The news of possible Big Ten expansion with the addition of UCLA and USC brings up new questions regarding the Big Ten's options for realignment and scheduling. There had been rumors the Big Ten was considering a 3-5-5 option similar to what the ACC recently announced. Other options include simply rearranging the divisions for competitive balance, similar to the initial Leaders and Legends.
READ: Sources say UCLA and USC eyeing move to Big Ten
Bringing the conference to 16 teams creates new opportunities and issues regarding the balance of the conferences. Some suggested that the Big Ten would move back to scheduling eight conference games with other cross-conference games against power fives teams added to the schedule.
Wondering what this news today means for the handshake alliance between the conferences?
I have created three potential options based on sources, logic, and what makes the Big Ten the most money.
Simple Division Realignment
This division alignment is one a source said is being heavily considered and seems the most likely. It is the easiest solution as the two new teams, UCLA and USC, join the West while Purdue moves to the East. It creates a perfect geographic balance and preserves the rivalry between Purdue and Indiana. On paper, this alignment would also appear to bring competitive balance to the conference.
In terms of scheduling, you would imagine the Big Ten would preserve the nine-game schedule. Seven games in the division, two cross-over games that rotate every four years. The nine-game schedule makes the most sense in many ways, except maybe for that new massive TV deal the Big Ten is getting. I am sure Fox will angle for as many USC/UCLA vs. Michigan/Ohio State/MSU/PSU games as possible.
4 Team Pods Based on Geography
The rumored format the SEC will be utilizing with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma is Pods. Pods would essentially create four divisions of four teams, allowing the conference to protect regionality and rivalries while having more rotation among other groups. So while in the two-division of eight teams format, Michigan would only play USC once every four years but play Rutgers each season, pods would allow for Michigan to play more both teams every two or three years.
In this format, I chose to use geography to divide the pods. This format creates balance in each pod as well as preserves significant rivalries. The glaring issue is Michigan and Ohio State are in different pods, and there's no way The Game isn't happening annually. So with geographic pods, there would likely be protected cross-overs between the pods that each program still plays each year.
4 Team Pods Based on Rivalry
This one makes the least sense for competitive balance but makes the most sense for TV ratings. The Big Ten would have room to work with the cross-over games, what is protected and what is not, to create a more balanced schedule, but this guarantees the biggest matchups every season.
In this realignment, the best of the east are stuck together in one pod. Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Penn State. Fans of these programs would likely cry foul at playing the historically toughest teams each year, while another pod consists of Indiana, Maryland, Purdue, and Rutgers. USC and UCLA continue to be in the same pod with Iowa and Nebraska, both big annual rivalry games, while Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Northwestern round it out.
Again fairness is out the window with this one, but with the kind of money Fox is throwing around for the broadcast rights to the conference they will definitely putting a finger on a realignment that guarantees the biggest games are played every year.
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