In 2010, the Big Ten Schedule Will Have It Right

Football has become an integral part of Thanksgiving traditions all across America. The games are a welcome diversion from all the hoopla, shopping, and gatherings that tend to tax a person's patience. It sure would be nice if those of us in Big Ten country could watch some of the best rivalries over the long holiday weekend.

Starting in 2010, the Big Ten will finally catch up with the rest of the BCS conferences.  The conference allows teams to play non-conference games after Thanksgiving. Illinois will play not once, but twice after Thanksgiving this year. The majority of the league ended its regular season last week, however.

Some of the biggest rivalries are played Thanksgiving weekend.  The Big 12 is loaded with marquee matchups every year.  Mizzou/Kansas, Oklahoma/Oklahoma State, Texas versus Texas A&M, just to name a few.  The Big Ten has been really missing out. 

A major part of the conference's decision not to allow teams to schedule conference opponents after Thanksgiving was the fear of inclement weather, citing 1950's Ohio State/Michigan game, which became known as The Snow Bowl.  The Snow Bowl was played in blizzard conditions in Columbus, OH.  By the end of the first quarter, there was more than five inches of snow on the ground and the wind gusted to 40 mph.

That type of weather isn't going to be the norm though.  For every year that the weather is going to be miserable, there are going to be 10 seasons where the conditions are going to be more than tolerable for both the fans and the players.

The Big Ten's decision to extend the conference schedule past Thanksgiving certainly has its pros and cons.  Coaches have argued that they really liked the opportunity it gave their players to go home for a long Thanksgiving weekend.  After a long season, it's nice to be able to give the team a break. 

One way or another, the team gets a break following the regular season anyway.  Extending the conference season by one week helps with scheduling.  It gives teams bye week during every season.  Other major conferences enjoy the luxury of a bye week, it's time for the Big 10 to catch up.

Another plus that I can see is the influx of dollars to the home school's economy.  Iowa's fan base traditionally travels very well. I'm certain hotels, restaurants, and shopping malls around the Twin Cities will gladly accommodate the thousands of Hawkeye fans that will infiltrate the metro area following Thanksgiving in 2010. 

If the weather is bad, you can't control that.  The odds of inclement weather increase week by week as we move toward winter, but one week really wouldn't make that much difference. In fact, the weather in October overall was much worse than it was during November.

Football's the one sport where weather can really have a significant effect on the game.  Many fans embrace that fact.  If it rains, they don't put a tarp over the field and hide the players under a roof.  The game goes on and the coaches have to adjust.  That's what makes it great.

It just makes too much sense for the Big Ten to play conference games after Thanksgiving and frankly I'm sorry that the conference didn't see fit to allow schools to work these games into their schedules sooner.  Maybe the permanent bye week will help the conference perform a little better in the bowl games from now one.  Time will tell.