Big Ten Conference Championship Game Meaningless Without Western Division

[Iowa Hog]

As one who attended the Michigan State narrow victory in 2015 and the blowout to Michigan in 2023, it was a lot of fun. Now with 18 teams, it has become meaningless as it was proven this year. Oregan won the Big Ten Champions, and then had to play in a Big Ten Conference Championship game. Penn State was not champions of anything like Iowa was when Iowa was the Western Division Champions.
The Big Ten Championship game this year was a flop since Penn State was champion of nothing. Now that Ohio State won the National Championship, the over hyped rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan has been diminished. The Ohio State Michigan game did not have what the Iowa Nebraska rivalry, has, a deep dislike , loathing, and disrespect of the fans and teams

 

[BrotherHawkeye]

As one who attended the Michigan State narrow victory in 2015 and the blowout to Michigan in 2023, it was a lot of fun. Now with 18 teams, it has become meaningless as it was proven this year. Oregan won the Big Ten Champions, and then had to play in a Big Ten Conference Championship game. Penn State was not champions of anything like Iowa was when Iowa was the Western Division Champions.
The Big Ten Championship game this year was a flop since Penn State was champion of nothing. Now that Ohio State won the National Championship, the over hyped rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan has been diminished. The Ohio State Michigan game did not have what the Iowa Nebraska rivalry, has, a deep dislike , loathing, and disrespect of the fans and teams

Hmm. I don't think Jack Sawyer would agree with your last sentence. Ohio State - Michigan goes way, way deeper than Iowa - Nebraska. But, I do agree that the expansion of the playoffs has lessened the importance of winning the conference title. It's still nice to have, but it's not vital to get to the playoffs any longer.

 

[IChawkeye45]

Iowa would have just been to the Big Ten Title game in 2015 and no other time if it weren’t for the Big Ten West. And even 2015 was partly due to an extremely favorable schedule.

 

[jonesy5960]

Now that Ohio State won the National Championship, the over hyped rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan has been diminished. The Ohio State Michigan game did not have what the Iowa Nebraska rivalry, has, a deep dislike , loathing, and disrespect of the fans and teams

Ummm.... What? Is this sarcasm? If not, delete your account. Immediately.

 

[hawkeyemark18]

I agree completely with the OP especially if tv ratings and ad revenue start to decline for that broadcast. I think we saw with the CFP championship game the football postseason has became too spread out with the conference championship games and early round playoff games. The Big 10 would take a major step forward giving the conference championship game the axe.

 

[Mister Plow]

I think that Championship games will probably go away because there's more chance that it knocks the loser out of the 12 Team playoff than it adds an extra team from the conference to the playoff. Little upside and more potential downside hanging another loss on a conference team.

I also think that the OP is drunk at 10:36AM.

 

[rrdd2021]

The B1G East vs West championship games was total horseshit and everyone knew it. It was like a major league team playing it's minor league affiliate. Proof: The West never won a BiG championship and most of them were BLOWOUTS. The conference had to get away from this setup and knew it.

Put yourselves in MSU's place. They actually had some decent teams in the mid 2010s and actually won a conference championship or two and played in the Playoffs under Dantonio but faded somewhat later after having to play OSU, UM and PSU year after year

Switch Iowa and MSU and ask yourselves how you would have liked that setup !! Again, those divisions of the past were total horseshit

 

[BrotherHawkeye]

I think that Championship games will probably go away because there's more chance that it knocks the loser out of the 12 Team playoff than it adds an extra team from the conference to the playoff. Little upside and more potential downside hanging another loss on a conference team.

I also think that the OP is drunk at 10:36AM.

It will go away when it makes financial sense for it to go away. If that day ever comes.

No comment on the sobriety of the OP. 😊

 

[HawkOptimist]

Have you been paying attention to social media the last few days? The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is stronger than ever, and will be even nastier this year and years to come. Michigan fans can’t handle the fact OSU lost to UM for the 4th year in a row then went on to win the national title. OSU fans then turn around and tell Michigan fans the only reason UM won the title last year is because they cheated. And on and on. I’d say that rivalry isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[rrdd2021]

Have you been paying attention to social media the last few days? The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is stronger than ever, and will be even nastier this year and years to come. Michigan fans can’t handle the fact OSU lost to UM for the 4th year in a row then went on to win the national title. OSU fans then turn around and tell Michigan fans the only reason UM won the title last year is because they cheated. And on and on. I’d say that rivalry isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

It's just not OSU fans saying that Michigan cheated.....pretty much the whole B1G and nation. There's a reason that Harbaugh got the hell out of Dodge so quickly after the recruiting and sign stealing stuff

 

[hexumhawk]

They could just get rid of the title games and add an extra round in the playoff. Most people would be happier with that.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

So we've come full circle. After 14 years of B1G Championship games (where the average final score was 38.8 - 19.7) we are back to the team with the most wins ...uh, wins.

And in a top-heavy 18-team league with a small handful of dominate teams (Ore, OSU, PSU, Mich), one of the biggest pieces in the championship puzzle is simply scheduling. That's right - there will be 8 out of 18 teams you don't play in a year. The SOS for teams in the B1G can be incredibly different. (As it was for the East/West scheduling, but might be even more skewed).

No more Division winners (participation trophies). Conference champs will only be important to get into the playoff.

Well, we asked for it!

 

[rrdd2021]

So we've come full circle. After 14 years of B1G Championship games (where the average final score was 38.8 - 19.7) we are back to the team with the most wins ...uh, wins.

And in a top-heavy 18-team league with a small handful of dominate teams (Ore, OSU, PSU, Mich), one of the biggest pieces in the championship puzzle is simply scheduling. That's right - there will be 8 out of 18 teams you don't play in a year. The SOS for teams in the B1G can be incredibly different. (As it was for the East/West scheduling, but might be even more skewed).

No more Division winners (participation trophies). Conference champs will only be important to get into the playoff.

Well, we asked for it!

Somewhat. but winning the B1G gets you a bye. That lowly 8th seed OSU had to play 4 games and didn't get a bye.

Keep in mind, their backers blew $20 million on that roster since they finished 4th in the B1G as some genius on this site pointed out. Of course, I have to believe, that was softened somewhat when they were hoisting the NC trophy Monday night.

Morale of the story _____ think everything through before you post stupid shitt

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Somewhat. but winning the B1G gets you a bye. That lowly 8th seed OSU had to play 4 games and didn't get a bye.

Keep in mind, their backers blew $20 million on that roster since they finished 4th in the B1G as some genius on this site pointed out. Of course, I have to believe, that was softened somewhat when they were hoisting the NC trophy Monday night.

Morale of the story _____ think everything through before you post stupid shitt

That's right. A conference championship get you a bye into the real tournament.

That's what winning the conference has become.

 

[grayhair81]

As one who attended the Michigan State narrow victory in 2015 and the blowout to Michigan in 2023, it was a lot of fun. Now with 18 teams, it has become meaningless as it was proven this year. Oregan won the Big Ten Champions, and then had to play in a Big Ten Conference Championship game. Penn State was not champions of anything like Iowa was when Iowa was the Western Division Champions.
The Big Ten Championship game this year was a flop since Penn State was champion of nothing. Now that Ohio State won the National Championship, the over hyped rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan has been diminished. The Ohio State Michigan game did not have what the Iowa Nebraska rivalry, has, a deep dislike , loathing, and disrespect of the fans and teams

Is this sarcasm? Please tell me yes.

 

[RothMatt]

The B1G East vs West championship games was total horseshit and everyone knew it. It was like a major league team playing it's minor league affiliate. Proof: The West never won a BiG championship and most of them were BLOWOUTS. The conference had to get away from this setup and knew it.

Put yourselves in MSU's place. They actually had some decent teams in the mid 2010s and actually won a conference championship or two and played in the Playoffs under Dantonio but faded somewhat later after having to play OSU, UM and PSU year after year

Switch Iowa and MSU and ask yourselves how you would have liked that setup !! Again, those divisions of the past were total horseshit

They petered out because their defensive coordinator went to Pitt. MSU, for the most part was carried by their defense coached by Narduzzi (sp)

 

[SDHawkDoc]

That's right. A conference championship get you a bye into the real tournament.

That's what winning the conference has become.

And I'm just fine with that
It's not like the conference championship game is some hallowed thing with a long and storied tradition. The big ten West division was inferior and it was rightly eliminated. The conference championship game was created for TV and $ and it's time for it to be eliminated.
The B1G will do just fine going forward getting multiple teams in the playoffs.

 

[rrdd2021]

They petered out because their defensive coordinator went to Pitt. MSU, for the most part was carried by their defense coached by Narduzzi (sp)

Yeah, that defense was rock solid and gave everybody fits. But if I remember correctly, Dantonio was also a defensive coach at OSU

 

[RothMatt]

Yeah, that defense was rock solid and gave everybody fits. But if I remember correctly, Dantonio was also a defensive coach at OSU

Yes, I was just saying that their defenses were not as Good after Nards left. He was a very good DC.

 

[Black Elmo 2]

"The Big Ten Championship game this year was a flop since Penn State was champion of nothing."

To be accurate, Oregon was the champion of nothing, either. Going forward, neither participant in the B1G CCG will be champions of anything.

Nonetheless, if Divisions still existed this year, Oregon would have been champs of the West Division and PSU would have been champs of the East Division. So I'm not sure what your point is.

 

[Iowa Hog]

The B1G East vs West championship games was total horseshit and everyone knew it. It was like a major league team playing it's minor league affiliate. Proof: The West never won a BiG championship and most of them were BLOWOUTS. The conference had to get away from this setup and knew it.

Put yourselves in MSU's place. They actually had some decent teams in the mid 2010s and actually won a conference championship or two and played in the Playoffs under Dantonio but faded somewhat later after having to play OSU, UM and PSU year after year

Switch Iowa and MSU and ask yourselves how you would have liked that setup !! Again, those divisions of the past were total horseshit

Michigan State was asked to be in the Western Conference but wanted to play with the big boys in the Eastern Conference. Michigan State came up short in most years and have no sympathy with their crying about the Western Conference The one year they were good they beat Iowa with seconds to go in the Championship game. Michigan State is consistently mediocre

 

[coorsoriginal02]

Don't care for the champ. game to be East vs West. Best two teams / records play.

Nobody wants to see a 30-40pt blowout win in Indy because a pretender like Iowa from the West won the West division.

 

[uihawk82]

The Ohio State Michigan game did not have what the Iowa Nebraska rivalry, has, a deep dislike , loathing, and disrespect of the fans and teams

Do you read any college football history about this rivalry? Do you know what happened at the end of the osu mich game this year. Those two teams really dislike each other and the planting of the flag and the fisticuffs after that as well as a lot of mouth, and pushing and shoving during the game after the whistle shows it to be a top heated rivalry. Iirc the Ohio govt adopted a bill to make fighting after the game some type of offense.

 

[uihawk82]

It will go away when it makes financial sense for it to go away. If that day ever comes.

No comment on the sobriety of the OP. 😊

Correct ^^^. I can see the Big going to 20 teams and having two 10 team divisions or four 5 team divisions which would give you two Big 10 post season semi final games before a conf championship. Way too much money involved and now that players are making big money they will not gripe about it.

 

[rrdd2021]

the over hyped rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan has been diminished. The Ohio State Michigan game did not have what the Iowa Nebraska rivalry, has, a deep dislike , loathing, and disrespect of the fans and teams

Oh dear God, this isn't serious, is it? Take a look at the TV regular season ratings every year.

And diminished? OSU and Michigan represent the last 2 national champions. Again, this has to be a joke and can't be serious.

And one more time, that former B1G West was a joke and the results prove it. They never won a B1G championship. Just pitiful

 

[pistachio1999]

Players need to be paid on a per game basis so incentive to play.