The best way to do it is four pods, two with four teams and two with three teams. Sounds crazy but it would work well to preserve all key rivalries and also increases the frequency of games for teams within geographical proximity.
North – MN WI NE IA
South - NW IL PU IN
Central - MI OS MS
East - PS RU MD
Every year, each team in a four-team pod would play the other three teams within its pod, all of the teams in one of the three-team pods and two teams in the other four-team pod. Using Minny as an example, in Year One MN would play WI NE IA + MI OS MS + NW IL.
The following year MN would again play WI NE IA + all of the teams in the other three-team pod PS RU MD + the other two teams from the South Pod, PU IN. In Year Three the schedule returns to the Year One format.
In Year One a team in a three-team pod would play the other two teams within its pod, all of the teams in one of the four-team pods and two teams in the other three-team pod. Using Penn State as an example, in Year One PS would play RU MD + NW IL PU IN + MI MS.
The following year PS would play RU MD + MN WI NE IA + MS OS. And in Year Three PS would play RU MD + NW IL PU IN + MI OS. In Year Four the PS schedule is RU MD + MN WI NE IA + MI MS.
The way this works out, each team in a four-team pod plays the other schools within its pod with 100% frequency and all other teams in the B1G with 50% frequency. Each team in a three-team pod would play the other two schools within its pod with 100% frequency, each team in the other three-team pod with 67% frequency and the other eight teams in the conference with 50% frequency.
North – MN WI NE IA
South - NW IL PU IN
Central - MI OS MS
East - PS RU MD
Every year, each team in a four-team pod would play the other three teams within its pod, all of the teams in one of the three-team pods and two teams in the other four-team pod. Using Minny as an example, in Year One MN would play WI NE IA + MI OS MS + NW IL.
The following year MN would again play WI NE IA + all of the teams in the other three-team pod PS RU MD + the other two teams from the South Pod, PU IN. In Year Three the schedule returns to the Year One format.
In Year One a team in a three-team pod would play the other two teams within its pod, all of the teams in one of the four-team pods and two teams in the other three-team pod. Using Penn State as an example, in Year One PS would play RU MD + NW IL PU IN + MI MS.
The following year PS would play RU MD + MN WI NE IA + MS OS. And in Year Three PS would play RU MD + NW IL PU IN + MI OS. In Year Four the PS schedule is RU MD + MN WI NE IA + MI MS.
The way this works out, each team in a four-team pod plays the other schools within its pod with 100% frequency and all other teams in the B1G with 50% frequency. Each team in a three-team pod would play the other two schools within its pod with 100% frequency, each team in the other three-team pod with 67% frequency and the other eight teams in the conference with 50% frequency.