Big 10 Realignment

[GrayEagle]

This topic is mind-boggling and will totally change the landscape of Division 1A football. I'm using the term Division 1A because I don't and haven't liked the term FBS. That's one of those buzz words to avoid the inevitability of a playoff system.

So I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts about how the makeup of each conference, one conference at a time. Let's start with the Big 10, who is expected to tip the first domino.

Probable losses: None

Possible Additions:

Notre Dame - The Irish may be forced into the Big 10 this go-around. First, the TV package would raise their revenue $10 million per year. Second, I expect the demise of the Big East as a football conference when the Big 10 expands; meaning they would have no choice in a nearby conference for football. Of course, they are in the Big East for all other sports. Lastly, if they refuse to join the Big 10 could make it extremely difficult to schedule games with their conference. It may be simply too costly for Notre Dame not to join.

Pittsburgh - Good attendance and gives a natural opponent for Penn State. Cements the vast majority of the Pennsylvania TV market. Storied past with Dorsett and Ditka. Perennial Top 40 team.

Rutgers - Would give the Big 10 more a more Easterly presence and the largest share of the New York market, thereby enhancing the value of the TV contract.

Those are the three that I believe the Big 10 would take if they stop at 14. There really isn't a great need for further expansion but you can never tell about Delaney.

The Big East is pretty well destroyed in football at this juncture and that makes another thread for discussion.

If the Big 10 should go to 16 teams the most logical choices at that point would be Missouri and Syracuse. Missouri would add good sized markets in St. Louis and Kansas City and very good attendance. Football is sound and basketball is improving. Frankly, I don't understand the fascination with Syracuse. If it were my choice, I would take Connecticut. Good market and some of the best basketball (men's and women's) played anywhere. They would also have some impact on the New York City market as well as the lion's share of Connecticut. They usually fill a 40K stadium and being a member of the Big 10 should add another 10,000 if they will expand their stadium.

Nebraska and Texas could get consideration but I don't think either would be interested unless there was some superconference formed and that would require tossing Indiana, Northwestern, etc. and I don't believe that the Big 10 is willing to do that.

[buff64]

This topic is mind-boggling and will totally change the landscape of Division 1A football. I'm using the term Division 1A because I don't and haven't liked the term FBS. That's one of those buzz words to avoid the inevitability of a playoff system.

So I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts about how the makeup of each conference, one conference at a time. Let's start with the Big 10, who is expected to tip the first domino.

Probable losses: None

Possible Additions:

Notre Dame - The Irish may be forced into the Big 10 this go-around. First, the TV package would raise their revenue $10 million per year. Second, I expect the demise of the Big East as a football conference when the Big 10 expands; meaning they would have no choice in a nearby conference for football. Of course, they are in the Big East for all other sports. Lastly, if they refuse to join the Big 10 could make it extremely difficult to schedule games with their conference. It may be simply too costly for Notre Dame not to join.

Pittsburgh - Good attendance and gives a natural opponent for Penn State. Cements the vast majority of the Pennsylvania TV market. Storied past with Dorsett and Ditka. Perennial Top 40 team.

Rutgers - Would give the Big 10 more a more Easterly presence and the largest share of the New York market, thereby enhancing the value of the TV contract.

Those are the three that I believe the Big 10 would take if they stop at 14. There really isn't a great need for further expansion but you can never tell about Delaney.

The Big East is pretty well destroyed in football at this juncture and that makes another thread for discussion.

If the Big 10 should go to 16 teams the most logical choices at that point would be Missouri and Syracuse. Missouri would add good sized markets in St. Louis and Kansas City and very good attendance. Football is sound and basketball is improving. Frankly, I don't understand the fascination with Syracuse. If it were my choice, I would take Connecticut. Good market and some of the best basketball (men's and women's) played anywhere. They would also have some impact on the New York City market as well as the lion's share of Connecticut. They usually fill a 40K stadium and being a member of the Big 10 should add another 10,000 if they will expand their stadium.

Nebraska and Texas could get consideration but I don't think either would be interested unless there was some superconference formed and that would require tossing Indiana, Northwestern, etc. and I don't believe that the Big 10 is willing to do that.

It seems Missouri has been a target of the Big Ten for several years, don't really know why. Notre Dame is always wanted. The third team would come from either Pitt, Conn. or Rutgers . Syracuse ??

[untjim1995]

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I, too, believe that ND will end up in the B10. I also believe that Pitt and Rutgers will, too. The Big East responds by adding Memphis, ECU, and UCF. The SEC will also add some teams to their footprint--this is where I believe that FSU and Miami will end up going. That leads the ACC to add USF and WVU. This makes the PAC-10 get Utah and Colorado. The Big XII then goes and gets BYU. The MWC goes and gets Boise State, Fresno State, Nevada, UTEP, and UH to become a 12 team conference. CUSA has now been hammered, losing ECU, Memphis, UCF, UH, and UTEP. The WAC also has been crushed, as they lose BSU, FSU, and Nevada. This leads to the WAC getting the two Montana schools to move up and asking UTSA to join in 2012. CUSA, now has the following members: Marshall, SMU, Rice, Tulsa, Tulane, USM, and UAB. Marshall decides that the MAC makes more sense for them, which gives the MAC 14 teams. CUSA then needs to fill in some holes, so they then ask the following teams to join: La Tech, UNT, ULL, Ark State, MUTS, and WKU. That's how the dominoes will fall...maybe?

By the way, I expect the pull-out from the NCAA to happen very soon by the BCS teams and conferences. Whether that includes the MWC or the Big East is still to be determined.

Edited April 22, 2010 by untjim1995

[forevereagle]

By the way, I expect the pull-out from the NCAA to happen very soon by the BCS teams and conferences. Whether that includes the MWC or the Big East is still to be determined.

If they do, they would lose access to the cupcake games. I would imagine that the NCAA would not allow its members to play any of the teams that were not in their league. They would beat each other up and that would damage their reputation.

This concept should cause fear of a complete dis-assembly of the game we love. Without the NCAA to govern, this group of teams would be able to pay players. Would they institute a salary cap? This would completely change college athletics and would take out all of what makes college athletics great, players (ok, some of them) playing for the love of the game.

Edited April 22, 2010 by forevereagle

[THOR]

if they breakaway in football, does that mean that they also would lose the NCAA Mens Bball tournament? i believe they would since they would no longer be part of the ncaa...for that reason, i can't see a breakaway with 4 superconferences.

[Graddean]

Texas might have another reason for interest in the Big 10. Texas is a member of the Association of American Universities. This is a group of high powered research universities. There are only 63 institutions in this group. Seven of them are in the Big 12. All of the current 11 Big 10 members belong.

Texas has this elite arrogance that would be attracted to being in a conference with these schools. The SEC only has 2 schools (Vanderbilt and Florida).

Athletics aside, I think Texas would be intrigued by the prospect of being in a conference with what they consider their peers.