College Football Insider: Big Ten East-West split made sense; 10 games do, too

I heard a comment this week that Saturday's tussle between the Gophers and Wisconsin would have had zero Big Ten title implications if the conference hadn't divided into East and West divisions.

That's probably true. In the pre-division era, this would have been a two-horse race from the beginning between Ohio State and Michigan State. And in the ill-conceived, three-year start to this era, Michigan State probably would have owned the Legends Division, with Ohio State doing the same in the Leaders Division.

Even though Thanksgiving has passed, let's all take another moment to savor last year's end to the Legends/Leaders era. The Big Ten has landed in a great place, and not just because reader interest is spiking here at the Star Tribune with the Gophers alive in the conference title chase.

The geographical divide makes more sense on so many levels. Many border rivalries now have the added bonus of division title implications. It all crystalized in the West Division, when November turned into a four-team round robin between Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska.

The same thing could happen in 2015. The Big Ten follows the same order and simply flips, with all the home games from this year played on the road and vice versa.

This year, the East Division essentially boiled down to one game — Ohio State 49, Michigan State 37, the J.T. Barrett Show in East Lansing.

But Michigan and Penn State won't stay this lousy for long. The final regular-season weekend matchups — Michigan State/Penn State and Ohio State/Michigan — are already on the books through 2016. It's easy to picture James Franklin and Brady Hoke's replacement at Michigan having something to say about the East Division title by then.

The Big Ten will move from an eight-game conference schedule to nine games in 2016, and to that I say, how about 10? It's a sprawling 14-team conference now that stretches 1,300 miles west to east from Nebraska to Rutgers.

Ten conference games would bridge the gaps more quickly. Gophers fans, for example, will feel very little connection to Rutgers and Maryland until those newcomers finally hit their football schedule in 2016. Ten conference games would balance the home/road equation that will be a sore spot with the nine-game schedule.

Ten conference games could also help remove the likes of Eastern Illinois and Florida Atlantic from future Big Ten schedules. A stronger conference-wide strength of schedule would help come College Football Playoff selection time.

The Big Ten is still struggling with its national perception. Its 6-11 record this year against teams from other Power Five conferences and Notre Dame didn't help. But within its own walls, the conference has a good thing going. And it should only get better with Big Ten Network beaming its content into 19 of the nation's 20 biggest media markets. That can't hurt recruiting.

The BTN is going all out to promote Saturday's telecast of the Badgers and Gophers. Does the Big Ten West title matter in the grand scheme of things? That depends on your vantage point. Ohio State will be awaiting the winner in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, and maybe this is the Buckeyes' year.

But there's more parity between the East and West divisions than most of us predicted in August. Ohio State and Michigan State each went 2-0 in interdivision games, but West teams are a combined 7-6 against the East, and Purdue can make it 8-6 with a victory over Indiana on Saturday.

Analysts have the entire offseason to dissect it. For now, it's time to time to enjoy a classic rivalry between Wisconsin and Minnesota with something else on the line besides Paul Bunyan's Axe. Something big.

Big Ten Short Takes

• Bo Pelini's seat is red hot again heading into Nebraska's game at Iowa on Friday. It's fair to wonder how good the Cornhuskers will be next year after Ameer Abdullah and Kenny Bell graduate, and with Randy Gregory likely headed to the NFL. Tommy Armstrong Jr. does not look like the answer at quarterback. If Pelini gets fired, it might save him from having to watch a less competitive team in 2015.

• Ralph Friedgenwas ACC Coach of the Year in 2010, when Maryland went 8-4 a year after falling to 2-10. but that didn't keep him from getting fired that December. Friedgen resurfaced this year as the offensive coordinator at Rutgers.

On Saturday, he will face his old friends at his alma mater. Friedgen hasn't said anything this week, but a few years ago he said: "I could care less about Maryland. I burned my diploma."

• Illinois and Northwestern will be playing for more than the Land of Lincoln Trophy in Evanston. The winner gets a bowl berth, and the loser's season is over. Northwestern endured a four-game losing streak before rallying with wins over Notre Dame and Purdue. Illinois looked nothing like a bowl team before knocking off the Gophers and Penn State.

Big Ten Power Poll

1. Ohio State (10-1, 7-0): Urban Meyer has lived up to his promise, going 12-0, 12-2 and 10-1 in three years.

2. Michigan State (9-2, 6-1): Over past five seasons, Mark Dantonio has posted these win totals: 11, 11, 7, 13 and 9.

3. Wisconsin (9-2, 6-1): Second-year coach Gary Andersen, who won nine games in 2013, has settled in nicely.

4. Gophers (8-3, 5-2): The Gophers' annual win totals under Jerry Kill: 3, 6, 8 and 8. In Big Ten play: 2, 2, 4 and 5.

5. Nebraska (8-3, 4-3): If Bo Pelini stumbles to seventh consecutive four-loss season, it will sting after an 8-1 start.

6. Maryland (7-4, 4-3): Since hiring Randy Edsall from UConn, the Terps have posted these win totals: 2, 4, 7 and 7.

7. Iowa (7-4, 4-3): Kirk Ferentz has had far better seasons. And for $4 million per year, fans expect much more.

8. Michigan (5-6, 3-4): The Wolverines have gone 11-2, 8-5, 7-6 and 5-6 in Brady Hoke's four seasons. Curtain time.

9. Northwestern (5-6, 3-4): Ninth-year coach Pat Fitzgerald salvaged a lost season, beating Notre Dame and Purdue.

10. Penn State (6-5, 2-5): James Franklin reached a bowl in his first season. Next year, the scholarship limits are gone.

11. Rutgers (6-5, 2-5): The Scarlet Knights have gone 9-4, 6-7 and 6-5 in Kyle Flood's three seasons, reaching a bowl each time.

12. Illinois (5-6, 2-5): Tim Beckman might have saved his job. The Illini are 2-10, 4-8 and 5-6 in his three seasons.

13. Purdue (3-8, 1-6): Boilermakers have lost five in a row since Illinois victory, spoiling Darrell Hazell's second season.

14. Indiana (3-8, 0-7): Injuries stunted growth. Kevin Wilson's teams have gone 1-11, 4-8, 5-7 and now 3-8.

JOE CHRISTENSEN