I have been thinking about how antiquated the Big 10 champion system has become as many conferences are moving to divisional/championship game play. Currently, the Big 10 has 11 teams in it (go figure!) and it would be impossible for them to move to divisional play with their current members even if they wanted to.
I think that there may very well come a time in the next 5-10 years when the Big 10 will either willingly or having been forced, move to a divisional setup. Now, there are two or three ways that they could do this:
1. Drop a team like Indiana and have two 5 team divisions.
2. Add one team and have two 6 team divisions (but this would lead to unending jabs about being Big-12 wannabes).
3. Add three teams and have a MAC-like 2 division, 14 team setup.
The first option I think is highly unlikely as there is too much of an establishment within the Big 10. The second option is probably the most feasible, but like I said, oh how the Big 12 and the media would have a field day with them. The third option would be a bit more drastic, and they may be hard-pressed to find three uncommitted (to a "major" conference) teams in the country. Still, I do believe that either option 2 or three will have to be resorted to.
I have thought this over for a while, and the two top candidates for Big Ten addition given geography and regional continuity would be either Miami or Bowling Green. Last year I would have said that either Louisville or Cincinnati, but they are moving on to the BCS pastures of the Big East and are likely out of the running (unless the Big East completely falls on their face, which isn't out of the question at this point). If Solich can turn around OU, they may also be an option, but given OSU's ego and their history with OU, they would probably fight that tooth and nail. OU doesn't have as consistent of a winning tradition as Miami and Bowling Green, either (I know, we're both coming out of a lull, yadda yadda yadda).
So, what I am wondering is what everyone else thinks of this scenario, and of Bowling Green or Miami entering a conference like the Big 10. I guess what prompted this now was someone posting what Paul Krebs said on the radio today about there being quite a few teams in the MAC that are not willing to make the necessary commitment to success.
It would be a shame to lose the momentum that we have built up over the past four years by foolishly standing by schools like Ball State and Eastern. Those were two of the primary schools that Krebs was allegedly referring to, I'm sure. I do also realize that many of you are going to jump up and scream that we don't have Big 10-type facilities, but that is coming. Anderson will either be renovated or rebuilt in 5-7 years and the SAC will be able to compete with anyone in the country (believe me, I've seen the drawings -- its amazing). If the Big 10 were to demand that we add capacity to the Doyt, that is relatively easy. It wouldn't take much to finish off the south end and we can always add upper-deck seating on one, or both sides (after all, it was built just for that kind of expansion).
Competativeness is also an issue, but by the time we build the SAC, believe me, we will be out-recruiting everyone in the conference. Most of you I would guess have no idea just how big this thing is going to be for us. And, with updated and expanded facilities, Anderson and the Doyt will shortly not be as outdated as they currently are. It may take a few years for us to build that talent-base required to stay competative in Big 10 basketball and football, but it would not take that long, and as it currently stands and will in the near future, we are and will be among the elite mid-majors in the region.
You have to think about this from a Big 10 perspective, too. If they do add a school(s), they are going to want to maintain their geographic stability. They are not going to go the Big East or C-USA's direction and add schools that are hundreds of miles from their nearest opponent. They are going to look within their own region for schools to add if they do so. So, hear are the candidates that might possibly be looking for a step-up from the states that the Big 10 already occupies:
Eastern, Western and Central Michigan
Ball State
Toledo
Northern Illinois
Bowling Green
Miami
Ohio
Kent
Akron
Notre Dame (unlikely, though)
I have left out any Pennsylvania schools for now because that really is more Big East /ACC territory despite PSU's presence. Of the teams on this list (and yes, excepting ND, they are all MAC teams for reasons I'm sure you can guess), in my opinion, Bowling Green and Miami are the only two schools that would be given serious consideration. NIU and Toledo may get outside consideration, but I would fall over dead if there were ever a directional school added to a major conference. Toledo does not have the infrastructure outside of their stadium at this point to support major programs (indoor practice facilities, hello?). So, because of both competativeness and the Big 10 ego machine, I believe BG and Miami are the leading candidates for expansion.
I'm really not sure how I would feel about BG being in the Big 10 (because I hate it), but I do not question that we are reaching a point in time when we need to start thinking about looking for better competition lest we be stuck forever in a four years on, 8 years off cycle like most mid-majors. Currently we are breaking that cycle and we should continue to strive to do so. Also, there is no other "major" conference that I see us fitting in simply from a geographic standpoint.
Therefore, I believe that this is a serious discussion that we should have, especially when our AD is being sought after by the Big 10. That doesn't necessarily correlate, I know, but its creating a connection in my mind. So, please let me know what you think of my assessment and let me know what you think.
And, DISCUSS!
