B1G Returning to Eight Conference Games per Year?
- Thread starter Mavric
- Start date
This is more about maintaining a competitive balance vs. avoiding the powerful teams in the conference. Using @Saunders' example, it's a bit ridiculous that Nebraska will have played tOSU six times by 2019 (since joining the B1G) and a school like Iowa has only had to play them twice. It's a tad asinine and creates 'simpler' paths to title games.
Now, to be the Devil's attorney for a moment, I actually agree with your last sentiment. I want to play the best teams because that's the only way NU is going to get better. Case in point, I believe one of the unsung reasons '95 Nebraska was so good was because their competition was so good. We all know how well many of NU's opponents performed that year. I think the schedule demanded elite performances nearly every week and it helped keep the team focused.
ScottyIce
Banned
Someone just stated that Iowa has played Penn State 6 times while we have played them only twice... so it evens out.
StPaulHusker
Banned
There's a big difference between tOSU and PSU this decade. And just because it's happening to someone else doesn't mean it's OK or that it shouldn't be evaluated.
As I said, however, I actually prefer the gauntlet schedule because I think it's going to make us better in the end. You don't improve by playing below your abilities.
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Saunders
Heisman Trophy Winner
It also matters how it's spread out. From 2011 - 2019, Nebraska will have played the top OSU, UM, PSU, and MSU 20 times. Iowa will have played them 15 times, including two seasons where they played none of them. After the divisional rebalance, it's 10 times for Nebraska, 7 for Iowa, including two years of not playing the top 4.
ScottyIce
Banned
So are we really basing all of this off of Iowa? And Iowa has been in the conference championship game once? Maybe we should look at Wisconsin’s cross over opponents and schedule make up. I’m not afraid to play a tougher schedule than Iowa, sounds like some of us are starting the excuse train already.
Saunders
Heisman Trophy Winner
We've been paired together with Iowa in the same divisions since 2011, not Wisconsin. I'm sure I can look and see what the breakdown is since the shift to east/west in 2014 though.
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My numbers may be off, but from 2014-2019, it looks like this will be the regular season breakdown of how often the below teams played/will play tOSU, PSU, UM and MSU:
Wisconsin: 9
Iowa: 8
Nebraska: 10
Although those numbers are pretty close collectively, there's regular overloading from one season to the next, and that's ultimately what I believe is worth evaluating. Is there a way where where Nebraska/Iowa/Wisconsin can play two of those big crossover schools instead of having to play three one year and none of the next? I say bring it on because competition makes you better, but I also don't think that means you intentionally overload one school's schedule every couple of years.
Wisconsin: 9
Iowa: 8
Nebraska: 10
Although those numbers are pretty close collectively, there's regular overloading from one season to the next, and that's ultimately what I believe is worth evaluating. Is there a way where where Nebraska/Iowa/Wisconsin can play two of those big crossover schools instead of having to play three one year and none of the next? I say bring it on because competition makes you better, but I also don't think that means you intentionally overload one school's schedule every couple of years.
ScottyIce
Banned
Here’s my solution...
Boot Indiana, Illinois, Maryland and Rutgers and play everyone each year. Then we will have a “true” champion just like the B12!
jsneb83
All-American
Not to mention, why does it have to be that Nebraska plays the other top 3 teams in the West either all at home or all on the road?
Precisely. I mean, I definitely won't try to make excuses - Nebraska has to play their schedule and that's that. But, I think the conference should do what it can try provide some modicum of fairness and balance in the conference scheduling.
Case in point: the chance of UM, tOSU and PSU (and MSU to a lesser degree) of being good on a regular basis is high. Much higher than the likes of IU, UMUC and RU. There's a clear difference between scheduling the latter teams all/mostly on the road versus the former.
Redux
Assistant Coach
Treand3
All-Conference
It definitely has been a little unbalanced, but Nebraska still has a draw to it that the others don't. Regardless of our failures. Part of me feels the B1G wants their "name" programs to face off more than not.