Big Ten Expansion Talks

[Bluegrass Hoops Report]

The Big Ten Conference released a statement at 4 p.m. today that they will explore the possibility of an expansion from 11 to 12 teams in the next 12 to 18 months. Rumors are swirling around Louisville and Notre Dame, but the leading candidates will likely be Pittsburgh and Missouri.

 

Click here for the full story.

[FairFan]

I don't see ND joining a conference soon, but I would love to see them finally add another. Louisville will be kinda cool.

[TheDeuce]

IMO it would be dumb for Louisville to leave the Big East for the Big 11.

[formerkywrestler]

IMO it would be dumb for Louisville to leave the Big East for the Big 11.

Agreed.

[UKMustangFan]

Wouldn't it make more sense to get a school that isn't in the BCS conferences that is able to compete with some of the "big boys" both in football and basketball? Someone like a Central Michigan, an ECU, or someone like that?

 

Also, an outside the box idea....Northern Iowa. They are D-II in football right now, but have shown the ability to compete with the likes of other Big Ten teams in both football and basketball. :idunno:

[gametime]

Wouldn't it make more sense to get a school that isn't in the BCS conferences that is able to compete with some of the "big boys" both in football and basketball? Someone like a Central Michigan, an ECU, or someone like that?

 

At the end of the day it's about adding in bigger markets and making more money. CMU, ECU and the like do nothing to add to that formula. If they are serious about this, look for Rutgers to be the main target IMO...

[John Anthony]

This will be fun for the next 12 months. :popcorn:

 

Rutgers and the Cuse are targets.

 

Pitt is somewhere on the radar but that would really hurt the BEAST.

 

Some want to try to lure Texas back into the mid 90's chat. Don't see that happening.

 

ND isn't giving up their NBC money.

 

What makes sense to me is Missouri joining, then giving Boise St or TCU a shot at the Big 12.

[LCPATS]

Mizzou, Nebraska, Iowa St, Pitt, Rutgers.

 

One of those 5 IMO.

[CatsCatsCats]

Missouri would be great IMO. TCU to the Big 12, Boise should be in the Pac 10 IMO along with either Utah or BYU. Big East really can't expand because of Basketball, but maybe some schools could be added for just football I guess.

[The Professor]

The Big 10 is mostly big market/fan based state universities. I would think Missouri would fit what they are looking for more than any of the schools listed, with the exception of Notre Dame, who will not choose to join due to their football contract with NBC. Rutgers is a possibility as well, the only big university in New Jersey, but they just don't seem like a Big 10 fit to me.

[CincySportsFan]

Just for giggles...let's say that Missouri is the team that joins. Now, they have to divide up the 12 into two divisions. If they did it geographically, there could be two possibilities....a North-South, or an East-West.

 

"North"..................................."South"

Minnesota..............................Penn State

Wisonsin................................Ohio State

Northwestern..........................Indiana

Iowa......................................Purdue

Michigan.................................Illinois

Michigan St.............................Missouri

 

 

"East"...................................."West"

Penn St.................................Minnesota

Ohio St..................................Wisconsin

Michigan.................................Northwestern

Michigan St.............................Missouri

Indiana...................................Iowa

Purdue....................................Illinois

 

Gonna be tough in distributing the wealth of power around, and yet not disrupt a lot of the historical rivals. And could you ever put Michigan and Ohio State in opposite divisions, where they could play each other in the final game of the regular season, and then potentially turn around and play each other for the conference title?

Edited December 16, 2009 by CincySportsFan
column spacing

[The Professor]

Just for giggles...let's say that Missouri is the team that joins. Now, they have to divide up the 12 into two divisions. If they did it geographically, there could be two possibilities....a North-South, or an East-West.

 

"North"..................................."South"

Minnesota..............................Penn State

Wisonsin................................Ohio State

Northwestern..........................Indiana

Iowa......................................Purdue

Michigan.................................Illinois

Michigan St.............................Missouri

 

 

"East"...................................."West"

Penn St.................................Minnesota

Ohio St..................................Wisconsin

Michigan.................................Northwestern

Michigan St.............................Missouri

Indiana...................................Iowa

Purdue....................................Illinois

 

Gonna be tough in distributing the wealth of power around, and yet not disrupt a lot of the historical rivals. And could you ever put Michigan and Ohio State in opposite divisions, where they could play each other in the final game of the regular season, and then potentially turn around and play each other for the conference title?

Your "East-West" division would seem more likely, and make more sense imo.

[CincySportsFan]

Your "East-West" division would seem more likely, and make more sense imo.

 

It just seems to me that the "East" would dominate the "West" on a fairly regular basis. The three teams that are usually perennial favorites are Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State...all of which would be in the same division.

 

Now, granted, Michigan's been down the past two years. But, historically they're much more likely to contend that Minnesota or Illinois.

[goldendomer57]

ND would make the Big 10 THAT much more intresting. The average college football fan would definetly watch an annual ND vs. OSU, and PSU.

 

Plus, ND would give the Big 10 a nice boost in income.

[John Anthony]

Just for giggles...let's say that Missouri is the team that joins. Now, they have to divide up the 12 into two divisions. If they did it geographically, there could be two possibilities....a North-South, or an East-West.

 

"North"..................................."South"

Minnesota..............................Penn State

Wisonsin................................Ohio State

Northwestern..........................Indiana

Iowa......................................Purdue

Michigan.................................Illinois

Michigan St.............................Missouri

 

 

"East"...................................."West"

Penn St.................................Minnesota

Ohio St..................................Wisconsin

Michigan.................................Northwestern

Michigan St.............................Missouri

Indiana...................................Iowa

Purdue....................................Illinois

 

Gonna be tough in distributing the wealth of power around, and yet not disrupt a lot of the historical rivals. And could you ever put Michigan and Ohio State in opposite divisions, where they could play each other in the final game of the regular season, and then potentially turn around and play each other for the conference title?

 

This would cause an uprising in Columbus and Ann Arbor. They would have to be in the same division.