Big Ten: A chance to improve

Journal & Courier, Lafayette. Ind.: Wednesday’s Big Ten announcement divided the famed football conference into two divisions of six teams, touching off commentary ranging from the greed of college sports to lamenting that Purdue University’s chances for a championship are diminished.

Change of any kind — be it the adding of a team or two to a conference or dividing a conference into divisions — tinkers with tradition. But this change shouldn’t be written off by tried and true Boilermaker fans as harmful to the university.

The division in which Purdue finds itself has football powerhouses such as Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin. It also has Illinois and Indiana. The other division has Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern and Iowa.

The best teams from the two divisions will meet at the end of the season for the Big Ten championship game.

While some argue that Purdue is not likely to win many Big Ten championships when it is confined to a division with yearly matchups against Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin, one should remember that Purdue almost always plays these powerhouses in a season.

The divisions will maintain the Big Ten’s reputation for top-caliber, competition teams while maintaining traditional rivalries. The Big Ten made a wise move in keeping most storied rivalries in tact, such as Purdue-Indiana and Michigan-Ohio State.

And don’t forget the reason behind the move to divisions — the addition of Nebraska — means that a new set of rivalries will develop.