Big Ten + 2?

So there is the talk and debate heating up now (thanks Barry Alvarez) of the Big Ten adding a 12th team and adding a championship game. Alvarez feels like a lot of the media, that the Big Ten is irrelevant the weekend before Thanksgiving. He is right. The publicity for the conference is about 0 when the SEC, Big XII and ACC are hosting title games and the Pac 10 is playing into the first weekend in December.

So the talk is….who should it be?


The obvious choice is Notre Dame. Notre Dame is actually taking a pay cut being on NBC compared to the Big Ten Network. How exclusive is that deal now? The Irish could have national broadcasts on the BTN, ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC. Better known outlets for college football. And if the Irish join the conference, how many more cable providers will want the BTN? Then there is the bowl situation, a 6-6 Big Ten team gets the Alamo/Champs or Insight Bowl in Arizona or Florida or Texas. A 6-6 Irish team has to wait it out and get options of the Pizza Pizza Bowl in Detroit? And next year the Big Ten takes away another option from the Irish taking the Gator Bowl away from the Big East. That’s 5+ new years day options for the Big Ten to play on Jan 1 or later. Easy choice, they are in the Big Ten footprint, they are irrelevant until they fire a coach. Join the Big Ten!
Notre Dame NBC Money



After the Irish sit on their high horse and decline the conference invite, the next choice should be Nebraska. The Huskers are getting crapped on by the Big XII. The Big XII has terrible tv deals, terrible bowl options and only care about 2 teams. The LongHorns and Sooners are like the Yankees and Redsox. It all flows through them. The Huskers joining would revitalize their football program and start new rivalries with Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan & Ohio State.



The next would be Missouri. They bring in 2 big television markets. St Louis and Kansas City. They are in the region, would have natural rivalries with Iowa & Illinois. They like Nebraska are good academic institutions (yes there is more than just sports involved in these decisions)



Finally I would look at Rutgers. They would be able to for a natural grouping with Penn State. A really good academic institution. And well if you look at money, there is the New York/New Jersey television market. Hello more cable providers and tv sets for the Big Ten Network.

So who should it be? It should be the Irish, but we know that won’t happen, so it should be Nebraska!

Your thoughts? React America!

Big Ten Expansion Talk