Conference Play

[hawkeye bb n fb fan]

Did u guys hear the idea thrown out there by Gerry DiNardo with the Big 10 Network that the right to go to the BIG Championship would only count the records within the division and not crossover games. Though crossover games would count for going to Championship Game? So as far as Iowa going to the BIG Championship Game this year, the games vs OSU, PSU and MSU don't count but for like playoff hopes and bowl games, it would

I doubt that it would ever happen, just wanted to get your thoughts as to if you think it's a good/bad/interesting idea?

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

I don't like that at all

 

[hawkeye bb n fb fan]

I don't like that at all

Ya I thought it was kind of dumb, though it would make crossover matchups irrelevant since not every team from the west plays ever team from the east since there are 14 teams. Like in 2015 Iowa didn't play Michigan, PSU or OSU in regular season.

Also, the BIG must not have a formula for matching teams up from the East and West because some teams Iowa plays most years for the next 5-7 but then some we don't play like at all it seems.

 

[BlackNGoldBleeder]

It's an interesting idea. I can't say whether it's good or bad.

Basically, it's saying the West is the weaker division and that some teams within it will benefit from soft schedules (Iowa 2015 and Wisconsin 2017 i.e.)

So, for argument's sake, let's say Iowa beats Wisconsin this year and has losses against Penn State and Ohio State. Wisconsin beats everyone else on their schedule and finishes with only one loss in conference play. Iowa then wins the West?

You could make a compelling argument they should but it becomes a slippery slope IMHO. What if Wisconsin beats Iowa but then has losses against Minnesota and Northwestern (yes, very unlikely, but a hypothetical). Iowa has the Wisconsin loss, losses to Penn State and Ohio State, but because they only have one loss in the West and Wisconsin has two, even though Iowa has three total losses and Wisconsin has two (and beat Iowa head to head), Iowa still goes?

Unlikely scenario, but you can see how things could get tricky.

 

[dawgs_04]

Pro: fixes unbalanced schedule
Con: the chance of the two best teams meeting in the championship go down

 

[hawkeye bb n fb fan]

It's an interesting idea. I can't say whether it's good or bad.

Basically, it's saying the West is the weaker division and that some teams within it will benefit from soft schedules (Iowa 2015 and Wisconsin 2017 i.e.)

So, for argument's sake, let's say Iowa beats Wisconsin this year and has losses against Penn State and Ohio State. Wisconsin beats everyone else on their schedule and finishes with only one loss in conference play. Iowa then wins the West?

You could make a compelling argument they should but it becomes a slippery slope IMHO. What if Wisconsin beats Iowa but then has losses against Minnesota and Northwestern (yes, very unlikely, but a hypothetical). Iowa has the Wisconsin loss, losses to Penn State and Ohio State, but because they only have one loss in the West and Wisconsin has two, even though Iowa has three total losses and Wisconsin has two (and beat Iowa head to head), Iowa still goes?

Unlikely scenario, but you can see how things could get tricky.

Ya that makes sense, especially the last part

 

[hawkeye bb n fb fan]

Pro: fixes unbalanced schedule
Con: the chance of the two best teams meeting in the championship go down

I think your spot on and I think that the cons outway the pros because if somehow the 3rd best team in the West (in most people's eyes) goes to the Championship Game because of a tiebreaker and somehow beats the top team from the East, the BIG is likely left out whereas if it were the top 2 by overall conference records, it could be a play in game. 2015 as an example although it's a little different since Iowa was undefeated, but you get the gist of it

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

We play 3 crossover games. How about throwing one result out...only count the two "best" crossover games.

 

[Hawkeyes94]

I think one of the BTN talking heads last year suggested that if a team in either division goes undefeated in their division, they should be in the BTCG regardless of overall conf record. Otherwise, revert to overall conf record as the first tiebreaker. I liked that idea.

 

[beanT]

I think it should be
1st - division record
2nd - head to Head
3rd - crossover record
4th - other lame criteria using points, SoS, etc