How the heck does Indiana avoid playing:

Ohio State,

Michigan,

USC, and

Washington?

And they played Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State OOC.

Pre-season CBS Sports ranked their schedule 2nd easiest in the B1G only ahead of Maryland.

I understand unbalanced schedules with super conferences but come on - there has to be more balance.

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by OregonDucks

And USC hasn't played tOSU in two years. Also got both Michigan and Penn St at home in separate years.

Forum friends, we're a member of a nationwide Mega-Conference, and we're reaping the good and the bad.

Compare Oregon's conference schedule with Wisconsin's; the Badgers have a far more difficult schedule in 2025 than OBD, even without adding on a trip to Alabama.

In 2027, OBD plays at Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, UCLA, and UW. Plus plays a game on the road at Baylor. The home slate: Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State, and Purdue. Brutal.

The conference schedules do, for the most part, balance out over five seasons. Rutgers schedule this season compared to last season is far more difficult. Indiana will have its turn in the box. However, having Michigan and Ohio State as permanent opponents is more difficult than new power Indiana drawing Purdue.

When the computers went to work in 2023, preparing schedules for an 18-team conference, did the machines know that Indiana in 2024 and 2025 would qualify for the playoffs?

Compare Oklahoma's SEC schedule this season and last to Texas. The Longhorns have far easier conference schedules. Ditto Mizzou and Ole Miss compared to Florida.

As to the conference intentionally trying to screw over OBD with a Friday night game after a Saturday game in the Central time zone, check out UCLA's closing schedule. Week 9, at Indiana, Bye, Week 11, Nebraska, Week 12, at Ohio State, Week 13, UW, Week 14, at USC.

The conference took the money and gave up total scheduling freedom to the media entities writing the checks.

These unbalanced mega-conference schedules are the primary reason I back Tony Petitti's AQ PO model, with the last week of the regular season as PO play-in week.

The team that is in 2nd place in the standings plays at 1st place. The winner is the conference champ, and both are in the PO field. Third place hosts Sixth place, Fourth place hosts Fifth place. The winners are in the field; the losers are still eligible for one of two at-large spots in the 16-team field. (The third AL team will be Notre Dame.)

The season ends, and the POs start a week sooner than today. As to this season, it is neither Indiana's nor OBD's fault that Penn State has not won a conference game this season.

Frustrating? Heck yes. But I sure prefer this to playing Beavis and Wazzu twice in the regular season.

GUM UP THE GOPHERS!