Football: Iowa, Nebraska new divisional rivals

Iowa City, Ia. — Dorree Eckhoff expressed mixed feelings about the Big Ten Conference’s new divisional alignment.

She was in grade school when Iowa’s Nile Kinnick won the Heisman Trophy, and once reminisced about Rose Bowl victories with iconic Hawkeye coach Forest Evashevski.

So when it was announced Wednesday that her favorite football team would begin playing Nebraska on an annual basis next season, Eckhoff voiced her approval.

“I think it’s pretty exciting,” she said. “When I started going to those games (in the 1930s), they were one of the first teams that we played, because we always beat them.”

At the same time, the 82-year-old Eckhoff was disappointed that Wisconsin will no longer appear regularly on Iowa’s schedule.

“It kind of hurts,” she said.

Eckhoff was among the Hawkeye fans dealing with the give-and-take of splitting 12 teams into two competitively-balanced divisions.

Iowa was placed into the tentatively named “O” division with Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern.

The so-called “X” division features Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Purdue.

“I think we achieved what we wanted to from the Big Ten perspective,” Hawkeye athletic director Gary Barta said. “And from Iowa’s perspective, it turned out terrific.”

The Hawkeyes and cornhuskers will close the 2011 regular season Nov. 26 in Lincoln, Neb. — igniting what should quickly become one of the conferences most intense series.

“It will be a great rivalry between the states,” Barta said. “But it will also be something that catches the national attention, as well.”

In order to fit the parameters of an eight-game league schedule, some older rivalries will be interrupted.

Iowa and Wisconsin have met in 71 of the past 73 seasons, but won’t play each other again until at least 2013.

“One of the things we knew going in was that when you add a 12th team (Nebraska), things are going to change,” Barta said. “And we knew it wouldn’t be perfect.”

Several historic rivalries were extended by giving each school a preferred crossover matchup.

The guaranteed games are Illinois-Northwestern, Indiana-Michigan State, Ohio State-Michigan, Penn State-Nebraska, Purdue-Iowa and Wisconsin-Minnesota.

“I don’t know if I’d call Purdue our natural rivalry, but it made sense,” Barta said of maintaining series such as Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Hawkeye coach Kirk Ferentz issued a statement on the divisional alignment.

“(Big Ten) commissioner (Jim) Delany and the expansion committee did an outstanding job,” Ferentz said.  “The divisions appear to be a very good, competitive and geographical balance.”

Wednesday’s announcement will not have an immediate impact on the Hawkeyes’ non-conference rivalry with Iowa State, but there could be a potential glitch if the Big Ten moves ahead with plans to add a ninth league game in 2015.

Barta said he and Cyclone athletic director Jamie Pollard have discussed the future.

“What Jamie and I have talked about is we both have to have seven home games,” Barta said. “Through 2014, I don’t anticipate anything changing. Then, we just have to see between the Big 12 and Big Ten schedules how those shake out. We both have indicated we want to continue.”

For now, Barta is focusing on the scheduling of other sports.

The Big Ten has not decided whether the divisional alignment will be used in men’s and women’s basketball.

— Rob Gray contributed to this story

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Tags: Big Ten alignment, Gary Barta, Kirk Ferentz

Category: Iowa Hawkeyes Football