Divisional Balance in 2017
The SEC's overall record in bowl games thus far, as well as an interesting Bud Elliott tweet regarding the ACC's likely losses at QB next season, got me thinking about how the B1G will look next season, and specifically the balance between the two divisions.
Now the East was obviously stronger this season, and should be going forward, but next year could just an abomination. Wisconsin, a team that was clearly the west's best this year, but also clearly a step below the best three teams in the East. They seem to be the favorite to land ND transfer Malik Zaire as a fifth year transfer at this point, and even if they didn't would have the returning Alex Hornibrook. However, they will lose their top two running backs as well as a number of good specialists and potentially its best lineman.
But the teams below them all lose long term starters and don't have obvious replacements. Nebraska loses Tommy Armstrong, but probably has the best options, with a pretty highly regarded redshirt freshman competing with a transfer from Tulane who left because he wasn't a fit for the Willie Fritz offense. Iowa loses C.J. Beathard and Minnesota loses Mitch Leidner, and Illinois loses its primary starter, Wes Lunt. The best returning starter in the B1G west will almost certainly be David Blaugh.
Meanwhile, barring a major mistake by JT Barrett, the East will return primary starters at six schools (the only one losing its QB will be Maryland). If we thought their was inbalance before, next year really will take it to a new level, and I'm concerned the conference as a whole will be hamstrung by it. What do you all think?
December 30th, 2016 at 2:26 PM ^
It is what it is. The geographical format keeps pretty much all the rivalries contained within divisions (IU-PU have a protected game).
From our standpoint this is better than the Leaders/Legends setup, where we had a guaranteed crossover against OSU while other teams' crossovers were against Illinois and such.
December 30th, 2016 at 2:31 PM ^
Is that M and OSU are the big 2; the next tier consists of Wiscy, PSU, MSU, Iowa, and Nebraska; and in the occasional year Northwestern and/or Minnesota show up. The rest are irrelevant.
I think we are reverting back to the natural order. Next year will be a futher step in that direction.
December 30th, 2016 at 2:49 PM ^
MSU was 3-9, and has completely whiffed in the recruiting game. Post Narduzzi, their defensive development has disappeared. They are quickly becoming irrelevant as it should be.
December 30th, 2016 at 2:36 PM ^
December 30th, 2016 at 2:38 PM ^
I would say if they had better options, they'd have played. Maybe there will be a breakout guy, but Leidner, despite his many limitations, won a lot of games for a Minnesota QB.
December 30th, 2016 at 2:47 PM ^
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December 30th, 2016 at 3:04 PM ^
to some extent disagree. While they promoted Claeys from an assitant to head coach, in a surprising move Claeys axed a lot of the other assistants and brought in a new staff.
December 30th, 2016 at 3:06 PM ^
December 30th, 2016 at 3:26 PM ^
And have the starter who finished the season returning.
December 30th, 2016 at 3:26 PM ^
"Division balance" is so greatly forged by the incredibly *unbalanced* schedules. Even shitty Minnesota was in the running for division, having not played UM or Ohio and, of course, Pedo got to skip Wisconsin and only 4 road games
Look for this to again determine at least one of the teams in the "CCG"
December 30th, 2016 at 3:27 PM ^
I think the Big 10 should scrap divisions altogether. Every team has maybe three protected rivalry games, and cycles through everyone else. The championship game matches up the top two teams, period.
No worry about geographical imbalance, no worry about the 4th or 5th best team getting into the title game, no worry about not playing a conference opponent for six years at a time.
December 30th, 2016 at 4:13 PM ^
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December 30th, 2016 at 3:41 PM ^
Don't get me wrong, I would prefer to having a Starting QB returning, but just because a team doesn't have a returning qb doesn't mean they are going to be bad or the divisions would be "unbalanced". This year 5 of the top 9 teams in the final college football playoff rankings didn't have a returning starting qb. Again most teams would prefer to have a starting QB returning, but sometime it can actually be a good or neutral thing for a team.
December 30th, 2016 at 4:08 PM ^
I mean yeah next year might not be great but I wouldn't call it an abomination yet...
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December 30th, 2016 at 5:31 PM ^
Unless you are a national brand like Notre Dame and can recruit nationally the west division will always have trouble competing with the east in the modern era. The internet, recruiting websites, etc. has only made the rich richer and made it even harder for schools from less talent-rich states to keep the few stars they have. Iowa, Nebraska, Wiscy, etc. just don't have a lot of talent and so far these schools haven't done a great job at recruiting 4 and 5-star talent from outside of their home states. Assuming that trend continues and UM, OSU, ND, and PSU continue to recruit well, there just isn't enough talent to go around.
December 30th, 2016 at 4:23 PM ^
Expand to 16. He grabs Oklahoma and Kansas, puts them in the west, pushes Purdue to the east (where they belong), and blows up the Big-12 in the process. Rough parity achieved between our two divisions ... kinda sorta.
Then all the conferences get together and approve an 8-team playoff; and renegiate their broadcast rights. When the dust settles, B1G is the #1 conference in both football and hoops. Then Delaney retires, claiming world domination. Unfortunately this scenario still leaves us with Rutgers.
December 30th, 2016 at 4:29 PM ^
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December 30th, 2016 at 4:57 PM ^
if we haven't unassed penn state and replaced them with Pitt, WVU or ND.
psu's alumni keep electing joepa defending assholes as trustees (like our regents, sort of)
December 30th, 2016 at 6:45 PM ^
No thanks on Kansas.
December 30th, 2016 at 4:34 PM ^
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December 30th, 2016 at 4:36 PM ^
You want to go back to Dave Brandon's and Jim Delany's "Competitive Balance"??
Leaders and Legends 2.0??
That's a total fool's errand.
We are better off with the set up we have now. It ain't broke.
If MSU wants to flee to the West in exchange for Purdue, I could live with that. But don't expect a crossover game with us every single year, MSU. We'll get to you when we get to you.
December 30th, 2016 at 5:40 PM ^
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December 30th, 2016 at 4:37 PM ^
Divisions are the dumbest thing ever to happen to college football. And that's saying something.
December 30th, 2016 at 4:49 PM ^
December 30th, 2016 at 5:38 PM ^
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December 30th, 2016 at 6:41 PM ^
December 30th, 2016 at 5:10 PM ^
Right, WD?
December 30th, 2016 at 5:37 PM ^
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December 30th, 2016 at 6:39 PM ^
December 30th, 2016 at 7:20 PM ^