For the last two years, the majority of Big Ten teams have played uninterrupted seasons of football, kicking off in late August or September and not quitting until the weekend before Thanksgiving.

That's meant playing without a bye week, a crucial period that provides time off for injured players to heal, coaches to reach out to recruits, a chance for teams to add new plays on offense and defense, while spending a little extra time preparing for their next opponent.

The Big Ten clings to its traditions more feverishly than any other conference, whether or not those traditions are wise from a national standpoint. This particular tradition goes back to the conference's wary feelings about having athletes continue to play duri...

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