The big change in the Big Ten is the move to the nine-game conference schedule. What doesn’t figure to change is the dominance of the East Division.
Ohio State, Michigan and defending champion Michigan State all are positioned to make runs at being national top-10 teams, if not College Football Playoff contenders.
Iowa’s amazing 12-0 regular season in 2015 notwithstanding, this looks like another year when the West will play in the East’s considerable shadow.
The Big Ten attempted to create balance when it split into divisions with Nebraska’s entry in 2011. The Legends and Leaders monikers went by the wayside after three years, replaced by the geographical East-West alignment.