This is what would happen if the B1G were to drop divisions with the current 14 teams and go from 9 conference games to 8 as the PAC is exploring.
First of all, each team would have 3 permanent rivals. This would be based on the trophy games that have been played the longest. The only trophy games that could not be protected due to other trophy games having more history would be:
Michigan - Northwestern (George Jewett Trophy)
Minnesota - Nebraska ($5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy)
Minnesota - Penn State (Governor's Victory Bell Trophy)
These would be the 3 permanent rivals for each B1G Team:
Illinois: Northwestern (Land of Lincoln Trophy), Ohio State (Illibuck Trophy), Purdue (Purdue Cannon Trophy)
Indiana: Purdue (Old Oaken Bucket Trophy), Michigan State (Old Brass Spitton Trophy), Rutgers (New Rivalry Game)
Iowa: Minnesota (Floyd of Rosedale Trophy), Wisconsin (Heartland Trophy), Nebraska (Heroes Trophy)
Maryland: Penn State (No Trophy Rivalry Game), Rutgers (New Rivalry Game), Purdue (New Rivalry Game)
Michigan: Ohio State (No Trophy Rivalry Game), Michigan State (Paul Bunyon Trophy), Minnesota (Little Brown Jug Trophy)
Michigan State: Michigan (Paul Bunyon Trophy), Indiana (Old Brass Spitton Trophy), Penn State (Land Grant Trophy)
Minnesota: Wisconsin (Paul Bunyon's Axe Trophy), Iowa (Old Oaken Bucket Trophy), Michigan (Little Brown Jug Trophy)
Nebraska: Iowa (Heroes Trophy), Wisconsin (Freedom Trophy), Northwestern (New Rivalry Game)
Northwestern: Illinois (Land of Lincoln Trophy), Nebraska (New Rivalry Game), Rutgers (New Rivalry Game)
Ohio State: Michigan (No Trophy Rivalry Game), Illinois (Illibuck Trophy), Penn State (No Trophy Rivalry Game)
Penn State: Maryland (No Trophy Rivalry Game), Ohio State (No Trophy Rivalry Game), Michigan State (Land Grant Trophy)
Purdue: Indiana (Old Oaken Bucket Trophy), Illinois (Purdue Cannon Trophy), Maryland (New Rivalry Game)
Rutgers: Maryland (New Rivalry Game), Indiana (New Rivalry Game), Northwestern (New Rivalry Game)
Wisconsin: Minnesota (Paul Bunyon's Axe Trophy), Iowa (Heartland Trophy), Nebraska (Freedom Trophy)
Nebraska's 4 Year Conference Schedule would then look like this:
Year 1: OOC, OOC, @ OOC, OOC, Minnesota, @ Ohio State, BYE, Michigan State, @ Indiana, Wisconsin, @ Northwestern, Rutgers, @Iowa
Year 2: OOC, @ OOC, OOC, OOC, @ Minnesota, Ohio State, BYE, @ Michigan State, Indiana, @ Wisconsin, Northwestern, @ Rutgers, Iowa
Year 3: OOC, OOC, @ OOC, OOC, Illinois, @ Penn State, BYE, Michigan, @ Purdue, Wisconsin, @ Northwestern, Maryland, @ Iowa
Year 4: OOC, @ OOC, OOC, OOC, @ Illinois, Penn State, BYE, @ Michigan, Purdue, @ Wisconsin, Northwestern, @ Maryland, Iowa
Nebraska would play each conference opponent twice every four years
If I add in our current OOC opponents and schedule in an additional opponent each year, it could look like this where we could add in some former Big 8 Teams onto the schedule:
Year 1: Fordham, Kansas, @ Oklahoma, Buffalo, Minnesota, @ Ohio State, BYE, Michigan State, @ Indiana, Wisconsin, @ Northwestern, Rutgers, @Iowa
Year 2: North Dakota, @ Kansas, Oklahoma, Georgia Southern, @ Minnesota, Ohio State, BYE, @ Michigan State, Indiana, @ Wisconsin, Northwestern, @ Rutgers, Iowa
Year 3: Northern Illinois, Kansas State, @ Colorado, Louisiana Tech, Illinois, @ Penn State, BYE, Michigan, @ Purdue, Wisconsin, @ Northwestern, Maryland, @ Iowa
Year 4: OOC - TBD, @ Kansas State, Colorado, UTEP, @ Illinois, Penn State, BYE, @ Michigan, Purdue, @ Wisconsin, Northwestern, @ Maryland, Iowa
First of all, each team would have 3 permanent rivals. This would be based on the trophy games that have been played the longest. The only trophy games that could not be protected due to other trophy games having more history would be:
Michigan - Northwestern (George Jewett Trophy)
Minnesota - Nebraska ($5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy)
Minnesota - Penn State (Governor's Victory Bell Trophy)
These would be the 3 permanent rivals for each B1G Team:
Illinois: Northwestern (Land of Lincoln Trophy), Ohio State (Illibuck Trophy), Purdue (Purdue Cannon Trophy)
Indiana: Purdue (Old Oaken Bucket Trophy), Michigan State (Old Brass Spitton Trophy), Rutgers (New Rivalry Game)
Iowa: Minnesota (Floyd of Rosedale Trophy), Wisconsin (Heartland Trophy), Nebraska (Heroes Trophy)
Maryland: Penn State (No Trophy Rivalry Game), Rutgers (New Rivalry Game), Purdue (New Rivalry Game)
Michigan: Ohio State (No Trophy Rivalry Game), Michigan State (Paul Bunyon Trophy), Minnesota (Little Brown Jug Trophy)
Michigan State: Michigan (Paul Bunyon Trophy), Indiana (Old Brass Spitton Trophy), Penn State (Land Grant Trophy)
Minnesota: Wisconsin (Paul Bunyon's Axe Trophy), Iowa (Old Oaken Bucket Trophy), Michigan (Little Brown Jug Trophy)
Nebraska: Iowa (Heroes Trophy), Wisconsin (Freedom Trophy), Northwestern (New Rivalry Game)
Northwestern: Illinois (Land of Lincoln Trophy), Nebraska (New Rivalry Game), Rutgers (New Rivalry Game)
Ohio State: Michigan (No Trophy Rivalry Game), Illinois (Illibuck Trophy), Penn State (No Trophy Rivalry Game)
Penn State: Maryland (No Trophy Rivalry Game), Ohio State (No Trophy Rivalry Game), Michigan State (Land Grant Trophy)
Purdue: Indiana (Old Oaken Bucket Trophy), Illinois (Purdue Cannon Trophy), Maryland (New Rivalry Game)
Rutgers: Maryland (New Rivalry Game), Indiana (New Rivalry Game), Northwestern (New Rivalry Game)
Wisconsin: Minnesota (Paul Bunyon's Axe Trophy), Iowa (Heartland Trophy), Nebraska (Freedom Trophy)
Nebraska's 4 Year Conference Schedule would then look like this:
Year 1: OOC, OOC, @ OOC, OOC, Minnesota, @ Ohio State, BYE, Michigan State, @ Indiana, Wisconsin, @ Northwestern, Rutgers, @Iowa
Year 2: OOC, @ OOC, OOC, OOC, @ Minnesota, Ohio State, BYE, @ Michigan State, Indiana, @ Wisconsin, Northwestern, @ Rutgers, Iowa
Year 3: OOC, OOC, @ OOC, OOC, Illinois, @ Penn State, BYE, Michigan, @ Purdue, Wisconsin, @ Northwestern, Maryland, @ Iowa
Year 4: OOC, @ OOC, OOC, OOC, @ Illinois, Penn State, BYE, @ Michigan, Purdue, @ Wisconsin, Northwestern, @ Maryland, Iowa
Nebraska would play each conference opponent twice every four years
If I add in our current OOC opponents and schedule in an additional opponent each year, it could look like this where we could add in some former Big 8 Teams onto the schedule:
Year 1: Fordham, Kansas, @ Oklahoma, Buffalo, Minnesota, @ Ohio State, BYE, Michigan State, @ Indiana, Wisconsin, @ Northwestern, Rutgers, @Iowa
Year 2: North Dakota, @ Kansas, Oklahoma, Georgia Southern, @ Minnesota, Ohio State, BYE, @ Michigan State, Indiana, @ Wisconsin, Northwestern, @ Rutgers, Iowa
Year 3: Northern Illinois, Kansas State, @ Colorado, Louisiana Tech, Illinois, @ Penn State, BYE, Michigan, @ Purdue, Wisconsin, @ Northwestern, Maryland, @ Iowa
Year 4: OOC - TBD, @ Kansas State, Colorado, UTEP, @ Illinois, Penn State, BYE, @ Michigan, Purdue, @ Wisconsin, Northwestern, @ Maryland, Iowa
