Off-field Issues - Week 1

Welcome to the first edition of Off-field issues where I cover what is happening off the field during the season in three parts.

1. BYU is going independent - My first thought was are they insane and I was readying a post about how crazy it all seemed, then I saw the eight-year deal with ESPN and the series with Notre Dame confirmed and rethought the insanity of it. Instead, I see this as a play to keep up with Utah and nothing more. The big surprise is the ruthlessness of it all. For those following it, the normally morally upstanding Mormons have seemingly back stabbed two conferences and 16 other schools to get this done. I don't have space to cover it here but MWC Connection and the Salt Lake Tribune have done a very good job chronicling this mess.

2. Ohio St. and Michigan are in different divisions - The Big Ten has lost its mind. Ohio St. and Michigan have been split up and tradition sabotaged over a few extra dollars. While I don't agree with splitting them, if it had to be done, the game should have been moved from its season ending perch to avoid the chance of a rematch the next week. I still don't understand why an east-west geographic split wouldn't work here. Nebraska-Iowa-Wisconsin while not Penn St.-Ohio St.-Michigan historically are still better than the Big 12 North ever was and with one protected game, all rivalries could have been preserved. The Big Ten has repeated the ACC's mistakes.

3. North Carolina is in big-time trouble - Marvin Austin has been suspended indefinitely for his role in agent gate. No shock there. Many other players are uncertain about their status because of alleged academic fraud. Considering the newly bloodthirsty NCAA, the Tar Heels have big problems and they didn't even win big to make it all worth their while.