New look Big Ten

I have to admit, there were some mixed feelings on my end when the new Big Ten football schedule was released for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. 
With USC and UCLA set to join the conference and make it a 16-team mega-group, there will no longer be an east and west division.
The conference protected some rivalries, but others will go by the wayside. 
It looks as if the Black Friday showdown with Iowa will remain, about the only thing either side of the Missouri River can agree on. 
I have no issue with that and remain confident in coach Matt Rhule’s opportunity to turn that last weekend in November into a Red beatdown. 
What we won’t see on a yearly basis anymore, at least in the regular season, is a brawl with Wisconsin.
I don’t need reminded we haven’t defeated Wisconsin since 2012. But, I really felt the rivalry.
I’ve sat in the frozen pit known as Camp Randall, prying myself off the canvas after multiple excruciating defeats only to drown my sorrow in the beautiful gold, adult liquid known only as Spotted Cow. 
Attending games at Wisconsin is great and a trip my friends and I have enjoyed the last decade into the great, white north. 
As for what those Big Ten schedules look like, Nebraska will get the opportunity to go from the Pacific to the Atlantic Oceans. 
The Huskers will play at Penn State while also visiting UCLA in the Rose Bowl in 2024. 
In 2025, Nebraska will visit USC in Los Angeles while also travelling to Maryland. Ohio State, too, by the way. 
As one may have expected, the Huskers will have to play both California teams in the first two seasons. Heck, we’re the closest team geographically, which is just wild. 
The last time Nebraska played in Pasadena, the Huskers lost a 36-30 game in 2012. I’m sure former Husky Andrew Rodriguez still can’t stand that one. 
Don’t forget about the last time we played at USC in 2006, either, when the Huskers were boatraced, 28-10.
There was also the night in 2007, with College Gameday in town and a prime time audience when USC blitzed the Huskers, 49-31. In fact, Nebraska has never beaten USC in football. 
You’re welcome for that. My day was ruined reading that, too. 
Nebraska has had better luck against UCLA, winning seven of the 13 games, including the most recent in the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl, the last time the Huskers played a bowl game. 
That’s more positive, right?
I’m not here to complain about the schedule, though. It’s supposed to be difficult. If the Big Ten wants to be known as college football’s premier conference, then there’s no whining about playing Ohio State, USC, Michigan, etc. 
Strap up and play. 
I mentioned the protected rivalry games before. Those are Michigan-Ohio State, UCLA-USC, Minnesota-Wisconsin, Indiana-Purdue, Michigan State-Michigan, Iowa-Minnesota, Illinois-Northwestern, Iowa-Nebraska, Maryland-Rutgers, Iowa-Wisconsin and Illinois-Purdue.
What will be interesting in the years to follow is deciding who plays in the Big Ten championship game. The two top teams will do it, but there are going to be some wild tiebreakers at some point. 
RICHARD RHODEN can be reached at sports@hamilton.net.