Half the conference in a 7 loss pod! Odd tie-breaker.

[motorb54]

6 teams at 9-7
Indiana at 10-7
Looks like tie breakers will be necessary.
When more than two teams are tied a mini-pod of those teams is created .
Record in the pod determines seed. (Hope for us to end above Iowa as the 0-2 against the Hawkeyes would hurt.)
***** If teams are still tied after that first step record against the top team in the conference is the next tie breaker*****
We want Perdue to remain the top team. Or if somehow Northwestern passes the Boilermakers we need to win our final against the Wildcats for 2-0. This second tie breaker is likely to be used. Maybe more than once.

Purdue 13-4 has Indiana at home, visits Wisconsin, then ends with Illinois at home.
Northwestern 11-5 has at Illinois, at Maryland, Penn State, and at Rutgers.

 

[LeapinLou]

I was hoping what they are using as the second tie breaker would be the first tie breaker. Our record against Perdue and Northwestern helps us but within the current pod, I have to assume we're not in good shape being 0-2 against Iowa and 0-1 against Illinois. Beating Michigan becomes more important.

 

[Big boy stan]

If the entire conference ends up 10-10, did they really have a season?

 

[Mr_Twister]

So the victory that we were robbed of in Columbus is completely out of the final reckoning if we are in that pod? Seems like a great spot for the Big Ten to make things right.

 

[jordkap]

As long as Iowa and Rutgers don’t tie, we win mostly every tiebreaker.

 

[RU84]

Still hard to believe Northwestern has 20 wins already considering two of their games weren't played because of COVID.

 

[richthedentist]

So the victory that we were robbed of in Columbus is completely out of the final reckoning if we are in that pod? Seems like a great spot for the Big Ten to make things right.

That is why every time I look at the standings that OSU game is all I think of it can end up costing us 6 places in the standings!!!

 

[Loyal_2RU]

So the victory that we were robbed of in Columbus is completely out of the final reckoning if we are in that pod? Seems like a great spot for the Big Ten to make things right.

I had suggested that at the time. They didn't take me up on it

 

[huskersalways]

I was reading about the Big 10 tournament seedlings and while a whole bunch of stuff has to happen it is still possible for Nebraska to be the 2 seed. Haha. Never going to happen but that’s how crazy it all is this year.

 

[RUChoppin]

If I'm looking at it right, currently the 9-7 mini-conference would be...

#4 is (5-1) Iowa
#5 is (4-2) MSU
#6 is (3-2) Illinois
#7 is (2-3) Michigan
#8 is (2-4) Rutgers (tiebreak over Maryland)
#9 is (2-4) Maryland

Edit: Counted both Iowa losses as one the first time. Fixed now.

 

[Mr Magoo]

We definitely need Iowa to lose at Wisky tonight.

 

[ColonelRutgers]

If I'm looking at it right, currently the 9-7 mini-conference would be...

#4 is (5-1) Iowa
#5 is (4-2) MSU
#6 is (3-2) Illinois
#7 is (2-3) Rutgers (tiebreak over Michigan due to record vs. Purdue)
#8 is (2-3) Michigan
#9 is (2-4) Maryalnd

We're 2-4 vs. those teams (0-2 vs. Iowa, 1-1 vs. MSU, 1-0 vs. Maryland, 0-1 vs. Illinois). So we'd be the 8 seed.

 

[RUChoppin]

We're 2-4 vs. those teams (0-2 vs. Iowa, 1-1 vs. MSU, 1-0 vs. Maryland, 0-1 vs. Illinois). So we'd be the 8 seed.

Thanks - Counted both Iowa losses as one the first time. Fixed now.

 

[RUChoppin]

We definitely need Iowa to lose at Wisky tonight.

Not being tied with Iowa at season's end will help... getting a win against Michigan tomorrow will help a lot, too.

 

[hinson32]

As long as Iowa and Rutgers don’t tie, we win mostly every tiebreaker.

Not true at all. A tie with Iowa, Illinois and Indiana lets days make us 1-4 and 4th between those 4 teams. Still too early to worry about tie breakers. It will depend on what teams we are tied with.

 

[LeapinLou]

We definitely need Iowa to lose at Wisky tonight.

Agree - we can start to forget about this if Iowa wins tonight or Michigan beats us tomorrow. But if both of those results go our way, we are back in good shape.

 

[LeapinLou]

If I'm looking at it right, currently the 9-7 mini-conference would be...

#4 is (5-1) Iowa
#5 is (4-2) MSU
#6 is (3-2) Illinois
#7 is (2-3) Michigan
#8 is (2-4) Rutgers (tiebreak over Maryland)
#9 is (2-4) Maryland

Edit: Counted both Iowa losses as one the first time. Fixed now.

Sucks because if instead of a mini pod, they just looked at record against teams above the pod, we'd be at the top. And while the idea of letting the OSU loss count as a tiebreaker seems fair, there is no prayer of that happening.

 

[RUJMM78]

So the victory that we were robbed of in Columbus is completely out of the final reckoning if we are in that pod? Seems like a great spot for the Big Ten to make things right.

Spot on comment because Ohio State isn't going to the NCAA.and Rutgers deserves that win.

 

[Mr_Twister]

Spot on comment because Ohio State isn't going to the NCAA.and Rutgers deserves that win.

I’m guessing that Rutgers bus driver Andy Katz will suggest it on-the-air on BTN Network.

 

[RUChoppin]

Sucks because if instead of a mini pod, they just looked at record against teams above the pod, we'd be at the top. And while the idea of letting the OSU loss count as a tiebreaker seems fair, there is no prayer of that happening.

Still a lot of games left - the season doesn't end today.

Michigan still has to play @Rutgers, vs. Wisconsin, @Illinois, @Indiana
Iowa still has to play @Wisconsin, vs. MSU, @Indiana, vs. Nebraska
MSU still has to play @Iowa, @ Nebraska, vs. Minnesota, vs. Ohio St
Maryland still has to play vs. Minnesota, vs. Northwestern, @Ohio St, @Penn St
Illinois still has to play vs. Northwestern, @Ohio St, vs. Michigan, @Purdue
Rutgers still has to play vs. Michigan, @Penn St, @Minnesota, vs. Northwestern

Bart's expectation over the final games is this:
(15-5) Purdue
(13-7) Northwestern
(12-8) Indiana
(12-8) Rutgers
(12-8) MSU
(12-8) Maryland
(11-9) Michigan
(11-9) Iowa
(11-9) Illinois
(9-11) Wisconsin
(9-11) Penn St
(8-12) Nebraska
(5-15) Ohio St
(2-18) Minnesota

If it's those 4 teams tied for 3rd, the tie-break would be 3-1 MSU, 3-2 Rutgers, 2-3 Indiana, and 1-2 Maryland.

Of course, those predictions are based on a Rutgers team that had McConnell/Mag factored in.

 

[RUtrumpet92]

It is possible to have an eight way tie at 12-8 along with a three way tie at 8-12. According to the Mr. Ed tiebreaker page, we would be the #6 seed in that scenario.

There is another unlikely scenario with a five way tie at 13-7.

CHAOS!

 

[motorb54]

If I'm looking at it right, currently the 9-7 mini-conference would be...

#4 is (5-1) Iowa
#5 is (4-2) MSU
#6 is (3-2) Illinois
#7 is (2-3) Michigan
#8 is (2-4) Rutgers (tiebreak over Maryland)
#9 is (2-4) Maryland

Edit: Counted both Iowa losses as one the first time. Fixed now.

Why leave out Indiana? They have 7 losses with at Purdue, Iowa, and Michigan yet to play.
I think it is more likely to have a four team mini-pod and a second mini-pod of three teams.
And like the OP we don't want to be in a pod with Iowa.
The Michigan game may mean more to us than the Northwestern game.

 

[RUChoppin]

Why leave out Indiana? They have 7 losses with at Purdue, Iowa, and Michigan yet to play.
I think it is more likely to have a four team mini-pod and a second mini-pod of three teams.
And like the OP we don't want to be in a pod with Iowa.
The Michigan game may mean more to us than the Northwestern game.

Because right now we are not tied with them, so they would not factor into the mini pod.

 

[dconifer]

Still a lot of games left - the season doesn't end today.

Michigan still has to play @Rutgers, vs. Wisconsin, @Illinois, @Indiana
Iowa still has to play @Wisconsin, vs. MSU, @Indiana, vs. Nebraska
MSU still has to play @Iowa, @ Nebraska, vs. Minnesota, vs. Ohio St
Maryland still has to play vs. Minnesota, vs. Northwestern, @Ohio St, @Penn St
Illinois still has to play vs. Northwestern, @Ohio St, vs. Michigan, @Purdue
Rutgers still has to play vs. Michigan, @Penn St, @Minnesota, vs. Northwestern

Bart's expectation over the final games is this:
(15-5) Purdue
(13-7) Northwestern
(12-8) Indiana
(12-8) Rutgers
(12-8) MSU
(12-8) Maryland
(11-9) Michigan
(11-9) Iowa
(11-9) Illinois
(9-11) Wisconsin
(9-11) Penn St
(8-12) Nebraska
(5-15) Ohio St
(2-18) Minnesota

If it's those 4 teams tied for 3rd, the tie-break would be 3-1 MSU, 3-2 Rutgers, 2-3 Indiana, and 1-2 Maryland.

Of course, those predictions are based on a Rutgers team that had McConnell/Mag factored in.

I wish a tie-breaker that factored in the unbalanced schedule could be formulated. In most cases it depends heavily on who had to play on the other team's home court in an unreturned game...

 

[Loyal_2RU]

I wish a tie-breaker that factored in the unbalanced schedule could be formulated. In most cases it depends heavily on who had to play on the other team's home court in an unreturned game...

By using records within the pods and recorda gainst league leader it does reduce impact of the unbalanced schedule

 

[fluoxetine]

I wish a tie-breaker that factored in the unbalanced schedule could be formulated. In most cases it depends heavily on who had to play on the other team's home court in an unreturned game...

Possibly we’ll end up with divisions and more balanced schedules within them.

I still like 2 divisions, 22 games
Home/home against your division = 14 games
One game against other division = 8 games

Then the schedules are basically balanced within divisions and you could seed them that way (I.e each division is one side of the bracket)

Might be too many games though..

 

[jordkap]

Not true at all. A tie with Iowa, Illinois and Indiana lets days make us 1-4 and 4th between those 4 teams. Still too early to worry about tie breakers. It will depend on what teams we are tied with.

Hence why I said, if we don’t tie with Iowa

 

[RUChoppin]

Okay, so the pod has shifted....

#5 is (3-0) Illinois
#6 is (2-3) MSU
#7 is (1-1) Michigan
#8 is (1-2) Rutgers

A win vs. Michigan tomorrow would put us in a different pod with Indiana and Maryland, and possibly Illinois if they beat Northwestern.

If it's just Rutgers, Indiana, and Maryland, the order would be Rutgers (2-1), Maryland (1-1), then Indiana (1-2). Throw Illinois in there, and it goes Maryland (2-1), Indiana (3-2), Rutgers (2-2), and Illinois (2-3).

 

[ScarletDave]

Okay, so the pod has shifted....

#5 is (3-0) Illinois
#6 is (2-3) MSU
#7 is (1-1) Michigan
#8 is (1-2) Rutgers

A win vs. Michigan tomorrow would put us in a different pod with Indiana and Maryland, and possibly Illinois if they beat Northwestern.

If it's just Rutgers, Indiana, and Maryland, the order would be Rutgers (2-1), Maryland (1-1), then Indiana (1-2). Throw Illinois in there, and it goes Maryland (2-1), Indiana (3-2), Rutgers (2-2), and Illinois (2-3).

Iowa losing is great.

Now tomorrow it’s go us, and go you northwestern down the field today

Exciting

 

[motorb54]

Indiana lost Tuesday.
Iowa lost Wednesday.
Illinois hosts Northwestern today, so the Illini may get their 8th loss.
But if Northwestern loses it creates more space for Perdue to remain in first place
which would be good for us in the tie breakers. See original post.
Purdue 13-4 has Indiana, at Wisconsin, and Illinois left.
So, IMHO we should want Perdue to win all three to knock down our competitors for seed position
and to keep our win at Purdue exceptional.
It was too much to ask for Maryland to lose to Minnesota.
Now it is up to Rutgers to give Michigan their 8th loss and keep themselves in the 7 loss club.

 

[Salvi's Headband]

I'm very invested in the possibility of us finishing 5-5 on the road. Should beat Minny and then a very tough but winnable game @psu. Would be a good achievement for a team that has developed a reputation in recent years for poor road play. (of course we should really only need one more)

 

[motorb54]

Still hard to believe Northwestern has 20 wins already considering two of their games weren't played because of COVID.

??????????
Northwestern is 20-7 with 4 left. 31 games.
Rutgers is 17-10 with 4 left. 31 games.
Indiana is 19-9 with 3 left. 31 games.
31 games...etc...etc...throughout the conference

 

[RUJMM78]

??????????
Northwestern is 20-7 with 4 left. 31 games.
Rutgers is 17-10 with 4 left. 31 games.
Indiana is 19-9 with 3 left. 31 games.
31 games...etc...etc...throughout the conference

Rutgers three out of conference losses explains why Rutgers only has 17 wins plus the fiasco loss to Ohio State.