Big Ten To Grow To Twelve?

[TG1996]

I've actually heard that the Big Ten is really only expanding to six, maybe seven. It's just telling the ladies it's growing to 12.

[MarkL]

I do not think this is going to happen. I also don't think if it would, it would be a Big East school. Though Cincinnati would be a perfect fit, keep dreaming if you think Ohio State would not block that from happening at all costs. They want all the revenue in the state they can get. I also don't think Louisville would be a good fit in the Big Ten, even though the geography is excellent. No Pitt, WVU, Cuse, or Rutgers either I don't think.

However, if a Big East team were to jump ship to the Big 10, the Big East would expand. Earlier this year, Memphis hired a publicity guru with the goal of getting into a BCS conference. In the article, I wish I could find the link, an anonymous Big East athletic director said that discussions had happened about expanding the Big East for football, and I believe football only, but Memphis was not one of the schools discussed. Which raises the question - what schools were discussed? And better - would a Big East expansion mean a MAC team or two going to the Big East, especially considering they already ravaged C-USA for three teams? I say not likely, but it is a fringe possibility that if the Big Ten expands to the Big East or if the Big East expands on their own accord, the landscape of the MAC could change again.

[98_BG_GRAD]

Keep in mind that every member of the Big 10 is a member of the Association of American Universities. From what I understand, one of the requirements for a new member is to be in this organization. All of the schools seriously being mentioned - Iowa State, Rutgers, Syracuse, Missouri and Nebraska - are all members. The only school I have heard that is not on this list is Pitt. I think the new member will come from that group. Just in case anyone is interested, the only MAC school on this list is Buffalo.

My money is on Rutgers to be added. The New York media market will be the deciding factor IMO. Plus, it adds a natural rival for Penn State and opens up the east coast to the Big 10.

It will be interesting if it were Rutgers to see if the Big East would add a member and who it would be (Temple, Central Florida, Buffalo?). Then what does the MAC do. Should be interesting to see what happens.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

It will be interesting if it were Rutgers to see if the Big East would add a member and who it would be (Temple, Central Florida, Buffalo?). Then what does the MAC do. Should be interesting to see what happens.

Not really sure how the Big East taking Central Florida effects the MAC, but I think if they lose a full time that Memphis is first on the radar for the Big East with their recent basketball sucess along with having former CUSA rivals Louisville and Cincinnati already in the conference

[98_BG_GRAD]

It will be interesting if it were Rutgers to see if the Big East would add a member and who it would be (Temple, Central Florida, Buffalo?). Then what does the MAC do. Should be interesting to see what happens.

Not really sure how the Big East taking Central Florida effects the MAC, but I think if they lose a full time that Memphis is first on the radar for the Big East with their recent basketball sucess along with having former CUSA rivals Louisville and Cincinnati already in the conference

If the Big East takes Central Florida, then C-USA will be looking for a new member, right? They might look at a MAC school. No matter what happens, I think the MAC could be affected one way or another.

[footballguy51]

If the Big East is looking for a school, they might just pick-up Temple. Isn't Temple in the Big East for everything but football? Then, the MAC would be back to normal scheduling again.

[TG1996]

If the Big East is looking for a school, they might just pick-up Temple. Isn't Temple in the Big East for everything but football? Then, the MAC would be back to normal scheduling again.

Temple is A-10 for basketball and has already been kicked out of the Big East once for being crappy. Maybe a good season and a half in the MAC is enough for them to reconsider, but I'd figure it to be pretty unlikely.

[footballguy51]

If the Big East is looking for a school, they might just pick-up Temple. Isn't Temple in the Big East for everything but football? Then, the MAC would be back to normal scheduling again.

Temple is A-10 for basketball and has already been kicked out of the Big East once for being crappy. Maybe a good season and a half in the MAC is enough for them to reconsider, but I'd figure it to be pretty unlikely.

I knew I was probably wrong about basketball. I don't follow NCAA basketball outside of the MAC.

I wouldn't mind seeing BGSU get picked up by a BCS conference, but at the same time I wouldn't want to give up the rivalries or the smaller atmosphere that we enjoy (and I doubt student tickets would be free if we became BCS). Boise, Utah, and TCU seem to do just fine not being in a BCS conference and still having huge support.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

My money is on Rutgers to be added. The New York media market will be the deciding factor IMO. Plus, it adds a natural rival for Penn State and opens up the east coast to the Big 10.

None of this matters to the people making this decision.

It will be a school that fits the academic/prestige profile of the other member schools if it happens at all.

[98_BG_GRAD]

My money is on Rutgers to be added. The New York media market will be the deciding factor IMO. Plus, it adds a natural rival for Penn State and opens up the east coast to the Big 10.

None of this matters to the people making this decision.

It will be a school that fits the academic/prestige profile of the other member schools if it happens at all.

And Rutgers fits that the academic/prestige profile better than any school mentioned other than Notre Dame. Then when you add the media market, I think that will be the Big 10's first choice. I think Nebraska could be an intriuging possibility as well, better than Mizzou, Pitt, Syracuse or any others mentioned thus far.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

My money is on Rutgers to be added. The New York media market will be the deciding factor IMO. Plus, it adds a natural rival for Penn State and opens up the east coast to the Big 10.

None of this matters to the people making this decision.

It will be a school that fits the academic/prestige profile of the other member schools if it happens at all.

And Rutgers fits that the academic/prestige profile better than any school mentioned other than Notre Dame. Then when you add the media market, I think that will be the Big 10's first choice. I think Nebraska could be an intriuging possibility as well, better than Mizzou, Pitt, Syracuse or any others mentioned thus far.

Rutgers does make sense, I just don't really see that happening. I hadn't thought of Nebraska, but I really don't think they'll poach from the B12's footprint.

IMO, it's Notre Dame or nobody.

[KeyWestParrot]

Rutgers does make sense, I just don't really see that happening. I hadn't thought of Nebraska, but I really don't think they'll poach from the B12's footprint.

IMO, it's Notre Dame or nobody.

I do think the Big Ten will expand, they are eager to capture back some spotlight that the other BCS conferences have taken with their championship games especially the SEC.

Notre Dame won't join and I really don't care if they do or not....the hell with Notre Dame.

I don't agree with Colin Coward often but I have to agree with him that Rutgers is the best choice since it will open up the NY/NJ area for recruiting and the potential money with NYC would be incredible. It pains me to agree with him.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

It will be interesting if it were Rutgers to see if the Big East would add a member and who it would be (Temple, Central Florida, Buffalo?). Then what does the MAC do. Should be interesting to see what happens.

Not really sure how the Big East taking Central Florida effects the MAC, but I think if they lose a full time that Memphis is first on the radar for the Big East with their recent basketball sucess along with having former CUSA rivals Louisville and Cincinnati already in the conference

If the Big East takes Central Florida, then C-USA will be looking for a new member, right? They might look at a MAC school. No matter what happens, I think the MAC could be affected one way or another.

With CUSA's current geographic siutation I doubt they would take a MAC school. If it was the old CUSA where they had teams all over I think a MAC school would be possible, but with if mostly being southern schools I would think they would add another southern school, say a Louisana Tech, or even a FIU or FAU if they wanted another Florida school if they lost UCF

[tekekini]

I do not think this is going to happen. I also don't think if it would, it would be a Big East school. Though Cincinnati would be a perfect fit, keep dreaming if you think Ohio State would not block that from happening at all costs. They want all the revenue in the state they can get. I also don't think Louisville would be a good fit in the Big Ten, even though the geography is excellent. No Pitt, WVU, Cuse, or Rutgers either I don't think.

However, if a Big East team were to jump ship to the Big 10, the Big East would expand. Earlier this year, Memphis hired a publicity guru with the goal of getting into a BCS conference. In the article, I wish I could find the link, an anonymous Big East athletic director said that discussions had happened about expanding the Big East for football, and I believe football only, but Memphis was not one of the schools discussed. Which raises the question - what schools were discussed? And better - would a Big East expansion mean a MAC team or two going to the Big East, especially considering they already ravaged C-USA for three teams? I say not likely, but it is a fringe possibility that if the Big Ten expands to the Big East or if the Big East expands on their own accord, the landscape of the MAC could change again.

Are you kidding me? What benefit does the Big Ten have in adding Cincinnati? That does nothing from a business stand point of expanding into a new market. Business wise and football wise Missouri and Nebraska make the most sense. They expand the market share with St. Louis especially. Nebraska adds a lot of tradition and history and could add a rival for iowa as Missouri would with Illinois.

Cincinnati would be great from a football fan standpoint (which I think must be how you are looking at it) but Cincinnati is already located in a Big Ten Market. That would only make sense for Cincinnati, but it has no benefit to the Big Ten.

[NWLB]

Somebody might scoop Temple off the floor, and that would be a good thing.

I think, even if the MAC isn't playing exceptional football at the moment, it is fairly even and stable. Could this be a good time to look to find some long-term and stable members, rather than the teams like Temple, UCF, and Marshall? Obviously, I'm not a fan of the mid-week games, and that the push for TV coverage is misguided thinking from 10 years ago. I think the MAC has to consider its fan base, local support, develop better rivalries, etc. Trying to grab TV markets, when anything about a team or game can be found online, and stadiums echo with empty seats, doesn't seem as bright an idea as it used too.

Might the MAC do better to expand beyond 12 or 14 teams, and drive for 16. End all but the most vital cross-divisional rivalries. Avoid knocking out ranked or successful seasons with needless cross-divisional games.

I don't know (speaking figuratively, since we all should know that literally speaking I do) but I just think the MAC has played out that streak of success it had some years ago. Retrenching is in order. From football to basketball.