12 Team Big Ten Could Be The Best Thing Ever For Gopher Football?

[GoGophers2005]

Two divisions of 6. So instead of a 1-11 shot at winning a title it now will go to 1-6 shot. Instead of the Rose Bowl being everyone's live or die expectations, a more reasonable division title can become the new bar. Win the division, play for the conference championship and a guaranteed BCS bowl berth.

Look at the Big 12....the Big 12 North is a joke. Teams that had no shot at anything in a divisionless conference (Missouri and Kansas) are now playing in conference championships soley because of the split (and a weak North Division).

Not to compare the Vikings and Gophers, but everyone loves a division title for the Vikings in this town...even if they end up losing first round of the playoffs.

In the end, being able to hang a division banner once every 10 years is soooooo much better than hanging a Big Ten banner every 30.

 

[josh087]

100% correct - without question.

Look at all the marginal teams that have played in the Championship game in recent years. Heck -even Iowa State was a missed FG from a title game appearance a couple years back.

1 in 6 shot at the game to go to the BCS. Much better odds. More even playing field.

 

[Gopher Bandanna Guy]

In the end, being able to hang a division banner once every 10 years is soooooo much better than hanging a Big Ten banner every 30.

I disagree. While a division banner would feel nice once every 10 years (especially these days), it isn't better than the full blown Conference title to me, at nearly any frequency. I'd rather get a BCS game and a conference title once every 50 years, than lose the conference championship game every 10, and end up in the Lame-o Bowl. Maybe I'm greedy, but I want it all 11 teams or 12.

I do agree though that getting a 1 in 6 chance at playing in that game helps our odds BIG TIME. Particularly if they align the divisions E-W.

 

[RodentRampage]

Perhaps, but we don't have a 1 out of 11 chance of winning the conference title, don't forget that currently, we can have co-champions. That ends with a conference championship game. Maybe that's good, but maybe that's bad, but a co-champion is still a champion.

 

[fridge2012]

it is true it's a 1 in 6 chance of getting to a title game, but you still have to win that title game to win the conference championship. i think it would be just as hard to win a conference championship. it will add a little extra drama, but for the most part, it won't change the fact that the normal BCS reps from the B10 will be OSU, PSU, and the hogeyes. and it could hurt the B10's chances of getting two BCS bowl games every year as we do now. that said, it will probably help the B10 get more primetime games and a championship game on ABC would be big, i just saw some positive comments, so i'm just bringing up the negatives like a true minnesota sports fan.

 

[FreakyDeke]

it is true it's a 1 in 6 chance of getting to a title game, but you still have to win that title game to win the conference championship. i think it would be just as hard to win a conference championship. it will add a little extra drama, but for the most part, it won't change the fact that the normal BCS reps from the B10 will be OSU, PSU, and the hogeyes. and it could hurt the B10's chances of getting two BCS bowl games every year as we do now. that said, it will probably help the B10 get more primetime games and a championship game on ABC would be big, i just saw some positive comments, so i'm just bringing up the negatives like a true minnesota sports fan.

I agree, a 1/6 chance to GET TO the title game doesn't help unless you win that game. Sure, in the future you could lose 3-4 games and win a weak west division and get a lucky game in the title and win it all. Think about this though: Michigan, OSU, and PSU would likely be in the East and one of them would likely be representing that division. Since you'd have to play 3 teams from the opposite division each year, we could have to beat OSU twice in a season to get a title. The way other second-tier BT teams have won it all is getting a favorable schedule where you miss 2 of the top teams. But I guess I can see an argument for either depending on how the chips fall.

 

[AhliBobwa]

Two divisions of 6. So instead of a 1-11 shot at winning a title it now will go to 1-6 shot. Instead of the Rose Bowl being everyone's live or die expectations, a more reasonable division title can become the new bar.

Even better. Let's say Michigan, Ohio State or Penn State goes undefeated? With a Big Ten team in the NC game even a loss in the conference championship game gets the Gophers a shot in the Rose Bowl--which is all that matters to me anyway.

 

[magpie]

The best part is that if we can make it to the title game every few years, that's at least good publicity in terms of recruiting, as well as good reinforcement for fan support -- and that's regardless of the outcome.

 

[RodentRampage]

Even better. Let's say Michigan, Ohio State or Penn State goes undefeated? With a Big Ten team in the NC game even a loss in the conference championship game gets the Gophers a shot in the Rose Bowl--which is all that matters to me anyway.

If you lose the conference championship game, are you considered to be the #2 team in the conference, or could the #2 team in the other division jump over you?

 

[mplsbadger]

I disagree. While a division banner would feel nice once every 10 years (especially these days), it isn't better than the full blown Conference title to me, at nearly any frequency. I'd rather get a BCS game and a conference title once every 50 years, than lose the conference championship game every 10, and end up in the Lame-o Bowl. Maybe I'm greedy, but I want it all 11 teams or 12.

How about playing a meaningful conference game after November 1st. With six teams in the division more teams are in it 'late'. Can't believe you wouldn't want that!

 

[GoGophers2005]

My point is just winning the division is going to go along ways in the eyes of alot of people, especially the casual fan. I envision just being in the Big Ten Championship game right up there with a Vikings Divisional Playoff. It is a much much easier mountain to climb if you ask me.
As it stands now, most teams are out of the Big Ten race by October and that is all the media in this town cares about. Once the Gophers have lost their way out of another Big Ten title, no one in the media cares.

Remember Iowa State's schedule? No Texas, no Oklahoma, no Texas Tech...