Big 10 to play nine league games in 2017

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http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/126768683.html


By Jeff Potrykus of the Journal Sentinel

Updated: Aug. 4, 2011 10:35 a.m.

Madison - The Big Ten Conference announced Thursday its football teams will move to a nine-game league schedule beginning with the 2017 season.

Three teams each from the Legends Division and Leaders Division will feature five conference home games during odd-numbered years, while the other three schools from each division will host five conference contests during even-numbered years.

The 2017 schedule will include five conference home outings for Iowa, Michigan State and Nebraska from the Legends Division and Illinois, Indiana and Ohio State from the Leaders Division.

The 2018 schedule will feature five Big Ten home games for Michigan, Minnesota and Northwestern of the Legends Division and Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin of the Leaders Division.

UW coach Bret Bielema acknowledged during the recent league preseason meetings he hoped to remain at eight games.

"The SEC still plays eight conference games," he said of the Southeastern Conference, which has won the last five Bowl Championship Series titles. "For us to jump to nine…there is a reason the SEC is always in these conversations."

That reason, according to Bielema, is that by playing an additional league game the odds increase that the best team in the league could suffer a loss. That loss could keep a team out of the BCS title game or a BCS bowl game altogether.

Bielema would like to see Big Ten teams play league games earlier in the season, even the season opener.

"You can have a showcase game every week," he said.

SEC teams play league games early in the season, in the middle of their non-league schedule. That allows them to play a lesser, non-league opponent late in the season. That strategy, Bielema says, allows SEC teams to ease the strain on their players late in the season.

Bielema noted that UW desperately needed a bye week last season after playing Ohio State and Iowa in consecutive weeks.

However, the reconfigured Big 12, which has 10 teams, and the new Pacific 12, which has two divisions and 12 teams, both are set to play nine-game schedules.

UW athletic director Barry Alvarez was in favor of the move to nine league games and hoped a second protected rivalry game could be added. UW's protected rival is Minnesota, which is in the Legends Division.

However, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany told ESPN.com during the preseason meetings a second protected rivalry game was unlikely.

Big Ten teams last played a full nine-game conference schedule in 1984 (as well as '83). Eight of the league's 10 teams played nine-game schedules during the 1981 and '82 seasons. Two of the 10 teams played nine-game schedules from 1971-'72 and 1977-'80.

[vinsanity]

That reason, according to Bielema, is that by playing an additional league game the odds increase that the best team in the league could suffer a loss. That loss could keep a team out of the BCS title game or a BCS bowl game altogether.

Besides that I think more conference games will help recruiting because of more big time matchups, and I live in Big Ten Country and Boiler the [expletive] up every chance I get. I like Bielema and what he and BA have done up there, maybe the Big Ten should worry about being able to win the games they make rather than [expletive] about missing them?

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I agree Wisconsin could have won the Rose Bowl with fewer dropped passes and a little more running.

Someone said in a comment, Purdue will never have a road non conference game outside Indiana when this schedule begins.

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Why are they doing 9? Seems pretty east to figure out if you do 5 division games and 3 conference games that's the norm and plenty of games.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Why are they doing 9? Seems pretty east to figure out if you do 5 division games and 3 conference games that's the norm and plenty of games.

Because not so coincidentally, this starts when their primary TV rights expire, and an extra conference game instead of the Big 10/MAC challenge in week 3 is gonna be worth a lot more cash.

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I guess they think it will increase revenue by having fewer non conference road games. They will still play Appalachian State types at home but not as many Oregon States on the road.