ACC Closer to Dropping Divisions for New Schedule Model; Big Ten to Follow?

Reducing the number of league games and changing alignment could benefit the Big Ten Conference

The Atlantic Coast Conference is reportedly getting closer to scrapping divisions in football in favor of a new scheduling model. Could, or should, the Big Ten Conference follow suit?

First, the much discussed new model for the ACC.

The 3-5-5 model would give teams three fixed annual games against rivals or geographically close opponents. The other 10 conference foes alternate seasons of five on, five off. For 14-team conferences, this would allow schools to play every team in the league at least twice every four years.

The Big Ten, already a 14-team league as well, could easily adopt the new model.

The league would need to remove divisions, something that was added when Nebraska joined the conference in 2011. Remember Legends and Leaders? See how much the East dominates the West right now? Dropping divisions wouldn't be that big a deal if better conference championship game matchups are the result.

The Big Ten would also need to drop from nine conference games to eight, something that could affect the upcoming windfall of a media rights deal. Still, being able to guarantee every team would play each other at least every other year holds some value.

So who would the fixed annual opponents be? Here's one look at what they could be for each school.

• Indiana: Michigan State, Purdue, Rutgers
• Iowa: Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin
• Maryland: Michigan, Penn State, Rutgers
• Michigan: Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State
• Michigan State: Indiana, Michigan, Penn State
• Minnesota: Iowa, Northwestern, Wisconsin
• Nebraska: Iowa, Northwestern, Wisconsin
• Northwestern: Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska
• Ohio State: Illinois, Michigan, Purdue
• Penn State: Maryland, Michigan State, Rutgers
• Purdue: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State
• Rutgers: Indiana, Maryland, Penn State
• Wisconsin: Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota

This would place most trophy games as annual affairs, but others would now be every other season: $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy (Minnesota-Nebraska), Governor's Victory Bell (Minnesota-Penn State), Little Brown Jug (Michigan-Minnesota), and George Jewett Trophy (Michigan-Northwestern).

For Nebraska, specifically, this would mean annually playing Iowa, Northwestern and Wisconsin - three schools that Husker fans have come to know as well over the last decade.

As for the rest of the schedule, go with Illinois, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue one year and Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Penn State, Rutgers the next.

The Alliance, the somewhat political grouping of the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 that hasn't done anything of note outside of attempting to, could utilize the eight-game league schedules to actually set up Alliance games. Each school would play three nonconference contests, one against an Alliance opponent, and eight league games.

With expansion of the College Football Playoff imminent, the Big Ten should be proactive in looking at other ways to align the league and make schedules. The 3-5-5 model could be the answer.

---