Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany Has No Plans to Change Divisions

Steve Woltmann Photo

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

One of the most discussed topics amongst Big Ten football fans, especially IU fans, are the severely lopsided divisions in football in the Big Ten Conference. The Big Ten has been in divisional play since 2011, when Nebraska joined the conference. Those divisions were based on competitive balance, but the Legends and Leaders names did not go over well. In 2014, when Maryland and Rutgers joined the conference, the Big Ten moved to geographical divisions that put Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State in the East. Since divisional play started the teams in the East division has had 14 top-10 finishes while the West has only had five. Commissioner Delany was asked if the conference should be concerned and his answer kind of threw the fans under the bus.

"We've had two experiences with divisions" Delany told reporters at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago on Monday. "The first one was based on competitive balance over the last 20 years. And to be honest with you, it wasn't received that well. I think the identification by fans, their desire to play geographic rivals and to really fully sort of reinforce the historical rivalries at the end of the day was more important than trying to achieve in any particular timeframe competitive equality."

The argument that Delany brings to the table is that over time things should even out, after all college football success is cyclical. He even cited the SEC for evidence. "I know in the SEC you saw a decade of Eastern dominance, and probably in the last 15 or years the West has probably been more dominant" Delany claimed.

The flaw in that logic is that the SEC is actually more balanced. Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee have been historically good and if you want to match them up with anyone but Alabama in the West (LSU, Auburn, Texas A&M), you can argue that when they are good it's pretty even. In the Big Ten East the top four teams (OSU, MSU, PSU, UM) just blow away the top four teams in the West (Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, NW?). Even if the teams in the West were firing on all cylinders and playing historically good football, they don't measure up to the top four in the East. 

In closing the question Delany said, "I think you're going to see more and more competition between the two divisions which are similar. But I think your facts are the facts for now, and I don't expect there will be any change".

So anyone wishing for realignment, don't hold your breath.