[NU Sports] Big Ten/Pac-12 annual tieup

[Eric C West]

*Shrug* If I'm being honest, I'm only going to "care" about one of the twelve games listed below, and not because of Colorado. (To be clear: I'll be interested in the other games, just no more than I would any other non-NU college football game.) It's better than a MAC or FCS matchup, but something tells me we (as a conference) will still be scheduling plenty of those. Overall, I'd say it helps the Pac-12 far more than it helps the Big Ten. It certainly won't make any sort of impact on the future existence of the BCS, up or down.

Not that it's a bad idea, but...*shrug*

Eric West
e-west at northwestern.edu


-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of SjT (Stephen J. Truog)
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 8:08 PM
To: Mike Nolan; nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Big Ten/Pac-12 annual tieup

I believe Mr. Delany may owe me some royalties on this matter. :)

In any case, this is a TERRIFIC idea - something I've been hoping would happen for years -- and it's a thumb in the eye of the B(C)S as well, so even better!

It gives us some meaningful games in September, helps Pac 12 schools especially with their exposure to national audiences and gives the Big Ten and Pac 12 the dominant story of the first month of the season if they do it right.

As for the SEC and Lil' XII, who cares? It's not like Texas, Oklahoma, LSU or Florida have been regulars on the Big Ten schedule recently. Bama played PSU, but that's about it.

And as for Rose Bowl rematches, I'm not sure there either -- we haven't had many champ vs. champ Rose Bowls in recent years (this year is an exception, not he rule) ... what it could do is give a good Big Ten or Pac 12 team a huge, attention-grabbing win in early September that shoots them up in the polls and propels them into the title game as they'd be playing from ahead in the poll game instead of behind.

I think this is a fantastic idea -- the key is spreading it out. Three games per week and the challenge would dominate the college football world for the first four weeks of the season. Take that, SEC! :)

For example, if we could do this next year, you might see ...

Week 1
Noon: Minnesota @ Oregon State - Not the sexiest of matchups to open the challenge, but two darn good coaches
Afternoon: Arizona State @ Michigan State - Call it the Rodney Dangerfield Bowl with two programs looking for respect Prime time: Ohio State @ USC - Two great programs, Urban's debut at Heisman frontrunner Barkeley's house -- it doesn't get much better than that! 

Week 2
N: Colorado @ Northwestern - Call it the Barnett Bowl and watch Ralphie try and run around Ryan Field!
A: Illinois @ California - The Illini travel west again for a matchup of programs looking to step up
PT: Arizona @ Michigan - Rich Rod returns to the Big House to face Brady Hoke's Wolverines in prime time! Awesome!

Week 3
N: Indiana @ Utah - Might be a better matchup if it were Bobby Knight and Rick Majerus, but still fun
A: Washington @ Iowa - Pretty darn good coaching matchup in Kinnick
PT: Nebraska @ Oregon - Two great ground games light up the scoreboard in Autzen Stadium under the lights! Great!

Week 4
N: Washington State @ Purdue - Mike Leach vs. Basketball on Grass? Sounds intriguing to start off the day
A: Penn State @ UCLA - You don't get a much better setting than Pasadena for the new PSU coach's first major test
PT: Stanford @ Wisconsin - Red and white and black & blue all over when these two colossus teams collide in Madtown!

Now tell me - would you even care what other games were going on for Septemeber? :)

The Pac 12/Big Ten challenge - LOVE IT!!!
And PS - DEATH TO THE B(C)S!!!

GO CATS!!!
-SjT
 
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * STEPHEN J. TRUOG sjtruog at yahoo.com GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
________________________________