Probable realignment scenario per 97.1 WXYT

Right now, we haven't played Wisconsin since 2010, we won't play them again until 2015 so the discrepency you're talking about already exists. In the old Big 10, UW, Iowa and Minny regularly rotated off our schedule for two years at a time. The new alignment would replace Nebraska with Penn State, a wash in terms of perception (and would benefit us, b/c they're going to suck). 

The real benefit is that a realigned schedule no longer places Michigan at a competitive disadvantage within the division by locking us into a cross-division rivalry with the perenial power in the division opposite. This also restores the Game to its proper place as a regular eliminator for the conference championship. I too would like to play Iowa and Minny more than Rutgers and Maryland, but those are pretty low on the scale of importance. And I agree that upping the number of conference games is essential given this expansion.

There are enough tough teams in the conference; I would love to see Michigan get both of the new tomato cans on their schedule.  It would be even more fun if Sparty got thrown in the West; their fans would be so insulted that it would be a source of amusement for years to come.

You may be right.  But "tradition" changes.  Minnesota was a power up through the early 60's. State was a power in the 50's and 60's.  Wisconsin has been only for the last 20 years.  And while there are a handful of schools that it's hard to imagine them ever not being a power for any significant length of time, Penn State is probably no longer one of them.  The sanctions are a cataclysmic event that could easily result in them no longer being a traditional power.  Is it likely?  Maybe not, but it's certainly possible.  It's also possible that someone else rises up and becomes the new Wisconsin.  People in 1988 would think that Wisconsin was as likely to go to 6 Rose Bowls in the next 25 years as anyone today were to think that Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, or Minnesota is likely to go to 6 Big Ten Championship Games in the next 25 years.  Times change.  The right coaching hire at the right time can make all the difference in the world.  

Regardless, splitting up who people think are the current traditional powers does not assure divisional parity, just as the proposed East/West divisions does not assure a lack of parity.  

I'd take that bet. Wisconsin's now been good for 20 years. More importantly, Penn State's success this year, before the scholarship reductions take place, have given a false impression that Penn State's going to be able to whether these sanctions.

Look at what 10 scholarship reductions has started to do to USC, and that's a team that regularly recruits in the top 10 in a highly desireable place for young people to live. PSU's recruiting, during the current era, has averaged in the mid-30s. They're dealing with a reduction of twice as many scholarships as USC, and State College is a really tough sell for anyone not from Pennsylvania. Terrelle Pryor said a lot of innacurate things. That Penn State was "country" was not one of them. 

Even after the sanctions end, it's going to take them a few years to ramp up to a full team and they're going to be recruiting against the impression that Penn State's day has passed. Given their move to the Big 10, the big winner in this may be Rutgers and Maryland, who can sell Big 10 football and potential while remaining close to home to the elite players in NJ and Maryland that PSU has relied on.

I think the idea is to schedule only solid teams OOC instead of MAC teams, with Rutgers and Maryland being the worst teams on the schedule.

The point is, over time this will even itself out. Traditional powers may fall, but they also rise again. Teams like Kansas st, Colorado, etc. They come and they go, but "go" more often.