Caven

If you are asking do I believe everything out of Texas... No If you are asking if I think it is true that Texas/A&M/Bylor/Tech doesn't want Houston in, nor TCU, yes. It brings no new $$$, which they have proven is all they are focused on, and it hurts the recruiting of those already in (not really UT). I think Texas will predictably act, based on thinking of them as a business... Should it be that way, maybe not, but that is how I am convinced it mostly is. Don't believe that rhetoric. They are going to add two more teams, unless they get a special dispensation from the NCAA to hold a CCG with only ten teams. The CCG brings in something like $15 million every year - why would any conference willingly forgo that money? There is no way the Big 12-2 stays at 10 teams. If the conference lasts more than two years, there will be 12 teams, guaranteed. Total TV pool now (just an estimate to illustrate this point) $150MM. Share per team, $15MM With a title game and 2 more teams, TV Pool still $150MM with no new markets, $16MM for title game, total pool is $166M, $13.8MM per team. Adding even $16MM in revenue with no additional TV fund, means less money for all. I am not saying we won't go to 12 at some point, just I don't think a school like Houston that brings no viewers or new markets is who we bring if we do go to 12. I am curious how all this ends up, not sure how long the Big 12/10 looks like it's current self or even continues to exist... 16 million times 4 texas schools = 64 million for the state of Texas. 13.8 million times 6 Texas schools = 82.8 million for Texas schools. With the unequal revenue sharing that probably becomes over 100 million of the 166 million that the Big 12 would bring in going to Texas schools. Don't think for a second that the Big 12 won't add 2 more Texas schools in order to move more of the money to Texas.

It is a little crude but at least it has some information. If you find it helpful great! If not then ignore it One of my closest friends works for the Iowa City/Coralville convention and visitors bureau (and she is from Lincoln) and said to warn all of you that if Nebraska is in Iowa City in 2011 that they expect the hotels to fill up for that game early in the 2010 season. One thing I forgot to note on the map is that there is a hotel right at the Hawkeye Express train stop just south of HWY 6 by the mall. ETA: Sorry - Kinnick is right at the bottom of the center of the map by the B.

I am kind of hoping for an Iowa (at large BCS) vs. Nebraska (Big 12 champion but not MNC) Fiesta Bowl to get things started off right.

I don't even think most Iowa fans claim it except when we are arguing with the Clowns.

Wait - you are making all of us here Iowa folk move out of our trailer parks? That's not nice!

$%^&*&^%^&* Northwestern taking out the Manzi.

I will be shocked if they break up Iowa/Minnesota/Wisconsin. That is the only self contained grouping of protected rivalries in the existing Big 10 schedule. Swap Wisconsin and Minnesota for Indiana and Purdue and you probably have a much better chance of being correct.

It they went that route then Nebraska would more than likely end up with Ohio State as all of Ohio State's current big games are with teams already in the east. Minnesota would get Michigan as they have a big trophy game that they would love to get back on a yearly basis. Given what has happened over the past decade Iowa would more than likely get Penn State and the Illinois and Indiana schools are paired up. There is a possibility that Iowa gets Indiana due to some long ago history and Wisconsin gets Penn State but with 1 cross divisional rivalry I just don't see Nebraska getting Penn State like they want simply because of Ohio State not having anything much going on with the other western schools.

Be careful using the terms one full second around here...

I would have OSU as the only 5 star team right now given that they have owned the conference this decade with Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin all very closely grouped as 4 stars right behind them. Nebraska and Penn State both have current goodness combined with historical power but if we are basing things on historical power then Michigan would have to be up there as well. Iowa has been ahead of Nebraska for 6 or 7 of the last 10 years in the rankings (which unfortunately is the only way we have had to compare) and has beaten PSU 7 of the last 8 so I guess I don't get all the Iowa bashing.

Delaney already said that geography will be a lesser concern than balance of power and maintaining rivalries. Penn State is in the position that it has to fly to everything already anyway and all of their rivalries were manufactured. They have developed a pretty good one with Iowa over the past decade and would be a natural one with Nebraska. All of that is why Penn State might end up in the western division even though they are the eastern most school - at least for the 2 years until we actually add some Big East teams.

Well given that these divisions are probably only going to be active for 2 years basing it on current power isn't a bad thing.

I firmly believe that we will have 2 years of conference play with only Nebraska added (2011 and 2012 seasons) due to the 25 month notification window that the Big East has. The final moves don't need to be announced until June 1 of next year for play starting in the 2013 season.

The following is how Jon Miller from HawkeyeNation sees the divisions breaking down. See link for reasoning and analysis. DIVISION A Michigan Ohio State Michigan State Indiana Purdue Illinois DIVISION B Penn State Nebraska Iowa Minnesota Wisconsin Northwestern http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/football/11421-miller-big-ten-divisional-alignment-prediction.html

Keep in mind, the Big 10 likely isn't done adding teams. Any Big East team would start play in 2013 so I would suspect that we will have 2011 and 2012 with 12 teams and then starting in 2013 we will go to some type of pod system with either 14 or 16 teams. If that is correct then we don't have to worry about things becoming permanent for those first 2 years so you will very possibly see something screwy in order to maximize the big matchups such as the East/West given above but with cross divisional games between Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin vs. Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State. Not something you would want to do on an ongoing basis - but for a limited 2 year run it would certainly give the biggest matchups on a weekly basis.

At least the Big 10 OOC schedule won't be able to stay the same. Since we had an odd number of teams we all had OOC games scattered throughout the conference schedule. Those will now either need to be moved or bought out. We might have to put up with a few more directional U games to fill in holes for the first year or two - or maybe work something out with some of the new Pac 10 schools that might have the same problem for a home and home those first couple of years

A good point was made by Jon Miller over on HawkeyeNation: "Nebraska seems to be a pretty solid stylistic and cultural fit for this league, too. It will be fun playing them each year in football, but give this a thought; the league is welcoming in a team that has one of the ten best bowl traveling reputations in all of college football. So does Iowa, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State. But this means that Nebraska is a new face that will be seen as very attractive by the Capital One and Outback Bowls, because they haven’t been there and they travel well. For the next five or so years, the Huskers are going to ‘win’ many of these bowl coin flips." Iowa has benefited from that many times so I suppose we can't complain if it bites us a few times. Of course that will only apply in years that Nebraska doesn't win the division (yeah yeah - many here will say that NE will always win the division...) http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/football/11323-miller-expansion-here-iowa-ready.html

That was the first thing I told my in-laws and friends that have always tried to get me to cheer for the Huskers - at least now I will be cheering for the Huskers at lesat 5 games a year. Will probably end up being more because if they are in our division like I expect I will also have to cheer for them in all cross division games as well so we can prove that our division is the best

Someone already has a nice logo made up... B16 Ten!

Because Texas' administration actually cares about academics. The SEC does not. This is the one and only reason that Texas won't consider the SEC. If it weren't for the academics, the SEC would be a perfect fit for Texas including the fact that one of their oldest rivals is now in that conference.

Fair enough. I do think it will be fun, too bad Hayden Fry and Co. told Devaney no in the 80s or we would have a series already. IIRC he approached Iowa for a on-going series and they declined. As you can imagine they tell that story a little differently around here, at least from what I remember. Regardless thats water under the bridge, or over the damn, or whereever the hell the water goes. All I know I'm looking forward to travelling to Lincoln with 20k of my best friends every other year or so. Guys, quick note, and not trying to be a dick here but...I don't know where or how in the heIl you plan on getting that many tickets at Memorial Stadium but go ahead and try. Since the games are all already sold out except for the 4,000 given to visitors. I plan on getting my tickets by walking into my father in laws house and grabbing them on the way to the game

Been reading it all on both boards - but due to an outbreak of stupid chest beating on both boards I have just been lurking so as to not say something that I will be sorry to have committed to writing. I figure it will all calm down soon and the people that are just showing up to spout off but don't actually participate will be gone. I am working up a full map showing parking, tailgating and places of note in the Iowa City area to post once this is all actually official. Don't want to jinx things at the last minute

In the Deed has it correct - Hayden turned it down. However Callaclown returned the favor when both schools had an open date earlier this decade when Missouri backed out on us. That was when we were coming off of one of our best runs in school history and he was trying desperately to salvage his job with an 8 home game slate against patsies.

Seems pretty spot on other than I would disagree with your statement about Kinnick

http://www.hawkeyenation.com/ is the free Hawkeye one. Of course since it is free there are a lot of...colorful...people on there. Jon (the guy who runs it) runs a sports talk radio show in Des Moines and has some good connections to go along with the typical free board fan stuff.