... 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 during Thanksgiving break.

"The longer a season goes on,"...

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