Saturday, December 12, 2009

12?

Barry Alvarez says that the Big Ten is seriously looking to add a twelfth team. I'm sure I've mentioned before that I'm generally not a fan of the idea or of adding divisions and a championship game. I'm more interested in a different question here though, namely, who would the Big Ten target? Some thoughts:

ND: Notre Dame still makes more money being an independent, and having just hired a new coach it would be at least three years before things might change enough to make joining a conference realistic.

Cincinnati: Cincy is pretty high-profile right now and would make sense geographically. But do they meet the academic standards?

Directional Michigan: I saw this brought up, but I can't really see it happening. both Central and Western have had some success in recent years, but it doesn't seem like enough to move up to Big Ten status (I guess this pretty much goes for all the MAC teams). Plus, like Cincy, you've got the academic question. Also, would UM and MSU be for or against?

Pitt: I don't see them leaving the Big East, but they do seem like they'd be a good fit in general.

I don't really see any other I-AA (yeah, I'm still using that designation) that would seem even a little likely. Thoughts?

1 comment:

Ump said...

I read the article Saturday and was surprised at how optimistic everyone seemed to be that a 12th team would be added in the near future.

You posed good questions I haven't thought of, like the standards.

There also has to be the thought that some teams don't want the new team stealing any of their thunder. Let's face it, it's Michigan and OSU in the Big Ten (for football). I doubt those teams want anyone too good entering, let alone stealing the spotlight of the big game finale between UM/OSU.

UM/OSU would have to stay in the same division, probably, in order to keep them on the schedule at the end of each regular season. A "cross-over" game might not always be on the schedule. If they will be on the schedule every season, then just put them in the same division. Plus, do you want a championship rematch the next week?