Report: Big Ten to Split Into Two Six-Team Divisions
by
Nick Coman on Sep 1, 2010 2:06:36 PM
The Big Ten of tomorrow is about to look a lot like the Big 12 of today.
In 2011-12, when powerhouse Nebraska leaves the Big 12 for the Big Ten, the conference
will begin its new format that will see the Cornhuskers aligned with Michigan while Ohio State will get the Penn State Nittany Lions, reports ESPN.com.
The league is also expected to introduce a title game in 2011-12.
The complete alignments are as follows:
Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern and Minnesota.
Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana and Illinois.
The alignments do have an East-West geographic alignment.
Cross-division rivalries such as Michigan-Ohio State will be preserved in the non-divisional portion of the schedule.
In basketball, teams will play home-and-home against divisional opponents, and one game against non-divisional opponents -- just as the SEC is scheduled.
The Pac-10, soon to be Pac-12, will adopt a similar format while the Big 12, soon to have just ten members once Colorado bolts west, will adopt a traditional home-and-home format.