What happens if the Big Ten goes to 16 teams?
Indianapolis—Yes, we are attending the Super Bowl of college basketball and tonight the story lines abound: Duke will go for its fourth national championship and its first since 2001, under Coach K against Butler. Rated rival North Carolina has cut down the nets twice (2005, 2009) since their hated rival won a title. Coach Mike Krzyzewski is in his 11th Final Four, which ties Carolina’s Dean Smith. One more for K and he passes the Dean for No. 2 on the all-time list.
Butler is playing six miles from its campus. Their playing facility, Hinkle Fieldhouse, was where the championship game in “Hoosiers” was filmed. CBS must be tempted to bring in Gene Hackman and let him walk onto the floor and measure the baskets like he did in the movie that is beloved by all hoopsters.
Understand this about Butler. This isn’t tiny Milan taking on Muncie Central for the Indiana state high school championship in 1954. Butler is really good and is well coached by a guy who looks like he should be a study hall monitor instead of a coach with an 89-14 record. They can beat Duke if they are healthy and the Blue Devils are little cold from behind the arc. We’re expecting another crowd of over 70,000 at Lucas Oil Field.
But enough about hoops. That’s tonight. I’m here today to tell you what’s going on behind the scenes of tonight’s national championship game. I am not big into hyperbole, but you need to know that two things are being discussed that could, in the next six months, could radically change the college athletics landscape as we know it.
The first, of course, is the potential expansion of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament field from 65 to 96 teams. The NCAA floated that trial balloon on Thursday and for the first time gave details about how it could work. That effort was met with criticism that turned into downright derision from fans and media. Why take one of the best sporting events in the world and risk hurting it by trying to shoe-horn another round of games into the same three-week calendar?
You already know the answer. It’s about the money. It’s always been about the money. The NCAA has three more years on its current 11-year, $6 billion contract with CBS but has the option to opt out of those years and put the tournament back up for bid. Needless to say there are other suitors, like ESPN or NBC/Comcast who might want to step up to the plate. Given the realities of the economy, all schools need more money.
Here is my prediction and that’s all it is: The tournament goes to 96 team out of pure financial necessity. The 32 team NIT, which the NCAA also controls, will go always and those teams will be folded into the big tournament. CBS retains the rights to the tournament and finds a cable partner to share in the costs and the distribution. Don’t be surprised if it’s Turner Broadcasting. Then the NCAA will have to do a lot of selling to a skeptical public and press and convince them that the event that they love so much will not be watered down with first round games that include a 9 vs. 24 seed.
I spoke to several commissioners of smaller conferences who are convinced that the vast majority of this money is not going to trickle down to them because most of those 32 extra slots in the tournament will go to teams in the BCS conferences.
The NCAA insists this is not a done deal but my conversations this week tell me the train is at the station and getting ready to move out. Everybody just needs to jump on board.
The other big topic here has a chance to completely change college football as we know it. I’ve spoken to a number of athletics directors and commissioners who are convinced that the Big Ten is positioning itself to seriously consider becoming college football first super conference by expanding to as many as 16 teams.
The Big Ten is looking at three plans: Stand pat with 11 teams, add one team (hopefully Notre Dame) or make a blockbuster move and go to 16.
“If they go to 16 and one of them is Notre Dame then we’ve got an entirely new ball game,” a conference commissioner told me confidentially.
There is pretty serious speculation that The Big Ten would look to the Big East in its big master plan. Now I don’t know which teams are involved, but Just for fun, let’s say the Big Ten asks Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Connecticut and Rutgers to join. If they said yes, the Big East would be out of the football business. I think the Catholic schools (Georgetown, Villanova, St. John’s, Marquette, Seton Hall, DePaul, Providence) in the league move on and form their own basketball conference.
What would happen to the other football playing schools in the Big East: West Virginia, Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida? Does the ACC take them in order to match the Big 16?
What would happened to Notre Dame? Would they be invited to join the Catholic conference for basketball? What about their other sports?
And what does the SEC do if the Big Ten throws down this gauntlet? The conference has its 15-year, $3 billion television contract in place. Does the SEC have to react to the new marketplace that has been created? The SEC and Big Ten have separated themselves financially from the rest of Division I. If the SEC stood pat would it risk watching the Big Ten with the additional dollars that would come in, pull away from the SEC?
Does the SEC get aggressive and pick up the phone call Texas? That’s the one school that would move the financial needle to improve the great deal the SEC already has. And if you take Texas, you have to take Texas A&M because of the politics. Does the SEC take another look at Florida State and Miami and see if those schools would be interested in leaving the ACC for a better financial deal?
I have been saying this for years: The dominoes of expansion will start tumbling when the Big Ten makes its move. If it only adds one team, even if it’s Notre Dame, then relatively little will change. But if commissioner Jim Delany wants to make a splash and go to 16, then absolutely anything is possible. If members of the Big East want to leave, they must remain in the conference for an additional 27 months after they declare. So if the Big Ten wants to take some Big East teams, they must make a decision soon in order for those teams to be in place for the 2012 football season.
Understand that there is a lot of smoke here. None of this could happen. Or all of it could. So stay tuned.
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264 comments Add your comment
Otto
April 5th, 2010
10:57 am
David,
That is my point fans turn their nose at Miami due to “image” when they’re cleaner than many teams in the SEC.
GT, Oklahoma made the final 4 in ‘02, Elite 8 2 more times, and played for mutiple BCS titles. Texas’ record just about mirrors OU.
LSU went to the Final 4 in ‘06 and 2 BCS titles.
Annette
April 5th, 2010
10:57 am
Another UGA thug arrested, this one for the second time.
Is there no end to UGA’s smame for recruiting and coddling these thugs?
Apparently not.
DaveDawg
April 5th, 2010
11:00 am
Otto, I don’t blame Nebraska. The Big 12 is going to have to change its payout system if it wants to stay relevant. This is the only way they can draw in Arkansas and keep Nebraska, both of which would likely prefer to be in the Big 12 with their natural rivalries as long as their income is at least comparable to what they can get elsewhere.
Ormewood
April 5th, 2010
11:05 am
GT,
Kansas went to the Orange Bowl a few years back, so they did both as well. Might want to throw Maryland in there, too. Fridge took them to the Orange Bowl one time, and they won a natty at the GA Dome.
Doug Coleman
April 5th, 2010
11:05 am
Bama Stan-meds my friend, meds! They will allay those nightmares you are tormented by. I suggest valium.
CanadianWolf
April 5th, 2010
11:08 am
The Big Ten Conference will expand this year as the lucrative Big Ten Network needs additional programming & wants to expand into other cable television markets. The top two most likely expansion candidates are Notre Dame & Missouri. Notre Dame offers a national fan base while Missouri offers the St. Louis & Kansas City cable TV markets.
G
April 5th, 2010
11:15 am
It’s more real for the Big 10 to make changes sooner than later. They have to be economically and psychologically effected due to the supremacy of the SEC. Big 10 is desperate because they have been exposed to produce an inferior product when it comes to “national championships”. SEC will stay as is, because they are on top. Big 10 makes changes because of the SEC, not the other way around. Even on the high school level, the midwest teams can’t come close to competing on the same level as southeastern schools. What that means is that recruitment for the blue chips will get even harder for the Big 10.
Otto
April 5th, 2010
11:15 am
I don’t think Arkansas leaves for even equal $$$. If Arkansas wanted to be in the Big12 they would have likely stuck around for it. Further the Big12 would be in a state of flux, the SEC is rock solid and has the TV contracts to offer up 2 or 4 more teams.
If I were the Big10, I’d put a package together to offer up Nebraska, OU, and Mizzou. I’d also talk to my long time Rose Bowl counter parts and get them to offer Texas and Colorado. The PAC10 offer would make it an easier sale to the prospective teams. The PAC10 would go to 12 and the Big10 to 14. Its puts both in position to be on equal or better footing than the SEC.
CanadianWolf
April 5th, 2010
11:17 am
The Big Ten Conference will probably expand to either 14 or to 16 teams this year. Expansion to 14 teams will be accomplished by adding Notre Dame, Missouri & Pittsburgh. Growth to 16 teams requires a bit more speculation as the Big Ten could target Texas & Texas A&M if the Pac 10 conference disrupts the Big 12 by stealing Colorado, or the Big Ten could add Rutgers & Syracuse to capture the densely populated new York & New Jersey cable TV markets. Other Big Ten expansion candidates might be Colorado, Kansas & Nebraska. Colorado offers the large & still growing Denver/Boulder TV market.
Willie
April 5th, 2010
11:21 am
Your analysis sounds a lot like climategate to me. The SEC got its tv time and money for their play on the field. I really do not believe the referees have given a SEC the NC like they did Ohio State against Miami. But I do know a few high school team that would love to join the Big 10. Hey it may improve competition.
16 NOT
April 5th, 2010
11:21 am
The Big Ten will not expand to 16 teams. There aren’t enough teams that would make the jump that would still bring in enough revenue to raise each current team’s piece of the pie. No current team is going to take a decrease just to have 16 teams. The Big Ten will expand to 12 teams, still call themselves the Big 10, and the 12th team will be Notre Dame. The Dodgers left Brooklyn, the Browns left Cleveland and Notre Dame will leave its independence. Money talks…even for Catholics.
Otto
April 5th, 2010
11:24 am
Money talks thats why ND stays on their own.
BAMA STAN
April 5th, 2010
11:25 am
69 NATIONAL TITLES – 126 SEC TITLES!!!
No Rx needed here my man. The Orlando Sentinal may call Paul Finebaum (my personal hero after only The Bear), the “most powerful voice in trailer parks across the great state of Alabama,” but I hold that great distinction here on the AJC’s comment section.
Rollllllllllllllllllll Tide!!!
Ala-FREAKIN-bama, Ala-FREAKIN-bama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GeoffDawg
April 5th, 2010
11:27 am
Adding several mediocre teams to the Big Ten will not make it a bigger threat to SEC dominance. It will increase its market share but the increased revenue per school is not likely to change as it will then be split 16 ways instead of 11. Much adieu about nothing.
Otto
April 5th, 2010
11:29 am
The Stan Imposter is getting old. When will the AJC have a login required like AL.com It is just sad when the Alabama paper has better technology than Atlanta.
WildHog
April 5th, 2010
11:32 am
Tony,
You might want to re-educate everyone on the original SEC expansion plan back in the early 90s. When Texas, Texas A&M, FSU and Miami were all part of the plan along with Arkansas and South Carolina. The state politicians in Texas with ties to TCU, SMU, Texas Tech, Rice, etc. kept the Longhorns and Aggies from leaving. FSU and Miami both passed and went to the ACC & Big East a year or so later.
And Arkansas isn’t leaving the SEC. There’s too much money involved. Jerry Jones already gives the school a lot of money. He’s not contributing more so we play a couple of more games in Texas. He set up the Southwest Classic (Hogs vs Aggies for the next 9 years) at Cowboy Stadium. That helps recruiting and is a fix for those fans that want to remember the old SWC days.
Yes, Fayetteville is farther geographically from the rest of the conference, but it also has an advantage when recruiting against Oklahoma, Okie State, Texas, and A&M in Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Those schools (at present) don’t offer the kids a chance to play in the best conference in football. For example, heard of Felix Jones? He’s from Oklahoma.
It will be interesting to see if any of these dominoes fall.
athensdawg
April 5th, 2010
11:33 am
the beginnings of a football playoff system are taking shape before our very eyes….al driven by the two edged sword that makes america the greatest nation on earth….capitalism.
Big 10 goes to 12 – championship game.
Big 10 goes to 16 – perhaps a 2 round playoff?
Eventually, what we are going to have is a playoff system whereby the conference champions (decided by playoff games) will be seeded into BCS Bowls. From there, it is only a short step to what we really need.
When this happens, you will see an end to cupcake scheduling and perhaps see one conference circle the wagons and play round-robin. If the SEC did that right now, it would leave room for 1 out of conference game. The SEC won’t do that right now because it would kill any hopes of having a team to play for the NC….since it’s all about wins/losses. However, with a guaranteed spot in the NC playoff, why not? I’d love to play Bama and LSU every year…..just think of all the money that could be made…..
Be patient everyone…..it’s coming…..
BAMA STAN
April 5th, 2010
11:40 am
69 NATIONAL TITLES – 126 SEC TITLES!!!
Thanks, Otto. Don’t worry about it, though. That other guy’s about 56 National Titles short anyway, so everyone knows to skip the post from jump.
Get with the program AJC.
Ala-FREAKIN-bama, Ala-FREAKIN-bama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
English
April 5th, 2010
11:40 am
Mr. Barnhart,
It is funny to see how everyone thought the Big East was done when the ACC raided their conference a few years ago and no one thought having a 16 team league for basketball would be successful. Well like most, you’re wrong. The Big East will continue to draw attention because of their geographical footprint across the country. It allows the Big East to hype up college basketball as everyone feels they’re the best basketball conference (even though it hasn’t won a national title in a few year) because their media footprint can silence all naysayers. However, Syracuse, Pittsburg, UConn are not leaving the Big East for the cheap Big Ten conference. The Big Ten will get Rutgers or Missouri. End of story. Those others are the foundations to the Big East and will not be bought. Plus Joe Pa’ will not be in the same conference with Pittsburg. 16 teams to the Big Ten? Yeah, take Northern Iowa, Iowa State, Missouri, Rutgers, Butler, blah blah blah but only one team that’s Big East affiliated will potentially leave – Rutgers.
Ok I’m done blabbing. But you’re so wrong Mr. Football.
Heck with Tech
April 5th, 2010
12:01 pm
I agree with Otto, Tech quit the SEC in a huff because they thought they were better than everyone else & wanted to be the Notre Dame of the south. Tech is where they belong, the All Creampuff Conference.
Big 10 Looking to Go to 16 Teams? - TideFans.com
April 5th, 2010
12:02 pm
[...] the SEC might pick up Texas and form a super conference ourselves. Pretty interesting read…. What happens if the Big Ten goes to 16 teams? | Mr. College Football __________________ "If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride, and never [...]
16 NOT
April 5th, 2010
12:02 pm
Otto, Notre Dame also has an ego. Indiana and Northwestern EACH make more money than Notre Dame in TV revenue. There’s money in being independent, but there’s a whole lot more being shared in the Big Ten…and even Notre Dame can’t pass that up….not when they’re only alternative would be the Big East if the Big Ten went with someone else.
Joe
April 5th, 2010
12:05 pm
Here is hoping Va Tech FSU and Miami join the SEC (aka the NFL development league) and the ACC returns to its roots of being one of the few student athlete conferences. We will take Vandy and let the paid players have their fun and give their beer swilling fan base more to do.
Otto
April 5th, 2010
12:06 pm
The PAC10 plays round robin and how has that worked?
NCAA basketball has expanded playoffs to the point it is eating into their ratings not only in the regular season but in their beloved tournament.
What college football needs is more scholarships to take some of the parity out.
College football ratings are growing while other sports are shrinking. The flaws in the system are wht makes it so hotly debated and thus blogs about it during the middle of the offseason.
Who will be talking about the NCAA tournament 2 months from now?
Joe
April 5th, 2010
12:06 pm
Love the Ala-Freaking- stuff- was that some sort of jihad rant?
BAMA STAN
April 5th, 2010
12:08 pm
69 NATIONAL TITLES – 126 SEC TITLES!!!
All Creampuff Conference! That makes me giggle!
Ala-FREAKIN-bama, Ala-FREAKIN-bama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mike
April 5th, 2010
12:09 pm
GA Tech in the SEC???? They would replace Vandy as the perenial loser.
Otto
April 5th, 2010
12:10 pm
16 not, Post some links verifying that ND makes less money than Northwestern after ND’s BCS and TV contracts.
Doug Coleman
April 5th, 2010
12:12 pm
BamaStan-Big games mean big draws. A few years ago people (creeps) were crowing about the death of Bama and USC. They are back indeed. How big will the reborn Irish be in a game against the Tide-two schools that may have more tradition than the Big Ten combined? That’s what draws-super conferences could kill such awesome matchups on the premise that you really can’t afford to schedule monster after monster. And from what I’m hearing and seeing the Domers will be back just like Bama and USC-with a vengeance too. Got to love this greatest of all sports!
BAMA STAN
April 5th, 2010
12:15 pm
69 NATIONAL TITLES – 126 SEC TITLES!!!
Otto,
Each Big Ten team recieves $22 million per (from a $242 million pie)vs. $9 million for ND.
Ala-FREAKIN-bama!!!!!!!! Ala-FREAKIN-bama!!!!!!!!!
Joe
April 5th, 2010
12:25 pm
Yeah the ACC can’t compete- who is playing in the national championship game tonight? can my sec friends stop playing video poker for a minute?
murfdawg
April 5th, 2010
12:26 pm
As we all know, the Big 10 has 11 teams. Would a mathematically challenged conference end up with 15 or 17 teams? I’ll bet you all the PBR in Alabama they will not end up with 16 teams.
Doug Coleman
April 5th, 2010
12:27 pm
Otto-The Irish rake in in excess of $100 million a year on football-do not be fooled by cleverly disguised props-they have the cash cow by the pinkbag all the way. That’s is why the independent status remains.
You have to love the spirit of the Stanman!
HugoStiglitz
April 5th, 2010
12:31 pm
College Basketball ratings are not shrinking. This years Final Four had ratings 8% higher then last year and the highest ratings since 2005. And if Butler wins tonight then I think it will be talked about for much more then 2 months. I would agree though that people talk alot about college football because its postseason is such a joke.
Charlie Bama
April 5th, 2010
12:31 pm
And what could be more anticipated than a road trip to Minneapolis, Inianapolis, or Anygenericplace-in-Ohio in December for a Big 16 football championship game? Freezing temps or maybe cold rain and slushy snow left over from the previous week. HmmUmmm! Sounds great. The annual SEC championship game is successful because it’s in ATL in a dome, and almost always features one (if not two) contenders for the national championship game in January.
bigstack19
April 5th, 2010
12:41 pm
As for the tourney, it loses luster if anyone can get in and at 96 teams we are talking about almost a third of the teams that play D-1 ball getting in. As someone pointed out to me Friday, who wants to date the pretty girl if everyone gets a shot at her. As for expansion of the big conferences I would love to see FSU, The U, and Texas in the SEC. I would hope they would go after Clemson too. I think Notre Dame will stay where they are at because they basically pick who and where and when they play every game. Notre Dame also carries the same weight as a conference champion if they win 10 games. They get in the BCS. What do they have to gain by joining the Big Ten for football? The Big Ten should go after Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Syracuse. South Florida, Rutgers, and West Virginia could go to the ACC. Maybe the ACC makes a play for South Carolina or adds Florida Atlantic or Florida International or both. Maybe they even add U-Conn. The possibilities are endless, but one thing appears to be clear, if there is any major expansion the Big East as we know it will vanish.
SCDawg
April 5th, 2010
12:45 pm
No school will leave the SEC, at least on its own, because of the television contract that the conference now has.
Big XII
April 5th, 2010
12:54 pm
Mizzou to the Big 10 is what I’ve read. ND would need to lose its lucrative NBC contract before it’ll be enticed to join the Big 10.
There is a lot of talk of Colorado and Utah moving to the Pac 10 and Mizzou to the Big 10 on Big XII message boards. That throws the Big XII into scramble mode as well. It isn’t clear who the Big XII would add, but should either the Big XII or Big 10 expand, the ACC and maybe the SEC could be impacted.
Big XII
April 5th, 2010
12:58 pm
How does the SEC allocate tv revenue? I’ve heard rumors (with little substance behind them) that Arkansas might leave. TV contracts (and their value to member schools) will change post-expansion and addition of a conference championship.
jumbeauxtiger
April 5th, 2010
1:00 pm
I can see why the Big 10 would want to expand to 16 teams. It would certainly shake up the college football world. I would love for the SEC to expand if that happens.
BTW does anyone else think expanding the NCAA Tourney to 96 teams is hipocritical? The presidents have used the excuse of not wanting a football playoff because athletes would miss more class time yet basketball players will miss even more class if an expansion does become reality.
termigator
April 5th, 2010
1:13 pm
Some sort of expansion for the Big Ten will be announced before the 2010. As for the SEC; I believe it will expand to 16 teams with Tx, Tx A&M, Clemson and FSU.
termigator
April 5th, 2010
1:14 pm
jumbeauxtiger you are exactly correct about the Prez’s being hypocritical. If they could figure out a way to make more money with a playoff for football they would do it in a heartbeat.
ChuckWDawg
April 5th, 2010
1:17 pm
It’s championship time in basketball. I’ll stick to that topic. I was initially against the idea of tournament expansion. But once I realized it would eliminate the NIT via a new “play in” round I changed my mind. There’s is something at odds with rooting your team through a tournament that is utterly irrelevant while the rest of the world ignores it and celebrates the Big Dance that you barely missed being a part of. As a fan I would rather my team forget the NIT. Withe expansion teams on the bubble that felt they were snubbed will stay alive. Teams that proved less than worthy during the regular season but got hot and played their way in via a conference tournament championship must prove their worthiness. By playing one less game the top 32 will get a litte bit of a break compared to the rest of the field which I think is only fair after being the among the most successful teams during the long season. I get excited by upsets the same as the next guy and the Butler story is the kind of thing that makes sports great. On the other hand I wouldn’t exactly be complaining if Duke were instead playing a Kansas or Syracuse tonight.
cajdawg
April 5th, 2010
1:21 pm
I hope the Big 10, doesn’t go to 16 teams. That would create WWIII. It is impossible to predict what would happen after that…but speculation is fun so…
The SEC should add Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Missouri. The conference could be renamed God, Guns and Football conference.
Pago Pago Trojan
April 5th, 2010
1:24 pm
I think we all pretty much agree…who cares about the big ten!
hawkeye
April 5th, 2010
1:29 pm
Nobody I know in B10 country wants to expand. As a Hawk, we already don’t play Michigan and OSU every year. By splitting into 2 divisions we might as well be different conferences. Now we will only get OSU or Michigan every how many years? That just waters down the conference if you ask me. We might as well say the entire BCS is “one conference” and leave the current conferences as the divisions in the conference. It would not be that different. Also, not one person west of State College that I know wants to travel to New Jersey or Connecticut for a conference game. Grow slow of stay put, I say.
Ogeechee Dawg
April 5th, 2010
1:34 pm
I’ll say it again – the SEC – in it’s current 12 team format – is set up for the long haul.
I would hate to see the SEC exapnd to 16 teams.
If the SEC were to expand – I would like to see it expand to 14 teams.
Adding TEXAS to the West and GT to the EAST.
Again – 12 is a great number – you play 8 league games – schedule an interesting BCS foe (like a Colorado, Oregon, OK STATE, MICH STATE) then have a few tune-up and breathers in their to develop your depth and attempt to stay healthy.
12 is the magic number! Anything more – becomes unmanagable – or you really run the risk of overloading your schedule with tough games.
If you expanded to 14 teams – adding Texas to the WEST – and either GT, FSU or Clemson to the EAST – you would have to add conference games to balance out the schedule – and come up a fair way to achieve a conference title between SEC EAST and WEST.
Imagine a UGA schedule that would include:
SEC EAST: Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, Vandy, (GA TECH, FSU or CLEMSON)
SEC Perm Opponent: AUBURN
SEC WEST Rotation: TEXAS, LSU, MISS STATE (home & home for two years – then switch to ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, OLE MISS for home &home the next tow years)
Again – you will wear your team out – and remember the GOLDEN RULE OF BCS AND NATIONAL RANKINGS: IT’S NOT ABOUT THE WINS – IT’S ALL ABOUT LOSSES!!!
you lose two conference games – win your conference title – then watch a weak OHIO STATE play MIAMI or So Cal – who did not have as near a tough schedule.
12 – the magic number. let the other conferences twist and turn. The SEC is set up perfect!!!
rebman76
April 5th, 2010
1:34 pm
You bring up an interesting point, Tony. Personally, i would love to see Texas and Florida St. get the invite to the SEC. Keep the permanent opponents the same for the current members of the conference and just make FSU and Texas play each other as their SEC West-East game.
Taylor
April 5th, 2010
1:45 pm
If the SEC were to expand, I would like to see it look like this…
SEC East – Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Clemson, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
SEC West – Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, Miss St, Arkansas, Kentucky, Texas
Doug Coleman
April 5th, 2010
1:47 pm
Ogeechee-Count on the Big Ten (or whatever its real number is) to expand. Sixteen is foolish and impractical. Fourteen is possible but fright with scheduling too, but twelve is the correct number. Therefore you sir are correct. The intergers (Big Ten) really do want those Irish which they will not get-Domers are too smart to fall into the atheistic clutches of the big two-OSU/Michigan. Any way the premier game of the 2012 season will be Bama and the Irish of Notre Dame-the ratings will be huge and good for college football and each schools traditions. Anytime an SEC school plays ND it is great. And of course this could all be a smoke screen to make the other guy blink first and then make your moves?
Are you still there BamaStan?