There are only 12 guaranteed protected matchups within the new format that will be played annually starting next year:
- Illinois-Northwestern (Land of Lincoln)
- Illinois-Purdue (Purdue Cannon)
- Indiana-Purdue (Old Oaken Bucket)
- Iowa-Minnesota (Floyd of Rosedale)
- Iowa-Nebraska (Heroes Trophy)
- Iowa-Wisconsin (Heartland Trophy)
- Maryland-Rutgers (An Annual Football Game That’s Not Even Worthy of a Name)
- Michigan-Ohio State (The Game)
- Michigan-Michigan State (Paul Bunyan Trophy)
- Minnesota-Wisconsin (Paul Bunyan's Axe)
- Oregon-Washington (Paul Bunyan’s Ox—OK, I made that one up but it’s in keeping with the theme)
- UCLA-USC (Victory Bell)
Of the 12, Iowa is in three, and Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue and Wisconsin two each. Of the 24 teams in those 12 games, 13 are currently in the B1G West, seven are in the B1G East, and four are in the PAC-12. It almost feels as if the B1G threw the B1G West schools a bone to help them be competitive by allowing its mid-tier programs to keep playing each other.
A few rivalries were not extended but those games haven’t been played regularly, anyway, but now that there aren’t divisions, their frequency should actually pick up, e.g., Illibuck (Illinois-Ohio State) and the Brown Jug (Michigan-Minnesota).
Meanwhile, in no surprise to anyone, Penn State is officially no one’s rival, not just not Ohio State’s.
