The big change in the Big Ten is the move to the nine-game conference schedule. What doesnt 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.Iowas amazing 12-0 regular season in 2015 notwithstanding, this looks like another year when the West will play in the Easts considerable shadow.The Big Ten attempted to create balance when it split into divisions with Nebraskas entry in 2011. The Legends and Leaders monikers went by the wayside after three years, replaced by the geographical East-West alignment.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.The year before, Ohio State won the national championship and Michigan State was No. 6 in the final AP poll, with Wisconsin the highest West team at No. 13. The East won the last two Big Ten championship games, with the folks in Wisconsin still smarting from the 59-0 beat-down administered by Ohio State in 2014.Commissioner Jim Delany said shuffling the divisions is not in the plans.Things are a little cyclical, he said. I mean, if you look at other conferences who have experimented much longer than we have, you had a 10- or 12-year run by the eastern group in the SEC and then a 15- , 10-, 12-year run by the West. It looks like the (SEC) East is getting stronger.We have some great programs in the West who have won national championships, that have won big bowls, that have found themselves in the top five and 10 rankings in the country, have great coaches, great resources, great brands. So I suspect over time there would be parity.The Big Ten will join the Pac-12 and Big 12 in playing nine-game conference schedules. SEC and ACC teams each play eight league games.THE FAVORITESEast DivisionUrban Meyer has a bevy of talented reinforcements ready to step to the fore after the NFL plucked a record number of players from Ohio State.J.T. Barrett has the quarterbacks job all to himself, finally, and can hurt defenses in a variety of ways and redshirt freshman Mike Weber is ready to step in at running back. The receiving corps and offensive line are retooling. The strength of the defense is at linebacker, where Raekwon McMillan made a team-high 119 tackles.Michigan continues is rise under Jim Harbaugh, and the Wolverines are contenders to win the Big Ten and figure in the playoff picture if they can end their four-game losing skid to Ohio State. The offensive line and receivers are set. All the Wolverines need to do is settle on a quarterback. New defensive coordinator Don Brown inherits key pieces to what was one of the nations best units.Michigan State won the East and went to the playoff after ending Ohio States 30-game conference win streak in Columbus. The inclination would be to expect the Spartans to take a step back because of key departures on offense. Dont count them out, though. The defense is loaded, and the Ohio State and Michigan games are at home.West DivisionIowa turned into the darling of college football with its 12-0 regular season, and the Hawkeyes have the schedule and returning personnel to win the division again. Quarterback C.J. Beathard, most of the top running backs and several key receivers are back, and All-America cornerback Desmond King is among eight returning starters on defense.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.Northwestern returns workhorse running back Justin Jackson from a team that won 10 games despite averaging fewer than 20 points. Wisconsin gets running back Corey Clement back from injury, but the Badgers are unsettled at quarterback and they play one of the most brutal schedules in the country.TOP PLAYERSMichigans Jabrill Peppers is a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate. Hes listed at linebacker after primarily being a safety in 2015, but he has proved he can play about any position on either side of the ball.Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett also could get into the Heisman conversation. He won back the starters job in the eighth game and is the Buckeyes undisputed leader.Iowa CB Desmond King is among the nations top defenders after intercepting eight passes.Michigan State DL Malik McDowell goes into his junior season with 17 of his 56 career tackles having gone for losses.NEW FACESChris Ash, the former Ohio State defensive coordinator, takes over a Rutgers program that has lost 12 of 16 Big Ten games in its two years in the conference.D.J. Durkin, the former Michigan defensive coordinator, is in charge at Maryland, where facilities improvements and UnderArmour money should enhance the Terrapins chances of winning after going 5-11 in the conference through two seasons.Lovie Smith, the new Illinois coach, hasnt worked at the college level since 1995, but he brings fresh perspective and NFL cache to a program that has finished above .500 only twice since the 2007 team went to the Rose Bowl.ON THE HOT SEATPurdue coach Darrell Hazell, whose three-year record is 6-30 overall and 2-22 in the Big Ten. He probably kept his job after last season only because the administration didnt want to pay $6.6 million to buy out a contract that runs to 2018.PICKSEast: Ohio State. West: Iowa. League champion: Ohio State. Scarpe Nike Online Prezzi Bassi .Y. - New York City has been selected to host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2015, with the game played at Madison Square Garden and the slam dunk contest and other skills events held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Scarpe Nike Edizione Limitata . -- PGA TOUR Canada member Steve Saunders took a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Web. http://www.scontatescarpe.it/ . The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. Scarpe Nike Scontate . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. Scarpe Scontate Nike . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. SEATTLE -- When the calendar turns to November, Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks get going.In each of the past five seasons, the Seahawks have posted a winning record once November arrives. Since 2012 when Russell Wilson landed in Seattle, the Seahawks are a combined 28-6 over the final two months of the regular season.With that history, the Seahawks are looking to start another second-half run when they host the Buffalo Bills on Monday night.I count on it now. I count on us improving and playing better as we get down the stretch and the closer we get to the finish the better we want to play, Carroll said. Thats kind of how weve constructed our mentality.Seattle is in the unfamiliar situation of going two straight weeks without a win after a tie that felt like a loss two weeks ago, followed by last weeks loss at New Orleans.The previous time Seattle went three straight games without a win was the 2011 season -- also the most recent time the Seahawks didnt make the playoffs.But this matchup -- the first time Buffalo is traveling to Seattle since 2004 -- has even more importance for the Bills. Having dropped two straight after a promising 4-2 start, including last weeks home loss to New England, the Bills dont have much leeway left.Its definitely a big road game for us and just a big game for the season, Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor said. Guys are definitely excited for the opportunity to go out there and show what we could do, and showcase it in front of the world.Buffalo may get running back LeSean McCoy back after missing last weeks game with a hamstring injury, but the Bills could be without standout defensive tackle Marcel Darius after suffering a groin injury against New England.Injuries have defined much of Buffalos season.Weve got to win this game, McCoy said. My main concern is how I feel each day at practice, getting treatment, mentally and physically. Thats what matters most right now.Heres what else to watch:GROUND STOP: The once-vaunted run game of the Seahawks continues to be stuck in neutral.Seattle enters the week 28th in the NFL, averaging just 81.4 yards per game. At its current pace, that would be the worst average in Seattle history for a 16-game season.Last season through seven games, even with Marshawn Lynch limited by injuries, the Seahawks were averaging 143.2 yards per game rushing.While Christine Michael has been inconsistent as the primary running back, the biggest culprit is the lack of running from Wilson, who has just 44 yards rushing through seven games.ddddddddddddGROUND FORCE: Buffalos run game has been the key to its offensive success this season.In their four victories, the Bills have rushed for 847 yards, thanks largely to the running of McCoy. In the four losses, the Bills have run for only 385 total yards.Surprisingly, this may be a week for the Bills to get their run game going. Seattle has allowed a 100-yard rusher in two straight games and three of the past five. The Seahawks had gone 24 straight games without allowing a 100-yard rusher until Carlos Hyde reached that mark in Week 3.I think youve got to be patient with our running game because like we say, that team is very athletic, Ryan said.WATCH THE FLAGS: Seattle was penalized 11 times last week against New Orleans. But the Seahawks seemed most upset about a pair of non-calls on New Orleans for possible offensive pass interference that led to a pair of key receptions, one of them a touchdown.Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman said the league told the team both of those plays should have been penalties.We probably lead the league in NFL apologies the next day, Sherman said.HES BACK: Buffalo has suffered so many injuries at wide receiver, it was forced to bring Percy Harvin out of retirement earlier this week.And just in time to possibly face one of his former teams.Im self-motivated regardless of what team it is and who Im playing against, Harvin said. I just want to be the best I can be and play at the level I know I can. So, playing a team doesnt really matter to me.Harvin had an eventful 1+ seasons with Seattle that included hip surgery, internal conflicts with teammates, a memorable kickoff return touchdown in the Super Bowl and ultimately a stunning midseason trade to the New York Jets when it was clear Harvin was being more divisive than helpful.Harvin played in five games last season for Buffalo and had 19 catches for 218 yards and one touchdown.MONDAY NIGHT MAGIC: Seattles been very good under Carroll in primetime games, going 15-3-1.Going beyond Carrolls arrival in 2010, the Seahawks have been dominant on Monday nights.The Seahawks bring a 10-game win streak on Mondays into this weeks game. Their previous Monday night loss came on Dec. 6, 2004, a 43-39 loss at home to Dallas.Seattle is 22-8 on Monday nights, a .733 winning percentage.---AP NFL website: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '