 9th, 2011 at 8:07 PM ^
The Game should be the last game of the regular season. Period.
If the Big Ten++ wants an intradivision game, then tOSU should be in our division.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:07 PM ^
Over my dead body.
December 10th, 2011 at 6:35 AM ^
You say that as if you have ANY authority on the matter. Blowhard.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:32 PM ^
Gary Danielson is a self-serving blow hard. That is all.
December 10th, 2011 at 3:12 AM ^
If you really think about it, if that happened, it would pretty much signify the conference wants Michigan and Ohio would to play annually in the Big Ten Championship game.
It's not such a bad deal, we play them in the middle of October and can have Sparty as our last conference play game.
Gotta remember that this "news" is coming from the guy who said the spread is dead. He's a fool.
December 10th, 2011 at 10:01 AM ^
