Posts tagged Illinois Fighting Illini
It's Not Crazy, It's Sports
B1G/ACC Challenge matchups announced
These days, college basketball has a flurry of early season events; it’s not just Maui anymore. There are aircraft carriers and U.S. Army bases and the Champions Classic and the ESPN Tip-Off Marathon and the Battle 4 Atlantis and whatever else Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis dreams up next. Much of this did not exist even five years ago. In 1999, when the Big Ten/ACC Challenge was born, much of it would have been laughable.
Tuesday, Dec. 3
Florida State at Minnesota
Illinois at Georgia Tech
Indiana at Syracuse
Michigan at Duke
Notre Dame at Iowa
Penn State at Pittsburgh
Wednesday, Dec. 4
Boston College at Purdue
Maryland at Ohio State
Miami, FL at Nebraska
North Carolina at Michigan State
Northwestern at North Carolina State
Wisconsin at Virginia
The Competitive Balance (or lack of) Between the New Big Ten Divisions
The Big Ten announced new football divisions starting in the 2014-2015 season, or when Maryland and Rutgers arrive, opting to go the geographical route this time (here is a map version of the divisions)
The divisions look like this:
B1G West
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- Nortwestern
- Purdue
- Wisconsin
B1G East
- Indiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Michigan State
- Ohio State
- Penn State
- Rutgers
On the surface, it looks as though the divisions have a huge imbalance competitively, with traditional powers Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State all in the East, and Nebraska in the West. However, if you take a closer look, it’s actually quite balanced.
Last year for Penn State will be the exception, not the rule. Once the scholarship reduction hits the Nittany Lions, they will struggle. Maryland and Rutgers are middle-tier programs, and Indiana is, well, Indiana. Ohio State is certainly going to be a contender for years to come, but I’m not convinced Michigan has “arrived” yet. One joke of a Sugar Bowl bid doesn’t mean you’re the class of the B1G. And Michigan State’s offensive struggles have been well documented.
In the West you have three-time defending B1G champion in Wisconsin, last year’s Legends Division winner (and traditional power) Nebraska, and Northwestern who had 10 wins last season. Yes, Iowa, Purdue, Illinois and Minnesota have all struggled, however all of those programs except Minnesota have been to BCS bowls, and only Purdue hasn’t been in one since 2008 (the 2001 Rose Bowl). Minnesota is on the rise, so is Illinois (mostly because they have nowhere to go but up), and Iowa has shown a tendency to bounce back under Kirk Ferentz. Purdue is optimistic with a new coach, so it is safe to say that as a whole, the West is much more even and will be exciting to watch in the future.
While the B1G East will get more attention because of the names that are in it, the B1G West shouldn’t be ignored. If there is anything we learned last season in Big Ten football, it’s that anything can happen. That’s the beauty of college football, and college sports in general.
After a convo I have been having on Twitter, I was about to write an extremely similar post to this one. Good thing Tyler did the work for me.
The Pittsburgh Steelers crop of draft selections
(via straight-from-the-mitten)
Hey Joe: What the new Big Ten means for Michigan State
Delany just did a heck of a job of illustrating the imbalance that has been created. The truth, of course, is that Ohio State and U-M are both No. 1 seeds. And that Penn State is a No. 2. And that there isn’t a No. 1 on the other side. And that goes far beyond recent performance or current situation (such as the probation that should weaken Penn State in the near future).
New Big Ten Football Divisions
The divisions have yet to be named, but they would look like this:
“WEST”
Illinois
Iowa
Minnesota
Nebraska
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Indiana or Purdue
“EAST”
Maryland
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Penn State
Rutgers
Indiana or Purdue
My friend Kara shared this link with me. However, I have no idea how accurate this is because I haven’t seen anything on BTN, ESPN or even on Big Ten Conference website. But…
When I first posted about the different realignment options from BTN.com, this was the one I liked the most.
What do you all think?
It’s Big Ten Tournament time!!! My predictions are written in pencil. Yes, I have no life.
Thoughts on Week 16 AP Poll College Basketball Rankings (and possible week 17 ranking)
Michigan State is extremely close to #3 Gonzaga (only behind by 12 points).
If MSU, Miami (FL), and Gonzaga don’t lose this week (meaning Indiana will lose at Michigan State), I think the rankings will be
1. Miami (FL)
2. Michigan State
3. Gonzaga
Even though they only have 2 losses, I don’t think Gonzaga will move because they haven’t really played anyone. The only “good” teams they have played are:
Illinois (was ranked at #13) - lost
Kansas State (was unranked)
Oklahoma State (was #22)
Butler (was ranked #13) - lost
I don’t think Miami will lose to Virginia or Wake Forest, but if they do, I think MSU has a chance in jumping to #1 (as long as they win against Indiana and Ohio State). It will really come down to how both Gonzaga and Michigan State plays, how close the games are, and the amount of people who watch Gonzaga vs MSU games.
It’ll be a little ridiculous if the pollsters still put Gonzaga ahead of MSU when Gonzaga is only playing Santa Clara and University of San Diego. Unfortunately, Gonzaga does have two 1st place votes already.
It will be HUGE if when MSU beats #1 Indiana and #18 Ohio State. I’m just glad MSU is playing Indiana at home. The Ohio State game will be interesting, especially after OSU’s game at Wisconsin yesterday. OSU only scored 49 points.
Speaking of the OSU and Wisconsin game. I am SHOCKED that they left Wisconsin (#19) below Ohio State (#18). They have split their games 1-1. OSU beat Wisconsin 58-49 back in January. But Wisconsin won 71-49 yesterday. Wisconsin is 18-8 and Ohio State is 18-7. I think it SHOULD be #18 Wisconsin and #19 Ohio State, but oh well.
Anyone have anything to add?
Purdue head coach Matt Painter reacts to an official’s call during the first half of their NCAA college basketball game against Purdue, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Darrell Hoemann)
——
That wasn’t the only call he was upset about; in fact, with 8:08 left in the game, Coach Painter got double technical fouls AND ejected from the game after some serious arguing with the refs.
Purdue lost at Illinois 79-59
National Signing Day - Big Ten Rankings
#1 - Ohio State
#2 - Michigan
#3 - Nebraska
#4 - Penn State
#5 - Wisconsin
#6 - Michigan State
- #6 ILB - Shane Jones
- #13 QB - Damion Terry
- #45 ATH - Delton Williams
- #34 OLB - Jon Reschke
- #20 S - Jalyn Powell
- #35 OT - Dennis Finley
#7 - Indiana
#8 - Illinois
#9 - Purdue
#10 - Northwestern
#11 - Iowa
#12 - Minnesota
Option 1 - I think Maryland and Rutgers needs to be together so I don’t like that option.
Option 2 - I think this option would be perfect minus the fact that Purdue and Indiana would be split up.
Option 3 - This doesn’t make any sense AT ALL. Think about how unfair it would be for all of those outer teams with the amount of traveling they would have to do week in and week out.
So out of all of them, I think option 2 makes the most sense.
Honestly, why don’t we just get rid of these SHITTY preseason games and make the teams play 12 big ten school and then still take the top 2 teams to a championship game.
But whatever we do, GET RID OF THE DIVISION NAMES.
What do other people think???
