The Big Ten, Expansion, And What Might Happen

[BigdaddyQH]

The Pac 10 and the Big East are the only two BCS cnferences that play a "round robin" schedule. It matters no t in the Big East because they only have 8 teams, but the Pac 10 is a different stroy. Had they stuck to 8 conference games, instead of the 9 they have now, they may have been able to qualify 6 teams for bowl games in 2008 instead of 5. It also would afford more home games to the Pac 10. Bowl games mean money. This season every Pac 10 team plays 6 away games except 3. Arizona and Cal play 5 away games, and USC plays 7. The Pac 10 can gain 8 additional home games by simply getting rid of one conference game. That means money for the Pac 10 and their teams.

[daneblazer]

I could be wrong, but I think all this stuff has to happen before July 1st to be relevant in two years otherwise we're waiting around for 3 years for it to happen. It should make for an interesting June.

[dice]

1. Even if deals are made today, nothing will change until 2015.
2. Notre Dame really doesn't have anything to offer any conference today except the Big 10. I thought they had a chance to join the Big 10 back in the 1990s and they refused (when they had a decent football program). I still believe they'd be a good fit with the Big 10, especially since they need to add two more teams to have a championship game in football.
3. There is too much history with Nebraska and Missouri that ties them to the Big 12 North.
4. All of this talk is just about money so the schools and conferences can negotiate better deals with their current conferences.

[seaborneq]

The Pac 10 and the Big East are the only two BCS cnferences that play a "round robin" schedule. It matters no t in the Big East because they only have 8 teams, but the Pac 10 is a different stroy. Had they stuck to 8 conference games, instead of the 9 they have now, they may have been able to qualify 6 teams for bowl games in 2008 instead of 5. It also would afford more home games to the Pac 10. Bowl games mean money. This season every Pac 10 team plays 6 away games except 3. Arizona and Cal play 5 away games, and USC plays 7. The Pac 10 can gain 8 additional home games by simply getting rid of one conference game. That means money for the Pac 10 and their teams.

If they went to 9 conference games, can they not come back to 8?

[JEK]

Getting Rutgers to grab the NYC market. There isn't 5 people in NYC that care about Rutgers football.

The fact is this. The Big 10 will expand. They will take Missouri. That is as good as a done deal. They will also go after Rutgers, to grab the New York City market. If they are smart, and really want Notre Dame to join the conference, they go after Pitt and another Big East team, giving them 15 teams. That forces the ACC to expand, talking USF, West Virginia, and UConn/Syracuse. That is the death blow to the Big East. Nebraska is also being considered.

Notre Dame is tied into the Big East for all Bowl Games except a BCS game. If the Big East folds, Notre Dame HAS to join the Big 10. Their hand is forced. The Big 10 becomes the Big 16. That is one way the Irish will join a conference. The other way is for the Big East's Bowl tie-ins to get worse than they already are. Right now, the Big East #2 plays in the Champs Bowl, the #3 plays in the Meineke Bowl, the #4 plays in the Pinstripe Bowl, the #5 plays in the Papa John's Bowl, and the #6 plays in the St. Petersburg Bowl. That is the weakest of all the BCS Conference tie in's. Do the Irish really want to settle for the Champs Bowl, or another game in Yankee stadium if they do not get a BCS bid, when they could be playing in Florida on New Years Day?

Other expansion is a bit trickier. The Pac 10 will expand to at least 12 teams, but will probably hold off to see what the Big 10 does. Utah and Colorado are the two most likely teams to join, with Colorado all but officially stating that they want to go.

The Big 12 has no idea where it stands. They could lose over half the conference to expansion. Schools rumored to be targeted if a large scale expansion comes about are Missouri and Nebraska (Big 10). Colorado (Pac 10) Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State (SEC). That would be devistating. Replacements could be Houston, TCU, SMU, Rice, BYU, Tulsa, and New Mexico.

[bbar86]

ideal conference: even numbered amount of teams, around 10 or 12. not more. Notre Dame needs to join the big 10 and thats it, problem solved. none of this shuffling around of teams, im happy with they way the big 12 and SEC are structured

[Vince Lombardi]

Getting Rutgers to grab the NYC market. There isn't 5 people in NYC that care about Rutgers football.

New Jersey, New York, What's the ****in difference. I disagree totally. I may not give a damn about Rutgers football but alot of Yankees do believe it or not.

[BigdaddyQH]

The whole idea of taking Rutgers is to get the New York City market interested in Big 10 Football. If not for that, then Rotgers would not even be a consideration.

For now, what I would like to see is this. The Big 10 takes Missouri to expand to 12 teams. The Pac 10 takes Colorado and Utah to expand to 12 teams. The Big 12 takes TCU to replace Colorado. The Big East takes Buffalo, Temple (again), East Carolina and Memphis to expand to 12 teams, or they remain at 8 teams but get kicked out as a BCS Conference.

[bighank33]

i would love to see ND join the big ten, just dont think it will happen

[BigdaddyQH]

Again, it is up to the Big 10. If they take Missouri, and then grab Rutgers and Pitt, that could be a very damaging blow to the Big East, especially if the ACC decides to expand to 16 teams. Then the ACC would grab West Virginia, South Florida, UConn, and possibly one moreBig East team, spelling the end of the Big East. Since Notre Dame is tied to the Big East for all Bowl Games except a BCS Bowl, they either join the Big 10 or are left out in the cold.

[The DiB]

The whole idea of taking Rutgers is to get the New York City market interested in Big 10 Football. If not for that, then Rotgers would not even be a consideration.

For now, what I would like to see is this. The Big 10 takes Missouri to expand to 12 teams. The Pac 10 takes Colorado and Utah to expand to 12 teams. The Big 12 takes TCU to replace Colorado. The Big East takes Buffalo, Temple (again), East Carolina and Memphis to expand to 12 teams, or they remain at 8 teams but get kicked out as a BCS Conference.

You think the Big East takes those 4 for basketball too?

You're looking at a 20 team conference if they do. I'm sure Memphis would be all over that.

[Kustac]

Memphis, Buffalo etc. this is getting way too complicated

[BigdaddyQH]

You think the Big East takes those 4 for basketball too?

You're looking at a 20 team conference if they do. I'm sure Memphis would be all over that.

No. The Big East dumps some of it's hoops programs. De Paul and Marquette for sure.