What do we know about the long-term B1G schedule?

[NUCat320]

How many protected rivalries does each program have, if any? Is there any prioritization of geographic rivalries on an ongoing basis?

Is there a formula that’s been announced, or just random assignments to this point? (Given general instability, probably silly to announce a long-term formula.)

If you protect only one rivalry, I guess that means you’d guarantee a home-and-home with every program every four years. But NU’s got only one West Coast opponent this season, which of course would tell you that that’s not the structure we’ve seen built.

I really like maintaining familiarity. NU got four West, four East, and one West Coast opponent this season.

Being that the championship is just the top two teams, I’d prefer protected pods off of 4 or 5. A 6-pod structure would also be possible , but that would likely put Iowa and Nebraska going West at least two times a year.

(I mind grueling travel schedules less for the pacific coast schools — their administrations sold them out, so let them deal with it. 🤷‍♂️)

Also Michigan is so beatable. (Can’t pass, and NU can stop the run.) Go Cats Go Cats Go

 

[zeek55]

They're using "flex protect plus" and schedules are set through 2028 for conference games:

https://bigten.org/fb/article/blt39fc5a9dd81251cf/

We have 1 protected rivalry with Illinois; other programs have from 0 (Penn State) to 3 (Iowa) protected rivalries. Only 12 games are protected annually overall.

Rest of the teams rotate with an eye to geography (so the west schools play each other more often than not) and competitive balance and the rest.

 

[Frabjous]

Schools traveling cross-country should not have play Noon games; late afternoon or evening games, yes.

 

[stpaulcat]

NU should have a protected rivalry with Wisconsin and Illinois. They should also be protected from OSU.