JoePa touts Big Ten expansion

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The Big Ten (and Pac Ten) have generated a lot of negative attention, and it has mostly been the result of not having the 12 team, 2 disvion set-up that the other three manjor conferences have. People notice the conference championships. I think we have something better ... the Rose Bowl. The only bowl that pairs two major conference champions.

But the fact remains: the Big 12 and SEC come out looking great every year mostly because there is a high liklihood that they have two teams that have 0 or 1 loss meeting in December. The SEC's split divisions and unusually easy non-conf. schedules almost assure that they have at least one unbeaten team every other December.
 

Well, the Gophers have essentially secured themselves one loss for four straight years.... but if we win and take care of business afterward, there is no reason to think we wouldn't be in a NC game.
 

I like JoePa and I understand where he's coming from when he suggests those schools, but I have to respectfully disagree with those choices. This is not a northeastern conference, Penn St itself is pushing things for me. If we expand, I would be disappointed in Rutgers, Syracuse or Pitt, even though folks at PSU would love it.

If they identify themselves with the Northeast Region, as Joe Pa clearly does, then maybe PSU should join the Big East and give that conference some credibility (im talking football credibility). Their natural rivals are already there.... But the Big10 is more prestigious and probably rakes in more football dough than the Big East, plus PSU would be playing a much softer schedule and suffer for that as well....

So in summary, i understand PSU is stuck in the middle, but I do not see myself (as a Gopher fan) excited to play Rutgers or Syracuse every (other) year.
 


DarrenTheGreek said:
Booo. It's ND or nothing. I prefer nothing.
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The drama that is ND football is not worth having in the Big10. Unless they promise to be hassle and drama free, which they couldn't possibly do its not worth taking them.
 

I agree with JoPa about adding a 12th team. To me it's a no brainer. It's makes scheduling easier and as most have mentioned, produces a big money conference championship game that also brings plenty of publicity. I don't think it would take anything away from the Rose Bowl.

I do disagree about his choice of schools though. The way the Big 10 is now, it would make a lot more sense geographically to add another team on the western side. Would be happy with Iowa State or Missouri (especially) but would consider Louisville as well. Notre Dame is not going to happen anytime soon due to their football TV contact.

Say they could add Missouri, then you could have a West conference of Minny, Wis, Iowa, Missou, NW and Illinois and and an East of Mich & State, OSU, PSU, Indy and Purdue.

I think that would be a great Big 10.
 

TNGophfan said:
I agree with JoPa about adding a 12th team. To me it's a no brainer. It's makes scheduling easier and as most have mentioned, produces a big money conference championship game that also brings plenty of publicity. I don't think it would take anything away from the Rose Bowl.

I do disagree about his choice of schools though. The way the Big 10 is now, it would make a lot more sense geographically to add another team on the western side. Would be happy with Iowa State or Missouri (especially) but would consider Louisville as well. Notre Dame is not going to happen anytime soon due to their football TV contact.

Say they could add Missouri, then you could have a West conference of Minny, Wis, Iowa, Missou, NW and Illinois and and an East of Mich & State, OSU, PSU, Indy and Purdue.

I think that would be a great Big 10.
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I think if the Big Ten goes for a "western" team it will target Nebraska. Nebraska brings with it a national name brand in college football and is a bit better academically than Missouri. The BTN would salivate at possible Nebraska-Ohio State, Nebraska-Michigan, Nebraska-Minnesota, Nebraska-Iowa match-ups. And, Nebraska is likely the team that could most easily be talked into bolting from the Big 12 (although that will be a hard, hard job). Mizzou likely won't leave the conference with its rivalry with Kansas, etc.

That said, I think if they add, it will be Rutgers to add the NYC/NJ/Phil TV markets which would mean millions of dollars in increased BTN revenue.
 

Good point tj. Forgot about Nebraska. I would be thrilled with them as well.
 



tjgopher said:
That said, I think if they add, it will be Rutgers to add the NYC/NJ/Phil TV markets which would mean millions of dollars in increased BTN revenue.
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Bingo. If not Rutgers, it would probably be Pitt. Don't count on being able to lure schools away from the Big 12.
 

OK, just for a fun exercise, let's say Pitt or Rutgers becomes the 12th team. How would you guys envision splitting up the conference?

I still think East and West is easiest but with Pitt or Rutgers in, I think you would then need to pull Michigan State or one of Purdue/Indy into the west. I guess the other option would be to put either NW or Illinois into the East and grab both Indy and Purdue for the west.

Could go North/South with Minny, Iowa, Sconi, NW, Mich and Mich State in the North.

Thoughts?
 

TNGophfan said:
OK, just for a fun exercise, let's say Pitt or Rutgers becomes the 12th team. How would you guys envision splitting up the conference?

I still think East and West is easiest but with Pitt or Rutgers in, I think you would then need to pull Michigan State or one of Purdue/Indy into the west. I guess the other option would be to put either NW or Illinois into the East and grab both Indy and Purdue for the west.

Could go North/South with Minny, Iowa, Sconi, NW, Mich and Mich State in the North.

Thoughts?
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Water Division and Earth Division:

Water: Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan State

Earth: Penn State, Indiana, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, New Conference Member

In scheduling, make sure the two most important rivalries for each team are played each year...
 

Rutgers is like the MN Lynx in the New York City sports scene. They exist, are local (athought New Jersey is not NYC) but nobody cares about them. Getting Cuse is better if you are just looking at TV viewers and a great national name school.

I would love to see the Cuse in the B11 just looking at the sports side of things. However, it is a small, private school and doesn't have the $$ the giant B11 schools have.
 



Anyone notice Syracuse is playing NC games against Minnesota, Penn State and N'western this season?

I would only maybe consider Pitt. NY is too far away to be in the Big Ten. I'd agree on Iowa St, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Notre Dame etc before anyone out east.
 

at the bar said:
Rutgers is like the MN Lynx in the New York City sports scene. They exist, are local (athought New Jersey is not NYC) but nobody cares about them. Getting Cuse is better if you are just looking at TV viewers and a great national name school.

I would love to see the Cuse in the B11 just looking at the sports side of things. However, it is a small, private school and doesn't have the $$ the giant B11 schools have.
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True, Rutgers isn't exactly front page news in NYC. But, it could force the hands of the big cable companies in NYC and Philly to carry the BTN. If that's the case, that is literally millions of dollars per month extra revenue for the conference. Not many other schools could bring that potential.
 

tjgopher said:
I think if the Big Ten goes for a "western" team it will target Nebraska. Nebraska brings with it a national name brand in college football and is a bit better academically than Missouri. The BTN would salivate at possible Nebraska-Ohio State, Nebraska-Michigan, Nebraska-Minnesota, Nebraska-Iowa match-ups. And, Nebraska is likely the team that could most easily be talked into bolting from the Big 12 (although that will be a hard, hard job). Mizzou likely won't leave the conference with its rivalry with Kansas, etc.

That said, I think if they add, it will be Rutgers to add the NYC/NJ/Phil TV markets which would mean millions of dollars in increased BTN revenue.
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I don't see Nebraska leaving the Big 12 as long as Tom Osborne is the A.D. there and he will also be hand picking his successor when he does decide to retire. His replacement will be another guy with strong ties to the program and the history of them in the Big 8 and Big 12.
 

PITT is the only one of those schools that makes sense

Geographically, and competitively Pitt is the only school from that group they should consider addiing. This conference does need a 12th team and a playoff just like the other power conferences.
 

I posted this on the basketball board...

Missouri won't happen due to their rivalry with Kansas. Realistically, the only midwestern programs who might fit the bill are Iowa State, Notre Dame, and Nebraska (because they don't have any natural rivals in the Big 12 that would be broken up). I wouldn't have said Nebraska when the Big 8 was still the Big 8, but the Big 12 has changed the dynamic.

I also could see Syracuse, Rutgers, or Pitt, but both Rutgers and Syracuse do seem a bit east coast. Although, they touch Pennsylvania and isn't that a requirement? To touch a current Big Ten state?

Unfortunately Iowa State doesn't have very good athletic programs, because in my semi-OCD mind, they would be the tidiest answer.

My order of preferences:
1) Notre Dame
2) Pitt
3) Iowa State
4) Nebraska
5) Syracuse
6) Rutgers

Another thing to consider is that we are the western-most team in the Big Ten. It is only natural that we would want to yank a team from the Big 12 because in our minds, that is "closer" the the heart of the Big Ten. But I really don't think Ohio State or Penn State would view it that way.
 

Sour1729 said:
I posted this on the basketball board...

Missouri won't happen due to their rivalry with Kansas. Realistically, the only midwestern programs who might fit the bill are Iowa State, Notre Dame, and Nebraska (because they don't have any natural rivals in the Big 12 that would be broken up). I wouldn't have said Nebraska when the Big 8 was still the Big 8, but the Big 12 has changed the dynamic.

I also could see Syracuse, Rutgers, or Pitt, but both Rutgers and Syracuse do seem a bit east coast. Although, they touch Pennsylvania and isn't that a requirement? To touch a current Big Ten state?

Unfortunately Iowa State doesn't have very good athletic programs, because in my semi-OCD mind, they would be the tidiest answer.

My order of preferences:
1) Notre Dame
2) Pitt
3) Iowa State
4) Nebraska
5) Syracuse
6) Rutgers

Another thing to consider is that we are the western-most team in the Big Ten. It is only natural that we would want to yank a team from the Big 12 because in our minds, that is "closer" the the heart of the Big Ten. But I really don't think Ohio State or Penn State would view it that way.
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I think Iowa State would be the most logical and easiest team to attract because they don't really have any rivalries in the Big 12 but do have the huge rivalry with Iowa and I don't see the Big 12 fighting real hard to keep them. If they got rid of Iowa State and Baylor they could then bring in TCU and Arkansas and then move Oklahoma and Oklahoma State up to North Division back with all of their old Big 8 members. This would allow Nebraska and Oklahoma to play every year as they used to and renew that rivalry while allowing Texas to start up again the long heated rivalry with Arkansas from the old SWC days. Where Baylor ends up, who cares?
 

I like the idea of two divisions with an eight game schedule (five in division, three out), always finishing with your divisional rival. It would resolve our unbalanced schedule where one of MN, WI, and IA are left out of rivalry weekend each year.

My top five:

ND - I like the east and west with ND in the west with MN, IA, WI, IL, NW. In this way, all the end of season rivalries could be played, and Michigan could still play MSU every year. I would Pair ND/NW, MN/IA, and WI/IL on rivalry weekend. In the east it would be UM/tOSU, PSU/MSU, and IU/PUR.
Nebraska - Also fits well into a western division. If they joined I'd end the season with NW/IL, MN/WI, IA/NU.
Colorado - See Nebraska
Pittsburgh - Would need to shake up the divisions. Perhaps East is (shown in rivalry pairings) Pitt/PSU, UM/tOSU, PUR/IU, and West is MSU/IL, NW/WI, MN/IA. Michigan and Michigan State could schedule a non-conference game every ohter year to continue the series.

Frannkly I don't like any of the other teams being discussed. I agree with those that think the team (if not ND) would more likely come from the east because of the $$. Perhaps the BCS shakeout will leave ND in the lurch and they'll have to come begging. It's getting harder and harder to make these ND exceptions now that PSU, FSU, Miami and all the other formed independents are in leagues!
 

Would love to have an additional Big 10 team. Not at the expense of bringing in an eastern team. Syracuse, Rutgers ....NO!

It needs to be a midwestern team, Iowa State, Missouri, Nebraska ...etc
 

Syracuse

I think the most likely is Syracuse. The fact they are scheduling 3 Big 10 teams as NC opponents is telling. I don't think they are married to the Big East due to their interest in joining the ACC a few years ago.
 


GopherGod said:
I think Iowa State would be the most logical
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Maybe you were being facetious, but Iowa State has absolutely ZERO chance of being invited into the Big Ten. They bring zero to the table. No additional TV markets, a less than stellar athletic reputation, a very average academic reputation, and nothing that excites anyone. Do you think Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Illinois, etc., are just dying to play Iowa Freaking State? Nope. If the Big Ten goes to the trouble of adding a team, it will have to have a monster positive impact. Iowa State does nothing. In fact, we'd be doing the Big 12 a favor. No reason to do that.

Iowa State ranks last amongst any of the teams that has been brought up here.

I would guess the Big Ten commissioner would rank them in this order:

1) Notre Dame
2) Rutgers (would leave Big East, big TV markets added)
3) Nebraska (probably won't leave Big 12; but moving to Big Ten would change landscape of college football; big impact)
4) Missouri (certainly won't leave Big 12)
5) Pitt (could end up being the team)
6) Syracuse (charter member of Big East, but flirted with ACC)

Remember - the three determining factors will be 1) TV sets; 2) academics; 3) impact on the prestige of the conference
 

bigtenmap.jpg


Taking a look at the map, you can see Syracuse and Rutgers aren't even close enough to be on it. In the west, we have Kansas and Kansas St -- not likely one will leave without the other getting an invite as well, so let's assume they are out too.

That leaves Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa St on the western front. Nebraska and Missouri both look good, but Iowa St (as was said) doesn't bring a whole lot, other than location.

In the east, we have several Ohio-based schools: Ohio, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, and Miami. Ohio and Cincinnati don't offer much, but Bowling Green and Miami aren't so unreasonable. Pennsylvania is a bit east, but with Penn St there, Pitt all of a sudden doesn't look so bad either.

I would think realistically, the schools that the Big Ten would want would be Nebraska, Missouri, Bowling Green, Pitt, and of course - Notre Dame. And us hockey fans will keep pulling for Notre Dame, Bowling Green, or Miami -- to help push a return of Big Ten hockey. ;)
 

magpie said:
bigtenmap.jpg


Taking a look at the map, you can see Syracuse and Rutgers aren't even close enough to be on it. In the west, we have Kansas and Kansas St -- not likely one will leave without the other getting an invite as well, so let's assume they are out too.

That leaves Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa St on the western front. Nebraska and Missouri both look good, but Iowa St (as was said) doesn't bring a whole lot, other than location.

In the east, we have several Ohio-based schools: Ohio, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, and Miami. Ohio and Cincinnati don't offer much, but Bowling Green and Miami aren't so unreasonable. Pennsylvania is a bit east, but with Penn St there, Pitt all of a sudden doesn't look so bad either.

I would think realistically, the schools that the Big Ten would want would be Nebraska, Missouri, Bowling Green, Pitt, and of course - Notre Dame. And us hockey fans will keep pulling for Notre Dame, Bowling Green, or Miami -- to help push a return of Big Ten hockey. ;)
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That's a sweet map. But, remember, the idea of Big Ten expansion is just that -- EXPANSION. That likely means a geographic expansion, as well. Those MAC teams are okay, but none rise to the level of "name brand" to create a ripple big enough to be considered for expansion.

You're right - Notre Dame is the clear top choice for all kinds of reasons (impact, TV, prestige, geography, etc.), but they don't have an apparent interest in joining right now.
 

magpie said:
And us hockey fans will keep pulling for Notre Dame, Bowling Green, or Miami -- to help push a return of Big Ten hockey. ;)
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Not this hockey fan!! No big ten hockey!
 

MrGopher said:
Not this hockey fan!! No big ten hockey!
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We play Michigan and Michigan St once a year, but we rarely see Ohio St. I'd rather play series with Mich, MSU, and OSU than with Anchorage, Tech, SCSU or Mankato. You know we'd still schedule No Dak and UMD as NC. In fact, it'd be nice to make the xmas tourney a local one, like the great lakes inv. does now. Gophers hosting no dak, one of the colorado schools, and one minnesota school each year.
 

Question...would this be for say football and basketball or just football?
 

magpie said:
We play Michigan and Michigan St once a year, but we rarely see Ohio St. I'd rather play series with Mich, MSU, and OSU than with Anchorage, Tech, SCSU or Mankato. You know we'd still schedule No Dak and UMD as NC. In fact, it'd be nice to make the xmas tourney a local one, like the great lakes inv. does now. Gophers hosting no dak, one of the colorado schools, and one minnesota school each year.
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No way. I see your point in playing Michigan and Mich St every year, but we have that. I would never trade playing Denver, CC, St. Cloud, Duluth, or Mankato for OSU hockey. I really couldnt care less about OSU hockey. Notre Dame hockey would be more interesting than OSU, but they fit in perfectly in the CCHA.

Read my posts in the most recent WCHA thread on bemidji st. in the 'other sports forum'----we can continue this discussion over there.
 

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