It's About Time..................

[Spence]

They finally got rid of those awful names.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130428/big-ten-divisions.ap/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_sports

[Cane from the Bend]

I'm sure the realignment makes you smile a bit more as well:

Big 1G Divisions as of 2014

East

Indiana
Maryland
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Penn State
Rutgers

West

Illinois
Iowa
Minnesota
Nebraska
Northwestern
Purdue
Wisconsin

.

.

.

[Spence]

I also like Michigan State and Penn State being in the same division. Traditionally the strongest teams in the B-10 in the same conference. The only one I wish we could trade is Purdue for Indiana. I like making the trip to West LaFayette every few years.

[billybud]

West looks like the runts of the litter....

[Spence]

West looks like the runts of the litter....

To start. I think it should give them incentive to recruit harder. Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin all have the structure to be good.

[Eric]

I think the West is better than it looks to the naked eye. Sure the East is better top-to-bottom, but you could argue over the last decade that a Wisconsin/Nebraska/Iowa trio has been as successful as Michigan/OSU/PSU. Especially with Penn State on probation and probably on the verge of being gutted and sent back ten years, Michigan State or Maryland will probably be the third best team in the division over the next few years.

[Spence]

I think this line up provides incentive for the schools to make themselves better.

[Eric]

I agree with you that the other teams will put forth an even stronger push to make their teams better since the division, right now, provides an easier path to the B1G Championship game. But if everybody makes extra strides, then it gets tougher top-to-bottom

And correct me if I'm wrong, but when the Big 12 first formed, wasn't everyone crazy about the Big 12 North with Kansas State, Colorado, and Nebraska? These pendulum swings are difficult to predict.

The other definitive positive about this is that I can actually remember who is in what division. To this day, I still couldn't name you the ACC divisions or the Legends/Leaders and I spend an unhealthy amount of time following college football . But I could tell you without even pausing who is in the Pac-12, C-USA, MAC, and SEC divisions (with the Missouri-in-SEC-East being the only outlier).

[billybud]

Maryland is such a bad program.....To say that they may be 3rd best in the division is telling. Either very optimistic about Maryland being able to find a phone booth to transform itself from mild mannered Clark Kent, or pessimistic about the weakness of the division.

Maryland (and I have watched them over the years as they went 2-19 against FSU) has been a dumpster fire. They do have a good WR in Stephon Diggs.

A strange team...they will hit a 9 or 10 win year and then dive back to a sub .500 level. In 9 of the years of the BCS, the Terps have been below .500.

[Spence]

Maryland is such a bad program.....To say that they may be 3rd best in the division is telling. Either very optimistic about Maryland being able to find a phone booth to transform itself from mild mannered Clark Kent, or pessimistic about the weakness of the division.

Maryland (and I have watched them over the years as they went 2-19 against FSU) has been a dumpster fire. They do have a good WR in Stephon Diggs.

A strange team...they will hit a 9 or 10 win year and then dive back to a sub .500 level. In 9 of the years of the BCS, the Terps have been below .500.

Sounds like Iowa. I think Maryland will come in either just ahead or just behind Iowa. Good recruiting territory, though, and good size tv market.

[Eric]

I think Maryland could be due for a big turnaround though. Over the last few years, they would be the sixth best team in that division behind Rutgers and ahead of Indiana. But I think the "Oregon of the East" mantra could pay dividends with Under Armor basically funding their athletics. Being in the Big 10 with the revenue issue won't hurt. Randy Edsall may be a short-term problem though. The jury is still out on his ability to do the job there, but in all fairness, Maryland would have been a bowl team had they not been reduced to their fifth-string quarterback.

[RazorHawk]

West looks like the runts of the litter....

Have to agree with you at the present time. However, it was only a few years ago that the SEC East was stronger than the SEC West. Things do go in cycles.

[Spence]

I agree. Nice to see you back.

[RazorHawk]

Have had some health issues, but am better now. I have tickets this Fall for the Arkansas vs Alabama game in Tuscaloosa and the game against Florida in Gainesville. My guess is a couple of losses, but hope to enjoy the days.

[Spence]

Have had some health issues, but am better now. I have tickets this Fall for the Arkansas vs Alabama game in Tuscaloosa and the game against Florida in Gainesville. My guess is a couple of losses, but hope to enjoy the days.

Glad to hear your getting back to the action. Should be good games.