Consolation Prize: Hosting Nebraska's Big Ten debut

by Adam Hoge on Sep 1, 2010 8:21 PM CDT in Wisconsin Badgers Football

So the divisions came out exactly as was reported earlier today:

Division 1: Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa and Northwestern.

Division 2: Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Purdue, Indiana and Illinois.

I wrote about my not so happy thoughts on the divisions earlier, so now we turn our attention to the 2011 and 2012 Big Ten schedules which were also released Wednesday:

2011
10/1 - Nebraska
10/15 - Indiana
10/22 - at Michigan State
10/29 - at Ohio State
11/5 - Purdue
11/12 - at Minnesota
11/19 - at Illinois
11/26 - Penn State

Consider it a consolation prize for having Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska placed in the other division, but Wisconsin will get to host Nebraska in its Big Ten debut. It makes a lot of sense with Barry Alvarez's ties to the university and his work in getting the Cornhuskers into the Big Ten.

But now we get to the bad part: Iowa is missing from the schedule. The Hawkeyes are gone for at least two years. Also missing are Michigan and Northwestern.

There could be one change to the schedule. Wisconsin and Illinois had already moved their 2011 game to December. Now it is listed for Nov. 19. I'm not sure why it couldn't stay in December, but maybe they will move it back. (Update: Pretty big brain fart there. Obviously it can't be in December because that's when the conference championship game will be played. Duh.)

2012
9/29 - at Nebraska
10/6 - Illinois
10/13 - at Purdue
10/20 - Minnesota
10/27 - Michigan State
11/10 - at Indiana
11/17 - Ohio State
11/24 - at Penn State

This schedule doesn't do Wisconsin any favors. Going to Nebraska won't be easy and we all know how the Badgers usually fare at Penn State. Finishing with Ohio State and Penn State is brutal.

Once again, Iowa, Michigan and Northwestern are off the schedule.

So I ask you, what are your impressions on the schedule and immediate reaction to divisions?

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If they go coast to coast, there's no way this team is NOT making the National Title game.

Not with this schedule. Getting Ohio State in back-to-back home games has to SUCK for Terrelle Pryor. Of course, it evens the travesty known as giving Ohio State back to back home games in 04 and 07 (no, not back to back, but still ridiculous scheduling, plain and simple).

The various schools of the Big Ten should let Ohio State and Michigan know in no uncertain terms that dissent will NOT be tolerated.
"Because one of the great minds of the 21st century is raising glow-in-the-dark fish and weaving serapes..." -Leonard Hofstadter from The Big Bang Theory
I give the new Big Ten divisions a 0 and a huge EPIC FAIL sticker.

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Sep 1, 2010 8:39 PM CDT reply actions

So the Big Ten flunked math and now flunks geography

It is getting harder to rest on our academics with stupid alignments like this. An east/west split would have retained more rivalries and been balanced. I don’t know who was behind this arrangement (consultant, AD(s), President(s), Delany), but it is a mistake, IMO, that we will live with until the next expansion or contraction. You guys got the worst of it losing easy travel schools and rivalry games. Just my 2 cents and you have my sympathy, but not the night we play.

by Crabapple Buck on Sep 1, 2010 9:26 PM CDT reply actions

Can't be December

That’s when the Fighting Zooks are planning on playing in the Big Ten Championship game.

"Bama Hawkeye, you know, the Iowa blogger who actually uses reason and analysis." - Hawkeye State

"Off Tackle Empire":http://www.offtackleempire.com

by Bama Hawkeye on Sep 1, 2010 9:26 PM CDT reply actions

Good point.

I’m so caught up in what’s wrong with these divisions that I forgot about what’s great about having two divisions: the conference championship game.

Bucky's 5th Quarter. SB Nation's Wisconsin Badgers community.

by Adam Hoge on Sep 2, 2010 1:52 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions

I think the divisional split seems pretty even.

It does seem like Wisconsin got kind of shafted by having to go east. It also provides you some good opportunities. Its a given that they would split the 4 big historical programs, which meant they then had to split Iowa and Wisconsin or 1 side would be way too stacked. I wouldn’t be surprised if when we go to 9 games we get another cross division protected rival and Iowa-Wisconsin meet again each year.

Everyone had to give a little. We are currently paired with Purdue as our cross division rival in the “last 2 teams left” black and gold battle.

by HawkeyeRecon on Sep 1, 2010 10:00 PM CDT reply actions

Have fun with that.

At least you don’t have to play Indiana any time soon. How come THEY couldn’t be the protected rival?

My hatred of Michigan knows no bounds. Even more so after this travesty.
September 1st, 2010. A day that shall live in infamy.
"Because one of the great minds of the 21st century is raising glow-in-the-dark fish and weaving serapes..." -Leonard Hofstadter from The Big Bang Theory

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Sep 2, 2010 1:01 AM CDT up reply actions

Sucks

That Iowa won’t be able to play Wisconsin for the first time since 1937 or something. Hopefully we’ll be able to get you guys back as a protected rivalry in the future (though Wisky might be interested in picking up Nebraska).

by edr247 on Sep 2, 2010 10:50 AM CDT reply actions

First time since 1993-94, actually...

The ridiculous Hayden Fry streak would have kept Wisconsin out of the 94 Rose Bowl.

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Sep 2, 2010 12:48 PM CDT up reply actions

Schedule

This is Nebraska’s schedule for 2012
Sat, Sep 10 Fresno State Memorial Stadium
Sat, Sep 17 Washington Memorial Stadium
Sat, Sep 24 Wyoming at Laramie, Wyo.
Sat, Oct 01 Wisconsin * at Madison, Wis.
Sat, Oct 08 Ohio State * Memorial Stadium
Sat, Oct 22 Minnesota * at Minneapolis, Minn.
Sat, Oct 29 Michigan State * Memorial Stadium
Sat, Nov 05 Northwestern * Memorial Stadium
Sat, Nov 12 Penn State * at University Park, Pa.
Sat, Nov 19 Michigan * at Ann Arbor, Mich.
Sat, Nov 26 Iowa * Memorial Stadium

For 2013

Sat, Sep 01 Southern Miss Memorial Stadium TBA
Sat, Sep 08 UCLA at Pasadena, Calif.
Sat, Sep 29 Wisconsin * Memorial Stadium
Sat, Oct 06 Ohio State * at Columbus, Ohio
Sat, Oct 20 Northwestern * at Evanston, Ill.
Sat, Oct 27 Michigan * Memorial Stadium
Sat, Nov 03 Michigan State * at East Lansing, Mich.
Sat, Nov 10 Penn State * Memorial Stadium
Sat, Nov 17 Minnesota * Memorial Stadium
Sat, Nov 24 Iowa * at Iowa City, Iowa

by dennis4827 on Sep 2, 2010 1:07 PM CDT reply actions

Just eleven games?

Get Missouri on the schedule for September 15, 2013…

Oh no, don't tell me Matt Barkley ALSO doesn't tie his shoes...
September 1st, 2010. A day that shall live in infamy.
"Because one of the great minds of the 21st century is raising glow-in-the-dark fish and weaving serapes..." -Leonard Hofstadter from The Big Bang Theory

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Sep 3, 2010 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions

Glad OSU in same division as UW with new BigTen divisions

To have a shot at even geting to the the Big Ten championship, Bucky will have to step up and compete consistently at the level of OSU. That’s good. Plus, living in Columbus the past 10 yrs, it’ll be nice to romp on the Buckeyes every year instead of taking 2 off.

by Craig Hohnberger on Sep 4, 2010 9:13 AM CDT reply actions

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