Possible Big 10 Expansion Sooner Than Expected?

[CChandler]

I personally think the magic number will be 14. That makes sense for the Big 10 wanting both Missouri and Rutgers with a space left open for ND, if they bite. If they don't they will ask Syracuse. This will give them 6 division games and 2 (home/away) from the other division every year.

However, to use Dwayne's thinking, you could add 2 more 16 team conferences and have an 8 team playoff set with the champion from each and two at-large teams coming from the 'Big 4'!!!! The last two conferences could come from the rest of the teams left standing from CUSA/WAC/MAC/Sunbelt/MWC.......it also makes them all BCS eligible and eliminates the threats from lawsuits!

DFiH

That would be both crazy and awesome. 6 team MNC tournament -- 1 and 2 seeds (probably Big Ten and SEC champs in most years) get byes into the second round. The other two "big 4" champs take on the two "little 2" champs, respectively, in the first round with the winners moving on.

I would love to see that. For giggles (listed in groups of 2 -- travel partners):

LITTLE TWO EAST:
South
-------
Tulsa
SMU

Rice
Tulane

North Texas
Louisiana Tech

UAB
Southern Miss


North
------
Marshall
Ohio

MTSU
Western Kentucky

Miami (OH)
Akron

Central Michigan
Western Michigan

LITTLE TWO WEST:
South
------
TCU
Houston

Texas-El Paso
New Mexico

UNLV
Nevada

San Diego State
Hawaii

North
------
Colorado State
Wyoming

Boise State
Idaho

San Jose State
Fresno State

Air Force Academy
Utah State

This is assuming Utah, BYU, Memphis, ECU, and UCF go to the Big 4.

Again, would love to see this.

[champion110]

I personally think the magic number will be 14. That makes sense for the Big 10 wanting both Missouri and Rutgers with a space left open for ND, if they bite. If they don't they will ask Syracuse. This will give them 6 division games and 2 (home/away) from the other division every year.

However, to use Dwayne's thinking, you could add 2 more 16 team conferences and have an 8 team playoff set with the champion from each and two at-large teams coming from the 'Big 4'!!!! The last two conferences could come from the rest of the teams left standing from CUSA/WAC/MAC/Sunbelt/MWC.......it also makes them all BCS eligible and eliminates the threats from lawsuits!

DFiH

How does it eliminate the threat from lawsuits? They are still just throwing out a bone to the other FBS conferences. If the above scenario happens, I could see the other 5 conferences trying to form another 16 team conference and trying to get in the mix. Between the WAC, CUSA, and MWC, there would be some cherry picking for the best 16. Then, they would make a big push - possibly legal route.

[DONW]

Actually I think 16 may in all likelyhood happen -

4 conferences of 16 teams

64 teams

Conference champs then play a PLUS 1 for a football NC

The money made will dwarf anything out there

Too many egos involved for 16 team conferences. As somebody else said, they've already screwed the little guys out of millions, so why run the risk of screwing up something that's working.

[cherokeedawg]

Too many egos involved for 16 team conferences. As somebody else said, they've already screwed the little guys out of millions, so why run the risk of screwing up something that's working.

Bingo. Too many big cats to herd in one direction, too many divergent interests and ideas, and too little time to even try to pull it off. Getting a few ADs from the former WAC to meet at an airport in order to defect and form the MWC, or expanding the Big 10 by a few teams - that can be done through backroom meetings. Changing the entire face of college athletics is much less a backroom meeting deal and more like a Continental Congress - it would involve too many competing interests to pull off in short order. For those reasons and several more, a 64 team Super Conference/League idea is about as likely to occur at the present time as a balanced Federal budget.

[hookdown]

OK, here comes the first of several thoughts so please bear with me.

1. I strongly believe that whoever expands first is in the drivers seat, so I would not be surprised at all to see someone other than the Big 11 go for it and expand first. That would also help to prevent suspected defections.

2. HD, I totally agree with you about ND and the distinct possibility that they start fading out of the national picture if they decline the Big 11 again. Especially if part of the Big 11 expansion includes Texas (I know you do not think that will ever happen, but if it did...).

3. CChandler, I agree that this is going to be the last realignment for some time to come. Conferences had better get it right or fall by the wayside.

4. CChandler, I agree for the most part on your new conferences. However, if the MWC loses Utah, BYU, and New Mexico, they have lost 2/3's of their glamour football teams. UTEP and Nevada do not make up for it. I think they end taking Boise, even if they have to hold their noses over academics. Besides, Boise is probably better known nationally than any of the other remaining schools with the possible exception of TCU. Which means TV exposure and money for the conference.

5. I too think the chances of 16 team conferences are remote, but I certainly would not rule it out. If the AQ conferences think that it will get them more money, then it is a done deal.

6. I look for the losing conferences to be the Big East and WAC when the dust settles.

7. Whatever happens, happens in the next 2 1/2 months. Hold on kids, this is going to be a white knuckler!!!

[brtransplant]

If Boise, Fresno, and Hawaii ever find new homes, what would be left of the WAC would be a west coast version of the Belch. The WAC may simply fold in a scenario like that. On the other hand, if those three schools stay put and the WAC were to add three schools (UNT, ULL, and MTSU maybe) and form an eastern division, we would be OK. I don't see the WAC staying at nine members. I think that one way or another, major change is coming for the WAC.

[hookdown]

Not that I think it is going to happen, but if they conferences do elect to become super-conferences here is who I think they might go after. Obviously, not all of this can happen so it would be interesting to see how it shakes out, if it does at all.

In no particular order of desire:

Big 11 - Notre Dame, Syracuse, Rutgers, Pitt, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, Texas A&M

ACC - Syracuse, Pitt, UConn, West Virginia, Navy, South Carolina, Louisville, Cincinnati

SEC - Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU

Big 12 - Arkansas, LSU, New Mexico, Utah, BYU, Colorado State

Pac 10 - Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Texas A&M, Colorado State, Hawaii


Like I said, these are just possibles for each conference. Most likely, interest in any particular school on this list ranges from very high (ND, Texas) to very low (Colorado State, Louisville) and all points in-between. I do not think that the Big East will become a super-conference, it will be all they can do just to survive. I do think that if one conference goes to 16, then the others will follow.



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...html?eref=sihp

[BuzDawg73]

I don't think it would be completely impossible that the Big 12 would take a look at us. We have potential, and we are in Louisiana.

[johnnylightnin]

I don't think it would be completely impossible that the Big 12 would take a look at us. We have potential, and we are in Louisiana.

We'd have to have our Big Texans make a HUGE financial commitment and pull some political strings for that to be in the realm of possibility.

[1L_dawg]

I don't think it would be completely impossible that the Big 12 would take a look at us. We have potential, and we are in Louisiana.

And here i am being worried that CUSA may not even take a serious look at us....:icon_wink:

[Slackdog]

I don't think it would be completely impossible that the Big 12 would take a look at us. We have potential, and we are in Louisiana.

[sportdawg]

http://louisianatech.scout.com/2/950518.html

[Geaux Dawgs]

I don't think it would be completely impossible that the Big 12 would take a look at us. We have potential, and we are in Louisiana.

I assume this is 'tongue in cheek'...

If not, please share the high grade narcotics you are apparently overloaded with!!!

[BuzDawg73]

Well, I am not saying it is likely, but we always are saying we have the potential to be much more than we are. Look at Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, TCU, USF as schools that made a commitment to their athletics. The Big 12 may want to expand into Louisiana. Who else would they look at in this state? Perhaps they would look at our potential with the increased money we would have with a Big 12 conference affiliation. Again, I don't think it is likely, but we are talking about major changes in the landscape here.

[Houston Techsan]

People keep bringing up market size. The biggest TV market in the US does not have an AQ all that close -- Rutgers being the closest. Houston does not have an AQ -- A&M is about 90 miles away and both Texas and Baylor are over 160. Does Philadelphia have an AQ -- Rutgers is probably the closest to Philly.

I would not consider the following being in larger Markets:
Nebraska, Iowa State, Oregon State, Washington State, Iowa, Missouri (hey it's halfway between KC and St. Louis but they're both still a ways).

You could probalby name a few more.