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Finishing regular season before Thanksgiving: Big 10

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by D-3 Fan, Nov 4, 2006.

  1. D-3 Fan

    D-3 Fan Well-Known Member

    I read this article 10 minutes ago and I'll open the floor to what you think about it.

    http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061103/SPORTS/611030457/1004/SPORTS

    I find it interesting on how the Big 10 seems to stay in the past with regards to their schedules and in effect, hurt their chances in bowl games, IMO. I'll take the case of Iowa in 2002 when they won the Big 10 and headed to the Orange Bowl to play USC. Everyone bitched about how Iowa got 40+ days off between games and the time off showed when they lost to the Trojans. My contention is that how can Iowa be blamed when the Big 10 demands that their league finishes their games before the holidays, whereas USC and UCLA will play each other after Thanksgiving and conferences are having their league championship games.

    Should the Big 10 consider having games after Turkey Day, or let their teams play at least one non-conference team after the conference sked is over?
     
  2. dixiehack

    dixiehack Well-Known Member

    The SEC is actually doing the opposite. Beginning in 2007, every team must play Thanksgiving weekend, so that nobody gets a bye before the conference championship game.
     
  3. PopeDirkBenedict

    PopeDirkBenedict Active Member

    I don't think the time off matters for how well the B10 does in bowls. The B10 has done great some years and has sucked some years.

    But under the 12 game sked, I think they should allow teams to start a week earlier to allow for more bye weeks.
     
  4. micropolitan guy

    micropolitan guy Well-Known Member

    With a 12-game season, the Big Ten needs to go to a 9-game league schedule. But then the MAC would go broke.
     
  5. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    With a 12 game season, ALL conferences should add a league game unless, obviously, there's a full slate anyway.
     
  6. Oz

    Oz Well-Known Member

    Not to mention the Pac-10, before they could do a complete round robin like they do now.
     
  7. Flying Headbutt

    Flying Headbutt Moderator Staff Member

    Plus depending on how things lay out, Michigan could end up playing Ohio State again in the National Title game, after Tressel punks Lloyd Carr's ass again in the Shoe.
     
  8. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    If OSU wins, there's no rematch.
    If Michigan wins big, there's no rematch.
    If Michigan wins a tight one and OSU dominates the stats, there's a rematch.
     
  9. lantaur

    lantaur Well-Known Member

    Yes, let the kids have off for Thanksgiving ... but dammit, we're going to make them play at Christmas time if they make a bowl game!
     
  10. Oz

    Oz Well-Known Member

    Except the computers don't discriminate game stats, do they? I don't know what gets punched into the computers from each game, but I'm guessing close calls by both teams today would help the pack narrow any gap.

    Especially if Louisville can run the table, given its lofty BCS status even before this week.
     
  11. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    I meant that the voters would keep them 1-2 in the polls and flop the order, giving OSU ammo for the No. 2 spot in the overall BCS
     
  12. EStreetJoe

    EStreetJoe Well-Known Member

    If the Conference Chairpeople come to their senses, ditch the bowl system, and go to a playoff system, then finish the games by Thanksgiving, leaving the entire month of December for a 16-team playoff. If they're going to keep the bowl system, it doesn't matter when they finish their games.

    Heck if they were smart they would create a 16-team playoff, different sponsor for each game (or different sponsor for each round). Home field sites for first round, then neutral sites for quarters, semis, and the championship game - which could be rotated between the major bowl sites. But while this tournament is going on, have a separate 16-team consolation/NIT tournament at the sites of all the minor bowl games. This way you get an extra 32 teams to "bowl" games, trying to maintain the status quo for schools that get those post-season dollars.
     
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