2016 & 2017 B1G schedules

If interested in looking WAY WAY down the road, B1G announced the 16' and 17' schedules. 2016 is the 1st yr. the B1G plays 9 conf. games. Starting in 16', the East division will have 5 home conf. games in even numbered yrs.

2016: 10/1 WISCONSIN                      
         10/8 at Rutgers                                                
         10/15 PENN STATE                            
         10/22 ILLINOIS                                      
         10/29 at Michigan State                      
         11/5   MARYLAND                                
         11/12 at Iowa                                  
         11/19 INDIANA                              
         11/26 at Ohio State    

2017: 9/23 at Purdue
9/30 Bye week
10/7 MICHIGAN STATE
10/14 at Indiana
10/21 at Penn State     
10/28 RUTGERS
11/4 MINNESOTA'
11/11 at Maryland
11/18 at Wisconsin
11/25 OHIO STATE                   
                                                                 

http://www.bigten.org/

There are a lot of things to discuss in there.

One thing I see is 2016 we have Maryland, Iowa and IU right before Ohio. That's "easier". In 2017 we have Wisconsin right before Ohio. That'll be a tough 2 weeks.

Of course we aren't certain how Maryland will be yet.

Wisconsin is a wild card. We have no idea how good or bad they will be with the coaching change.

fishgoblue22 wrote:

Wisconsin is a wild card.  We have no idea how good or bad they will be with the coaching change.

and for that matter we have no idea how good Maryland, Iowa and Indiana are going to be in 3 years. Wait, scratch that, I meant to say Maryland and Iowa.

On paper right now it does look like three tune up games before O$U and that is always a good thing. Gives us the potential to keep us healthy, get us a bit rested, while giving us a chance to work out some kinks before The Game.

I know this is something I'm just going to have to get over but it still pisses me off BIG TIME. The fact that the 2 year road trip to East Lansing means we now play OSU and MSU on the road the same year. After 46 straight years of having one of them at home and the other on the road, this is going to be hard to get used to. And with Notre Dame soon going off the schedule, we will now have no rivals coming to the big house during even numbered years. All these schedules do is remind me that this is not going to even out any time soon.

Other thoughts: In 2017, we have a bye week before Sparty. I can think of several times where they have had a bye week before playing us so it's nice to finally have that advantage in our corner. I guess our bye week in 2016 is during non-conference play.

We lose Nebraska those two years but get Wisconsin back. That could be a plus, depending how this new coach does. I'm very curious to see how he does in Madison the next few years.

I know our series with the Gophers is insanely one-sided but it bums me out that we don't play Minnesota in 2016. A season in which we don't play for the Little Brown Jug just feels wrong. Again, something I need to get over but it's difficult.

Rutgers. Dear GOD. I'm still in denial that they are in our conference.