Big 10 Question

[BigMac1212]

What should be a permanent East-West matchup, outside Indiana-Purdue? If I had my way: Michigan-Minnesota should be one of them.

What are yours?

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[No Fun Shogun]

The end result would just be everyone in one division wanting to play one or two teams in the other division and most teams getting stuck with some random rivalry that's not real. I personally would prefer just cycling through the other division as they're supposedly doing to ensure that I get to see the Illini play everyone every few years.

 

[ecemleafs]

i dont see a need for protected crossovers. the big rivals are in the same division. just cycle through the rest every year.

 

[member 51464]

Any thoughts who they bring in in the next expansion wave?

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Any thoughts who they bring in in the next expansion wave?

If there is another expansion I can almost guarantee they're going to try to lure Georgia Tech for the Atlanta market. After that they would probably hope for one of the North Carolina schools (UNC, NC State, Duke). Maybe Virginia but that would've been more likely before Maryland joined. If they want to add a team to the West, Kansas would probably be the likeliest option but other than basketball, there's not much to like about them.

 

[John Price]

I don't know if expansion is necessary the additions of the latest teams (MD and Rutgers) already drew significant ire from B10 faithful

Imagine the rage if 2 or 4 more teams were added

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

The main problem with expansion is already that it doesn't even really feel like a conference anymore. Nebraska will play at the Big House, what, once a decade?

The divisional rotation also means you get some hilariously uneven conference schedules where some teams will avoid Michigan, OSU and MSU or PSU in given years and instead get to feed on the likes of Maryland, Rutgers and Indiana.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

My hunch for the next wave of Big Ten expansion is two of the following four schools, and likely all four eventually:

Virginia (or Virginia Tech)
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
UConn

Big Ten's all about expanding their market footprint, and making a move into New England and the coastal South is really their only option at this point. I don't think they really have any real options further west due to their smaller market sizes, the only interior South school of similar academic standing is Vanderbilt and there's no way they're leaving the SEC, and I think that the ship has thankfully sailed on Notre Dame.

Come to think of it, Boston College might actually make sense as well, as that's another major market and further expansion into New England. Plus, provides one helluva powerhouse to their hockey conference. Hmmm....

I still think that the Big Ten made a mistake with Rutgers and missed the boat not going after Syracuse and especially Mizzou.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

My hunch for the next wave of Big Ten expansion is two of the following four schools, and likely all four eventually:

Virginia (or Virginia Tech)
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
UConn

Big Ten's all about expanding their market footprint, and making a move into New England and the coastal South is really their only option at this point. I don't think they really have any real options further west due to their smaller market sizes, the only interior South school of similar academic standing is Vanderbilt and there's no way they're leaving the SEC, and I think that the ship has thankfully sailed on Notre Dame.

Come to think of it, Boston College might actually make sense as well, as that's another major market and further expansion into New England. Plus, provides one helluva powerhouse to their hockey conference. Hmmm....

I still think that the Big Ten made a mistake with Rutgers and missed the boat not going after Syracuse and especially Mizzou.

Would Syracuse have given them the NYC market or just upstate NY? Anyways, Syracuse isn't an AAU school and likely wouldn't get an invite because of that.

The list of AAU schools that could be willing to switch conferences.

Georgia Tech
Iowa State
Kansas
Tulane
Duke
UNC
Pittsburgh
Virginia

 

[member 51464]

I am a KU alumn for one of my degrees, so I am biased. But it is interesting to try to pick the best pairing there. What is most important?

1. Football.
2. Academics
3. Basketball

Hard to pick a solid pairing that makes sense considering who is already there. Since they already have Iowa, adding ISU doesn't seem to add much. Adding two of 3 between KU/UNC/Duke would be cool if basketball mattered. But KU football is a dumpster fire right now, and I don't know that they need two NC schools. Hmm.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

I am a KU alumn for one of my degrees, so I am biased. But it is interesting to try to pick the best pairing there. What is most important?

1. Football.
2. Academics
3. Basketball

Hard to pick a solid pairing that makes sense considering who is already there. Since they already have Iowa, adding ISU doesn't seem to add much. Adding two of 3 between KU/UNC/Duke would be cool if basketball mattered. But KU football is a dumpster fire right now, and I don't know that they need two NC schools. Hmm.

You left out Georgia Tech which would be the #1 team recruited by the Big Ten. After that there would be one spot for KU, UNC, Duke, Virginia, Iowa State, Pitt and Tulane with one of the North Carolina teams being the clear favorite for the conference.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

I hope the big ten doesnt expand and grab any of those schools.

I could settle with Boston college. and maybe, Virginia tech. but I don't like any of those other schools you guys mentioned. Duke is alright. But it's better for them in the ACC

 

[nyrleetch]

What should be a permanent East-West matchup, outside Indiana-Purdue? If I had my way: Michigan-Minnesota should be one of them.

What are yours?

Michigan State/Wisconsin has had a lot of fun games over the years.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

My hunch for the next wave of Big Ten expansion is two of the following four schools, and likely all four eventually:

Virginia (or Virginia Tech)
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
UConn

Big Ten's all about expanding their market footprint, and making a move into New England and the coastal South is really their only option at this point. I don't think they really have any real options further west due to their smaller market sizes, the only interior South school of similar academic standing is Vanderbilt and there's no way they're leaving the SEC, and I think that the ship has thankfully sailed on Notre Dame.

Come to think of it, Boston College might actually make sense as well, as that's another major market and further expansion into New England. Plus, provides one helluva powerhouse to their hockey conference. Hmmm....

I still think that the Big Ten made a mistake with Rutgers and missed the boat not going after Syracuse and especially Mizzou.

I'll buy Connecticut, but I can't see any of the others ditching. VT especially seems SEC or nothing.

 

[ecemleafs]

i doubt the b1g has any interest in new england schools. i dont see expansion in the near future but if they were to go after any schools it would be 2 of virginia, texas, unc, notre dame, georgia tech. if BU were good at football theyd be a smart get being a large AAU school in a big market but football is king.

noticed that the university of toronto and mcgill are AAU schools. maybe they can be invited as associate members for hockey? the b1g did this with john hopkins for lacrosse.

 

[Fro]

My hunch for the next wave of Big Ten expansion is two of the following four schools, and likely all four eventually:

Virginia (or Virginia Tech)
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
UConn

Big Ten's all about expanding their market footprint, and making a move into New England and the coastal South is really their only option at this point. I don't think they really have any real options further west due to their smaller market sizes, the only interior South school of similar academic standing is Vanderbilt and there's no way they're leaving the SEC, and I think that the ship has thankfully sailed on Notre Dame.

Come to think of it, Boston College might actually make sense as well, as that's another major market and further expansion into New England. Plus, provides one helluva powerhouse to their hockey conference. Hmmm....

I still think that the Big Ten made a mistake with Rutgers and missed the boat not going after Syracuse and especially Mizzou.

I expect Texas will be in there somewhere...it seems like a match made in heaven...

 

[mouser]

Texas is probably too attached to their own TV network.

Duke is just too small imo. It would be the smallest school in the B1G by a sizable margin.

The ship has sailed on Notre Dame. With the success of the B1G Network there's less incentive now to add ND since it doesn't extend the footprint of the network.

New York is something of an anomaly due to the restrictions on public university sports spending. I could see how Rutgers might be a longer term play to capturing some of that huge combined market if they became relevant in the big sports.

The schools that make the most sense at this time are probably UNC, Virginia and Georgia Tech.

 

[John Price]

None of them would ever leave the ACC though

The notion of Carolina leaving the ACC would cause literal riots in NC

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Don't underestimate how much money that the Big Ten can toss around when enticing programs to join.

Texas is an interesting option, and there's no denying that they fit academically and open up a huge market for the Big Ten, but Texas is more or less used to running their own show in their conferences and the Big Ten wouldn't nearly kowtow to them as much as Texas is accustomed to. Plus, the Big Ten would want to kill the Longhorn Network to get the BTN in that state, and I doubt that Texas would go for that. If the Big Twelve collapses at any point, Texas is actually an institution that I'd anticipate going independent more than anything else, to be quite honest. I'd almost say that Oklahoma was a more intriguing option for the Big Ten than Texas.

As for other Big Twelve schools, it's all about what they bring in market wise. Kansas basketball might be enough for them to be an attractive option for the conference, but Iowa State, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State would either be marginal double-dipping in a state that they already control or second pickle in a state they may or may not want to go into in the first place.

 

[John Price]

ACC is just as big as Delaney. Unc would never leave the ACC. Way too much history.

Unc is so wedded to the ACC that ACC basketball is literally Unc and Duke and everyone else. It's why Unc is probably going to get off Scott free from sanctions. Huge Titan of the ACC. Leaving the ACC to go to the big ten?

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I'd agree that UNC leaving by itself is nonsensical, but the scenario I'm imagining in the future is more of a mass poaching type of situation. If, for instance, the SEC took a run at NC State and Virginia Tech and the Big Ten took a run at Virginia and Georgia Tech (or BC or Syracuse or heck even Clemson), there might be a sinking ship situation where UNC leaving as part of a package deal makes more sense.

But fair point regarding the entrenchment of the institution. That might very well put them in the camp of an institution that the Big Ten is interested in but ends up expanding around instead.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Dear god. Conferences need to retract...not expand. Why have a conference of everyone doesn't play everyone?

 

[ecemleafs]

ACC is just as big as Delaney. Unc would never leave the ACC. Way too much history.

Unc is so wedded to the ACC that ACC basketball is literally Unc and Duke and everyone else. It's why Unc is probably going to get off Scott free from sanctions. Huge Titan of the ACC. Leaving the ACC to go to the big ten?

maryland was the same but joined the b1g. unc and duke could still play eachother in basketball every year.

 

[John Price]

maryland was the same but joined the b1g. unc and duke could still play eachother in basketball every year.

Maryland was a basketball school yes but MD divorced themselves from the ACC. They were tired of perceived bias and the "Carolina conference".

I really need to emphasize here the major part unc had played in the ACC. Them leaving is totally not possible. There is too much history and too many benefits. ACC has very deep Carolina roots.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

I have literally no idea what the B1G has been up to in recent years. Of all the schools they could have added, Maryland, Nebraska and Rutgers would all have been at the absolute bottom of my list.

Connecticut, though unlikely imo, does at least make some sense both geographically and B1G wise.