OSU AD Smith in favor of abolishing B1G divisions "next week"
OSU AD Gene Smith held a press conference on the new B1G TV deal. At the end, he was asked whether or not he was in favor of scrapping divisions. He said that he was, and that the only holdups were (1) finalizing the TV deal so that the TV partners could weigh in on the best approach to structuring the 16-team league; and (2) figuring out what the tiebreakers would be.
Smith has long held outsized influence in the B1G; for example, after the addition of Maryland and Rutgers, it was Smith who schooled Dave Brandon by making Wisconsin Michigan's 6-year crossover opponent while OSU got to play a defenestrated Nebraska over that 6-year period...
Full interview below (courtesy 11W).
August 19th, 2022 at 11:45 AM ^
Smith also expressed skepticism that Notre Dame would ever join the B1G, saying that ND values its independence too much.
August 19th, 2022 at 11:52 AM ^
Let's see how much they value their independence when a share of the BIG deal is actually higher than their independent deals. I think that time has come.
August 19th, 2022 at 12:06 PM ^
If ND doesn’t join the teams in the big ten should freeze them out and make them play the scraps of the ACC for eternity on The ACC network.
August 19th, 2022 at 12:19 PM ^
That's those a-holes biggest fear - that they keep refusing to join a conference and eventually get locked out of things like the playoffs and also can't schedule some of their current main rivals. Eff em - can't stand those "holier than thou" scumbags
August 19th, 2022 at 11:51 AM ^
Fuck Gene Smith, but he has a valid point here. The divisions are as unequally aligned as anything ever has been. And with 16 teams - 20 coming soon - there is no reason to keep them and try to shoehorn USC and <other> into what they already have. It will be redone in some form to better incorporate USC and <other> next year, so why not just do it next week? Wouldn't change the schedule, but the B1G Championship game could be legit this year instead of just another East win.
BTW, Fuck ND, too. Let them enjoy their ACC payouts when all of their rivals (save Navy) are in the B1G within three years...
August 19th, 2022 at 12:32 PM ^
Gene Smith then looks down after his statement to peek at his plan for protected conference rivalries games....
Ohio St.: Michigan, Maryland, Indiana
Michigan: Ohio St, MSU, Penn St.
I don't trust this fucker as far as I could throw him in the Olentangy River.
August 19th, 2022 at 2:19 PM ^
The only thing to "trust" is that he will act in OSU's interest.
August 19th, 2022 at 12:33 PM ^
If balance is what you want...that's what Leaders/Legends was all about and we complained about it. Then the B1G scrapped balance in favor of geography, and we're complaining about it.
August 19th, 2022 at 12:44 PM ^
I think you might be forgetting what "we complained about."
First, the branding was terrible. They came out of the box with a wrapper that said "hot crap sandwich" and no matter what was inside people weren't having it. "Legends" and "Leaders" still cringe-worthy.
Second, it was the first attempt at divisions for a conference that had eshewed divisions forever, and further looked down at conferences like the ACC and SEC that had them. Also, it came with the "new" logo. A logo that now after 12 years I think most of us are fine with, but a decade ago people HATED. (Branding: see point 1)
Third, and a distant mile after the first two, the original divisions as they were unveiled didn't do enough to talk about things like "protected" rivalries and rotating schedules. Mostly, people didn't understand it, and Delaney was a piss poor delivery man.
The idea that there was some semblance of an attempt at power balance in the two divisions wasn't really on anyone's shit list, it was all the other things that happened as a result. And the fact that it appeared to be built in a box by a bunch of 80 year old men and a consulting firm.
August 19th, 2022 at 3:42 PM ^
He could have been presenting the new divisions by handing out free blow wrapped in $100 bills and people would have still turned away and said "No, thank you. Creep."
August 19th, 2022 at 12:34 PM ^
I think most Michigan, OSU, MSU and PSU fans kind of back Smith somewhat - right now the divisions makeup is ridiculous. Put UM in the West and they play in the B1G championship every year. Fact: every one of the past 8 B1G champions have come out of the East - plain and simple. If there has to be divisions, restructure them to be more equal
August 19th, 2022 at 12:39 PM ^
To be honest though it's mostly one team, put OSU in the West and nothing really changes. Even if Michigan MSU and PSU went to the west and OSU stayed in the East the East would still have all those championships.
August 19th, 2022 at 12:46 PM ^
"the East would still have all those championships"
42-27?
August 19th, 2022 at 12:49 PM ^
I kind of (somewhat) understand what you're saying but OSU has won 5 of the 8 B1G - not all of them - which means they are beatable. Yes, the road to the B1G usually goes through Columbus, but UM, MSU, and PSU have all won B1G championships since the division were started 8 years ago
August 19th, 2022 at 4:41 PM ^
But you’re sort of making his point for him. There would be no difference! The teams that win the East usually have to beat the Buckeyes to get to Indy anyway…so what is the big difference of putting one of them in the other division. The same outcome would still be reached. The 5 times they won the division, they would’ve done the same thing just at the B1G championship game.
August 19th, 2022 at 1:50 PM ^
I would assume Indiana, Rutgers, and Maryland are even more behind this idea.
It’s very tough for the top 4 in the East, it’s usually death to the season for the other 3.
August 19th, 2022 at 11:52 AM ^
Smith said he could think of 27 to 43 reasons why Divisions weren't working out for the conference.
August 19th, 2022 at 11:59 AM ^
Dude... You have to get the numbers correct to make this work.
August 19th, 2022 at 11:57 AM ^
I personally don't mind having divisions, as long as they are balanced. And its clear right now that the East and West divisions, compared to one another, are anything but balanced.
Really not a big fan of an 8-4 Northwestern team or a 9-3 Wisconsin team sludgefarting its way to Indianapolis because the rest of its divisional counterparts are just that bad. Even in years where you had undefeated Wisconsin or Iowa teams making the BTCG, you could tell their record was what it was because the rest of their division was a three month old moldy sack of poop, with no difficult crossovers. Or if they did draw one, that team was in a down year. The undefeated 2017 Wisconsin team's toughest game that year was Michigan. #24 Michigan, who they got to play at home, and were handed the win after Peters went down. Iowa's 2015 undefeated regular season had no MSU, UM, OSU, or PSU on the regular season schedule at all.
I know this really isn't possible because schedules are often made far in advance, but I'd love for there to be the opportunity to re-calibrate and re-align divisions every five years or so just to ensure that there is as much parity as possible.
August 19th, 2022 at 11:59 AM ^
Then Gene Smith and The A.D.s busted out a sweet cover of "For the Love of Money."
August 19th, 2022 at 12:24 PM ^
...so that the TV partners could weigh in on the best approach to structuring the 16-team league"Talk about the tail wagging the dog.
August 19th, 2022 at 12:36 PM ^
This the semi-jaw drop moment for me while reading the post. That the TV partners are having say for structuring the league is a bit unnerving.
August 19th, 2022 at 1:07 PM ^
If you're investing $7 billion into something you damn well better make sure you get a vote.
August 19th, 2022 at 4:44 PM ^
Yeah I would’ve been shocked if they didn’t have any pull in these decisions
August 19th, 2022 at 12:37 PM ^
Didn’t Gordon Gee, then President of OSU say something about the head football coach running things at that esteemed school?
it seems that Gene has adopted Gee’s mantra.
With the B1G being as large as it is, and with additions anticipated in the future - is there any thought being given to determine the conference champion?
The CFP Committee and it’s predecessor didn’t value conference championships - that is clear. So, what does the future have in store?
Maybe we should just stop playing any football games at all - forget the regular season and conference championships. Instead, let’s put together a real intelligent format - like a beauty contest, with a bit of NIL added to it - to determine which team should represent the B1G in the CFP. Maybe we start with the team talent ranking - using 247. Then add the NIL monies - to see which teams are really, really loved by their communities. Maybe a type of talent can be added too - it could be violin playing - with some vocals and improvisational dance. And, of course - a Q&A is a must - with dynamic questions which could impact our society for a generation.
Then again, just figure out what divisions should look like - and settle it on the field.
August 19th, 2022 at 12:49 PM ^
I’m guessing that he will get his way, because the B1G will placate those douches.
August 19th, 2022 at 12:55 PM ^
Ward Manuel is sharpening his pocket knife.
August 19th, 2022 at 2:33 PM ^
Why? So he can whittle on a stick while sitting meekly in the corner of the room? Lets face it, Warde is an above-average administrator of a large program. But he is not a force of will that has the character, gravity, or agency to lead a group of his peers.
August 19th, 2022 at 12:52 PM ^
I agree. Get rid of the divisions and have the two top conference teams play in the playoff.
August 19th, 2022 at 1:13 PM ^
This doesn't exactly solve the unbalanced schedule issue. Like someone said above, you could get a 2015-Iowa or a 2017-Wisconsin who is undefeated but their schedules consist of playing just a couple teams with winning records, all the conference bottom dwellers and missing 4 of the best teams in conference play. Mathematically they'd HAVE to go to the conference championship game but realistically, they could be the 5th best team in the conference.
August 20th, 2022 at 1:18 AM ^
True but the 2016 Michigan team was probably the best in the conference. A rematch with OSU on a neutral field in Indianapolis, we probably win that game. I'm not sure about 2018 or 2019.
August 19th, 2022 at 12:57 PM ^
I'd rather abolish these mega conferences! There is no way a 14, 16, 20 team conference can have any semblance of rational scheduling. There are 69 Power 5 schools. Pay 3 to leave (football only), have 6 conferences of 11 teams, play 10 conference games, have an 8 team playoff consisting of 6 conference winners and 2 wildcards.
August 19th, 2022 at 7:43 PM ^
It's logical and all. But it ain't happening. Too much work to do it. And I've noticed the suits at the top of college football are interested in making as much money as possible without the idea of work entering into the picture.
August 19th, 2022 at 1:07 PM ^
Will be interesting to see how they manage tie-breakers in a 16 team league that plays 9 games without any divisional set up.
Do they just defer to “top two ranked teams according to the playoff committee”? If so, that takes it entirely out of the league’s hands. But can also envision an attempt to use objective criteria leading to a significant number of times it will come down to “winning percentage of teams defeated in conference victory” or whatever, which become very arbitrary.
August 19th, 2022 at 3:33 PM ^
Pretty easy, the ACC figured it out. You have 3 protected rivals, and 6 games against half of the rest, that alternates each year. Michigan + 3 rivals + 6 conference games / 6 conference games against the other 6 teams = 16.
The major problem is that Michigan will have to have both OSU and MSU as protected rivals, meaning that its strength of schedule will be higher than that of other schools (unless OSU has to play a resurgent USC or PSU every year).
August 19th, 2022 at 2:24 PM ^
I'm in favor of abolishing gene & his employer, yesterday.
August 19th, 2022 at 3:21 PM ^
Honestly I'm OK with keeping it the way it is. You want to put the two CA schools in the west and give us Illinois to balance it out? Sounds good to me.
August 19th, 2022 at 3:34 PM ^
I believe the next most-eastern team is Purdue...
August 19th, 2022 at 4:24 PM ^
So he went from wanting to abolish outdoor games in the snow to abolishing divisions now?
August 19th, 2022 at 7:37 PM ^
So the 2 teams with the best record would play each other for the conference Championship? So Michigan and Ohio St would be playing each other 2 weeks in a row in a lot of years?
August 20th, 2022 at 1:22 AM ^
Yessiree! The way it should be. I'll take as many conference championship games as possible.