scheduling
big ten divisions

Michigan's 2011 Conference Schedule Comment Count

Brian

m-osu-helmets
It's been announced: the division are as below. The schedule has also been released:

10/1 – Minnesota
10/8 – @ Northwestern
10/15 – @ Michigan State
10/22 – BYE
10/29 – Purdue
11/5 – @ Iowa
11/12 – @ Illinois
11/19 – Nebraska
11/26 – Ohio State

Doom partially averted.

UPDATE: 2012, by the way:

9/29 – BYE
10/6 – @ Purdue
10/13 – Illinois
10/20 – Michigan State
10/27 – @ Nebraska
11/3 – @ Minnesota
11/10 – Northwestern
11/17 – Iowa
11/24 – @ Ohio State

Looks like they're trying to make an important divisional game the second-to-last one of the season. By virtue of dodging Penn State and Wisconsin the next two years, Michigan is set up with pretty easy schedules.

UPDATE II: Sadly, "basketball will chart its own course."

Comments

UMaD

September 1st, 2010 at 7:23 PM ^

 

PSU-Mich and OSU-Nebraska seem like more natural pairing of elites.  M's alumni-base leans eastward (as does PSU's) and PSU already thinks we're their biggist rival.  Why are they lumped w/ OSU instead?

 

Apologies if this has already been discussed.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 4960

MrWoodson

September 1st, 2010 at 7:31 PM ^

They have way overthought this thing to the point that they took something relatively simple and made it complicated. Pure geography would have been better and the divisions would have been nearly as equally balanced. Or, as you said, begin with pure geography and then swap OSU with Wisconsin. That makes more sense to me than this divisional alignment.

Joined: 06/25/2010

MGoPoints: 3317

UMaD

September 1st, 2010 at 8:17 PM ^

I recall a penn state blogger writing up his visit to the big house and (in response to the "whose YOUR biggest rival?" question from an M fan) said it was Michigan.

Given the lack of history in the big10, perhaps the last 2 seasons have shifted it to OSU.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 4960

FrankMurphy

September 1st, 2010 at 8:33 PM ^

PSU already has a protected rivalry game with OSU in the current scheduling scheme, whereas they don't with us. They would lose their annual OSU game if they were in our division. Though I think most PSU fans would be hard pressed to choose whether they consider us or OSU a bigger rival, the current protected status of their rivalry game with OSU (coupled with the fact that PA borders OH) probably tipped the balance towards OSU. 

But hey, I'm not complaining. I think a new rivalry with Nebraska is a fine substitute for playing PSU every year (which we already don't do).

Joined: 08/19/2008

MGoPoints: 32342

bklein09

September 1st, 2010 at 7:24 PM ^

In case some of you haven't already gone to MGoBlue, the non-conference schedule for next season is as follows:

WMU

ND

EMU

SDSU

Followed by Minny, @NW, @MSU, BYE, Purdue...

Wow, gotta like our chances with that one!

Joined: 08/24/2009

MGoPoints: 7121

jmblue

September 1st, 2010 at 7:27 PM ^

It looks like we'll frequently have two tough games in a row to end the season.  That's actually how it's been for awhile now, though - we've played Wisconsin in the next-to-last spot a ton of times lately, and PSU a couple of times as well.

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 103102

patrickdolan

September 1st, 2010 at 7:40 PM ^

Four tough games in a row: Nebraska, OSU, the Big Ten Championship game and the BCS bowl.

And yes, this schedule does provide a disincentive for ambitious out of conference scheduling, especially against up and coming programs like Utah and Oregon in the past.

Joined: 07/10/2008

MGoPoints: 731

bklein09

September 1st, 2010 at 7:36 PM ^

Man, this just makes success this season that much more important.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope RR can make it through the year so that he can show what he's capable of in 2011, 2012, and beyond.

Hopefully Brandon will keep this in mind when he evaluates what to do with RR at the end of the year.

Then again, when we win 8-9 games year it will make the decision an easy one!

Joined: 08/24/2009

MGoPoints: 7121

Pibby Scott

September 1st, 2010 at 8:02 PM ^

no matter if his record this year is 0-30, give him at the least the chance to graduate a class. I know a lot of idiots will freak out and want him fired if we don't win seven games or whatever number. BUT COME ON

give the man time.

Look at all the Praise uconn is getting for sticking with their dude; consistency is a goddamn good quality that nobody seems to appreciate. instead, we're a nation and fanbase riddled by group-think and sloganeering is too damn infectious, numbers get thrown out there, and they reify, and somehow become the bar.

I steadfastly refuse going through another coaching transition. I steadfastly refuse becoming like Notre Dame.

If RICHROD doesn't work here, let us know for sure he doesn't work. Let him graduate a class.

I really hope we quit thinking like "i hope he'll see through this year". There should be no hoping. I think Brandon should come out and say RR is gonna be the coach for a considerable amount of time, end of discussion.  Brandon has to for the sake of future recruiting classes, for the sake of stability. We're in it, to win it. The situation can't otherwise.

--Pibby!s World

Joined: 08/18/2010

MGoPoints: 794

MGlobules

September 1st, 2010 at 8:05 PM ^

no way Brandon comes out and says that; what if the team tanks, or the players quit on RR, or the alumni base goes crazy. I think he's planning on keeping Rich unless we're worse than 6-6. . . or the wheels all drop off toward season's end. We should probably be happy for that. Declarations of eternal support ain't comin'.

Joined: 11/17/2008

MGoPoints: 48086

bklein09

September 1st, 2010 at 8:10 PM ^

I totally agree with you here, so I hope my previous post didn't indicate otherwise.

If is was up to me, RR would be here AT LEAST through 2011, regardless of record.

I was just saying that I HOPE this is the case, but recognize the fact that maybe it won't be.

I would love DB to come out and declare RR's job safe through year 4. It probably would have already happened if it was going to unfortunately. 

I just hope that we can win 8+ games this year so that its not even discussed whether he will be retained or not. I'm tired of listening to all the BS!

GO BLUE, SMASH UCONN!

Joined: 08/24/2009

MGoPoints: 7121

jamiemac

September 1st, 2010 at 7:36 PM ^

That is an awesome schedule next year, especially with the home night game vs ND

Should be a lot of drama and showdowns. Love it

So, can we also stop frickin' complaining and whining on this issue.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 8446

jamiemac

September 1st, 2010 at 8:18 PM ^

Thats not how I feel at all Hobo

This blog spent last week saying it was the end of tradish as we know it and the worst thing ever that the game would be moved. It DIDNT move, yet the blog for most of the day continued to stoke the controversy by now saying this is the worst thing ever. With the group think that goes on around here, it snowballed.

I do think Brian and his followers are being very whiny and hyperbolic  on this issue. And, I agreed 100 percent with them on keeping the game at the end and having them in the same division. I guess I recognize and accept compromise better and see more silver linings than most of this crowd.

Goodt to see people coming around, though. Those schedules look to be a blast

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 8446

M-Wolverine

September 1st, 2010 at 9:07 PM ^

I was one of those crying the loudest, but have been realtively quiet, because I feel how you do, I think. Think same divisions make the most sense, but as ling as they keep it the last game of the season, I can live with compromise. Maybe it's because I can see SOME value in playing OSU in a championship game...maybe because the rematch doesn't horrifying me as much as some. But mainly, picking my battles, and if The Game ends it all, I won my fight.

Joined: 10/04/2009

MGoPoints: 42190

champswest

September 1st, 2010 at 9:37 PM ^

the season, I can live with comprimise."

I can't help but feel that they are throwing us a 2-year bone by keeping The Game as the last game so that we will accept being in different divisions.  Then somewhere down the road (maybe in year 3, or the first time that The Game over shadows the BT Championship game) they will move it up earlier in the season.  I hope that I am wrong about that.

Joined: 10/04/2009

MGoPoints: 25927

Chunks the Hobo

September 1st, 2010 at 9:18 PM ^

OK, I can accept that.  And you're right: It's done and we couldn't have controlled it anyway (though I do think our "whining" influenced the PTB decision to leave The Game  til the end of the season). Let's get to some footbaw!  And there are worse things than adding another rival like the Cornholers... don't have much problem hating them.

I enjoy your posts, but as a hobo, I never know what the hell you're talking about. My gambling is limited to playing nickel slots. And losing. Goddammit.

Joined: 07/22/2008

MGoPoints: 4073

mgolf4

September 1st, 2010 at 7:38 PM ^

How is this a good solution? Sure, on paper we play OSU in the final game of the regular season. I would be the first to say I wanted us in the same division as OSU. However, the reason the Big 10 did not want that to happen is because that would mean we would never meet in the Big 10 Championship.

The fault in the new system is that, if their reasoning for splitting up the two teams was to allow for the possibility that the we meet in the Big 10 championship, the current setup means every single time that happens it will be a rematch from the week before. I know some of you will point to 2006 and say "I wanted a rematch then, now would be fine too." That logic is short sighted in that we lost in 2006. If we had won the game that year, no logical Michigan fan would call for a rematch with OSU over the chance to beat an SEC team for the National Championship. No one. 

I get the idea that the Big 10 wants the possibility of Michigan vs Ohio State in the championship game, but this is not how it should work. Barring ties, both teams will always know if they have made the Championship game before THE GAME and the outcome of the first will therefore not affect the second unless overall conference record is used to break ties. 

Someone, please explain how this is a better solution than A) both teams in the same division - when both teams are good, instead of playing for the Rose Bowl berth, we would play for the opportunity to win that berth the next week or B) different divisions but the game is played earlier, still allowing the chance that we play in the championship game. I, for one, would choose A every time, but B is way better than how they set it up for the next two years. 

Joined: 11/20/2009

MGoPoints: 917

MrWoodson

September 1st, 2010 at 7:41 PM ^

If UM and OSU rarely meet in the B10 Championship Game, splitting them will have been worthless from a money standpoint. And if they meet too frequently, the first game will be less meaningful and everyone will groan that there are too many rematches.

Joined: 06/25/2010

MGoPoints: 3317

SAvoodoo

September 1st, 2010 at 7:45 PM ^

Who cares about splitting them from a money standpoint? We have the game last game, and it influences who makes the championship game.  They won't meet to frequently, it only happened 6 times since 1990 (using these conferences, but this also assumes no Nebraska which makes it less likely).  Of those 6 times, only 1 time was the championship game locked in before the game was played (2006).

Joined: 01/10/2010

MGoPoints: 3841

SAvoodoo

September 1st, 2010 at 7:42 PM ^

1) The championship game won't be known before the game because it'll be based on conference record, not division record (like in the SEC)*.

2) The game will have an impact on who plays in it (see 1).

3) This has been discussed at length (most recently here http://mgoblog.com/content/division-announcement-tonight#comments)

*Did they say anything about championship game criteria at all?

Joined: 01/10/2010

MGoPoints: 3841