Michigan Football: 3 Possibilities for a 10-game only Big Ten schedule

Another Big Ten West opponent

After looking at some of the schedules in the Big Ten, two teams that would make sense for Michigan football to play if another West Division team was added for a 10th game would be Minnesota and Iowa.

Just like with Michigan State and Ohio State, Iowa and Minnesota are both playing five home games already. Minnesota is hosting Michigan, but the Golden Gophers would make a return trip.

P.J. Fleck vs Jim Harbaugh would be fun to watch a couple of times and each program has aspirations of contending in their respective divisions this season. Adding an extra out-of-division game might be the most fair approach.

While playing Ohio State twice could give Michigan another chance in the Big Ten East standings, it would also make the schedule more difficult, as the only team scheduled twice against the Buckeyes.

No solution will be perfect, but if the decision is to play another non-division opponent, Michigan hosting Iowa or Minnesota are pretty much it in terms of options within the current schedule framework.

Purdue and Wisconsin both play at the Big House already, ruling them out. Nebraska, Illinois and Northwestern only have four home games, so they wouldn’t be a fit either.