How to Split the Big Ten

Now that Nebraska has decided to join the Big Ten conference beginning in 2011, the league will need to be split into two divisions of six teams each. Nebraska will become the Big Ten´s 12th member, despite its name. Penn State joined 20 years ago as the 11th member.

The league will now have the minimum number of members required by the NCAA to stage a conference championship game in football. Due to the lucrative nature of such a contest, many analysts believe this is the primary reason the league sought to expand. This championship game matches the winners of the two divisions.

Due to the geography of the Big Ten, it would most likely create East-West divisions, as opposed to North-South. Keep in mind that teams in the same division play each other every season, while those in opposite divisions generally play each other every two to three seasons, with the possible exception of one traditional rival that is played every season regardless of division.

Therefore, in order to preserve most of the major rivalries such as Michigan-Ohio St., Michigan-Michigan St., Indiana-Purdue, Illinois-Northwestern, Illinois-Wisconsin, Wisconsin-Minnesota, Iowa-Minnesota, etc., here is the way I believe the league should be split:

East

Penn State

Ohio State

Michigan

Michigan State

Indiana

Purdue

West

Wisconsin

Illinois

Northwestern

Minnesota

Iowa

Nebraska

Remember where you saw this first.