UNDATED (AP) – The big change in the Big Ten this coming football season is the move to a 9-game conference schedule. What doesn’t figure to change is the dominance of the East Division.  Ohio State, Michigan and defending champion Michigan State all are positioned to make runs at being national top-10 teams, if not College Football Playoff contenders.

Last season, Michigan State went to the playoff and was joined by fellow East members Ohio State and Michigan among the top 12 teams in the final Top 25. Iowa, at No. 9, was the only West team among the top dozen. Commissioner Jim Delany says shuffling the divisions is not in the plans. He terms the East’s recent dominance of the conference a “little cyclical.” Iowa is the favorite heading into the season to win the conference’s eastern division.

Nebraska had five losses by five points or less, but a bowl win over UCLA left the Cornhuskers with a positive vibe coming out of a 6-7 first season under Mike Riley. If the Huskers can split back-to-back road games against Wisconsin and Ohio State, their Nov. 25 game at Iowa might decide the West.