OSU vs. Michigan game will stay in its familiar place

The easiest part of Big Ten expansion was the declaration that the conference, with 12th member Nebraska starting in 2011, will have a championship game. Now comes the tougher parts.

How is the conference going to be split into divisions? How many conference games, including inter-divisional, are going to be played? Which rivalries are sacred and which could be sacrificed for the sake of the divisional format?

One thing is for sure: Ohio State-Michigan is sacred. The Game will continue to be the final regular season game for the Buckeyes, said OSU athletic director Gene Smith, even if the two rivals wind up in different divisions.

“That’s not going to change,” Smith said.