I’ll bet Big Ten Commissioner Jimmy Delany is saying “I told you so” (maybe not in words but at least with a look) to any of his critics regarding the conference’s realignment into the Leaders and Legends Divisions. This new structures has created more interest and greater opportunity this late in the season than at any other time in Big Ten history!
Penn State (5-1) controls their own fate with a win @ Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions game this week @ Ohio State means nothing, unless Wisconsin loses @ Illinois. Then an Ohio State win over Penn State and a Lion loss the next week at Madison, would leave all three teams with 5-3 records – assuming OSU beats Michigan at the Big House on Thanksgiving weekend. So for Penn State, if they win both games they are in, if the lose @ OSU and win in Madison they are still in, and even if they lose both games they still have a chance.
Wisconsin (4-2) also controls its own destiny, a win at Illinois and a victory over Penn State in Madison sends the Badgers down the road to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Companionship Game. A loss at Illinois and the Badgers will need OSU to beat Penn State and then, the Badgers will have beat the Nittany Lions. This will create a three way tie, provided OSU beats the Wolverines. If Michigan beats the Bucks, then Wisconsin and PSU would be tied and the Badgers would have the tie breaker with PSU… via the head to head win.
OSU (3-3) needs help; they have to beat PSU and Michigan and then need PSU has to lose @ Wisconsin and for the Badgers to lose @ Illinois. This will leave all three teams with identical 5-3 records and since the Bucks will have beaten both the Badgers and the Lions, they will be the Leaders winner!
How do you like them apples? But wait, there is more, a lot more.
In the event that OSU wins two, PSU loses two, and Wisconsin loses to the Illini and beats the Lions, do not forget about Purdue! They are 3-3 right now and if they beat Iowa at home and Indiana on the road…. you got it…. a four way tie! Purdue beat Ohio State, so the head to head to determine the division winner is no longer in play. A three way tie that involves Purdue, Wisconsin, and Penn State would leave the Badgers as the division’s winner as they would have beaten both the Lions and Boilers.
If a four way tie happens and the conference does what it did a year ago, the team with the highest BCS ranking would represent the Leaders in Indianapolis. This is way to much fun!
We will take a look at the Legends tomorrow.
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