A morsel of info about Big Ten/ACC Challenge

[SelectionSunday]

Andy Katz says North Carolina will play on the road in the 2010 Challenge. My guess is Tar Heels will play @ Illinois.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/5148732/decision-time-draws-players-fence

Also of note, Jimmy V Classic doubleheader is set for December 7. Kansas-Memphis will be followed by Michigan State-Syracuse.

[Pewterschmidt]

http://freep.com/article/20100506/SPORTS18/5060386/1356/SPORTS/MSU-to-face-Duke-this-fall

Looks like there's a strong possibility that MSU will travel to Durham to play Duke in the Challenge.

This makes sense to me now that Johnson looks like he's leaving Purdue. They were my best guess due to Purdue "oweing" Duke a return trip but ESPN's desire to have the perceived best team in the BT play the best team in the ACC makes the most sense now.

[SelectionSunday]

Thanks Pewter. Katz now also is reporting that Purdue will play on the road. So if the Duke-MSU matchup is truly "probable" as Izzo says, here's what we know:

Michigan State @ Duke
North Carolina @ TBD
Purdue @ TBD

I'm hoping the Gophers get NC State or Virginia Tech at The Barn.

[tjgopher]

Thanks Pewter. Katz now also is reporting that Purdue will play on the road. So if the Duke-MSU matchup is truly "probable" as Izzo says, here's what we know:

Michigan State @ Duke
North Carolina @ TBD
Purdue @ TBD

I'm hoping the Gophers get NC State or Virginia Tech at The Barn.

This also leads credence to UWOle's thoughts that Wisconsin will have a home game this year in the Challenge. MSU was on the road last year and will do it again this year. So, I think that will indeed put Bucky at home again. That tidbit should clear up which teams are at home and which are on the road (simply opposite from last yr). I'm 100% certain the Gophers will be at home, too.

[SelectionSunday]

Looks like Izzo's team will be challenged once again. Already on the schedule?

at Gonzaga
vs. Syracuse (Jimmy V)
at Duke
In Maui, which includes Kentucky, UConn & Washington.

None of those game at Breslin.

[SelectionSunday]

This would be my latest projection of the pairings, with the ACC getting 6 home games & Miami sitting out as last-place ACC team:

Indiana @ Wake Forest
Purdue @ Florida State
Michigan @ Maryland
Michigan State @ Duke
Ohio State @ Virginia Tech
Iowa @ Boston College

Clemson @ Wisconsin
Georgia Tech @ Penn State
North Carolina @ Illinois
NC State @ GOPHERS
Virginia @ Northwestern

This avoids any rematches from 2009. Northwestern probably deserves to play someone better than Virginia. Wildcats probably getting the short end of the stick with these pairings.

If Delaney leaves Virginia Tech & Johnson decides to stay at Purdue, then I'd tweak these a little bit.

[tjgopher]

This would be my latest projection of the pairings, with the ACC getting 6 home games & Miami sitting out as last-place ACC team:

Indiana @ Wake Forest
Purdue @ Florida State
Michigan @ Maryland
Michigan State @ Duke
Ohio State @ Virginia Tech
Iowa @ Boston College

Clemson @ Wisconsin
Georgia Tech @ Penn State
North Carolina @ Illinois
NC State @ GOPHERS
Virginia @ Northwestern

This avoids any rematches from 2009. Northwestern probably deserves to play someone better than Virginia. Wildcats probably getting the short end of the stick with these pairings.

If Delaney leaves Virginia Tech & Johnson decides to stay at Purdue, then I'd tweak these a little bit.

I'll go this way:

Clemson at GOPHERS
North Carolina at Wisconsin
Georgia Tech at Illinois
Virginia at Northwestern
NC State at Penn State

Purdue at Maryland
Michigan State at Duke
Ohio State at Wake Forest
Indiana at Boston College
Michigan at Virginia Tech
Iowa at Florida State

[bga1]

I'll go this way:

Clemson at GOPHERS
North Carolina at Wisconsin
Georgia Tech at Illinois
Virginia at Northwestern
NC State at Penn State

Purdue at Maryland
Michigan State at Duke
Ohio State at Wake Forest
Indiana at Boston College
Michigan at Virginia Tech
Iowa at Florida State

I know this is all about creating even matchups and TV cash, but I wish we were able to just play through a rotation so that eventually we would get to play each team. I'd love to have us play Duke at the Barn- for instance. Oh well- I guess there's a way to do that. Win more.

[94Gopher]

Great idea bga1! I agree that it would be great to eventually (20 yrs?) see every acc team. I realize that we have been down and probably not deserving of playing the best of the acc but I would love to see the top teams at the barn. I guess the current solution is play better and earn the right to play the better acc teams, as you said.