What happens if the Big Ten goes to 16 teams?

Don’t really care what the Big 10 does..I like the SEC product as it stands..OOC scheduling would be a nightmare for the Big 10.

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What does it matter? Unless they do add Pitt, it’s only going to be more fluff for tOSU and soon UMich…

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16 teams in the Big 10 would be terrible but at least they could change the name without an issue! I’d rather see the Big 10 add a 12th team like Notre Dame or Pitt. If that doesn’t happen then kick out a team and go back to 10 and play a round robin schedule.

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Worm-What scheduling problem? Computerized programs take care of that and then the league fills in the dates. The problem comes with this scenario for example-Ohio State has league dates with Michigan (stop laughing they will return with a vengeance), MSU,Iowa, PSU, Pitt,and for good measure adds in the Irish, Texas, or USC. ‘Suicide by schedule.’I still say it’s smoke and mirrors!

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The Big 10 can’t count to 11 so they are really going to have problems if they go to 16 teams !!!

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Then there will be 16 mediocre teams.

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please do not add Texas and A&M to the SEC…if anything, let Arkansas go to the Big 12 if it expands (since those are its natural rivals anyway) and add Clemson, FSU and GT or UM to get to 14 in the SEC.

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Lucas Oil is smaller than most of the Beg Ten football stadiums…70000 for b-ball is about 62000 for football which is a SMALL venue

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13 NATIONAL TITLES – 22 SEC TITLES!!!

Hate the super conference concept – too large and totally locked into your side of the conference.

Notre Dame to the B10 would be good for that conference – and college football. With that said, I hate it that ND get’s it own special provisions as an independent.
For example:
– automatic BCS bowl berth if they win 10 games.
– They get a slice of the BCS payout – even if they do not participate in a bowl – not just a BCS Bowl – any bowl.

With their independent arrangement – I hope ND continues to be mediocre.

REGARDING SEC EXPANSION:
12 seems to be a perfect number. I like how the SEC rotates opponents so that you get to play each school within a few years.

If anything were to change in the SEC – I would like to see ARKANSAS go the the B12 – as they have natural rivalries with Texas AM, Texas, and their geography to Kansas, K-State and Mo is ideal. MO/ARK would be a great rivalry. This would be good for the B12 – of course Colorado would probably be sent to the Pac 10 for this to work.

The SEC would then pick up GT.
Would love to see GT back in the SEC, Ironic that ALABAMA was one of the reasons that GT left.

Back in the day – GT had a great rivalry with Auburn, Tennessee and Alabama – and obviously UGA. And GT could more than hold there own then – and I think could do so now.

Imagine Saturday – Auburn rolling into GT – or Tennessee – or Florida – or Alabama. Atlanta is truly the heart of SEC – not Birmingham – heck we have our Conference Title game a few miles from Tech’s campus – and the geography is just too dang convenient.

How would this work?
GT in the SEC EAST – KY to the SEC WEST.

I would NOT be in favor of FSU. The SEC offered – FSU turned us down stating it was too hard FOR THEM to win Titles – and went to the weaker ACC – THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE – of which they dominated.
Geogrpahy favors GT and Atlanta – pull these guys back in!!

ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL TIDE!!!

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Arkansas will not leave the SEC on their own. Nobody can offer them near the money.

FSU what has happened is in the past. They would draw TV ratings and sell tickets. It is a natural fit.

GT left the SEC over Bobby Dodd throwing a tantrum, and I would tink Clemson could have joined after the Southern Conf. fell from power. Miami on the other hand tried to join in the 60s and was turned down. So does the SEC take Miami?

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If the Big Ten expands, the SEC will try to go even bigger, I know one of the targets for SEC expansion is the Clarke County jail, there’s more college football players there than anywhere.

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Agree with B-STAN – current 12 team format is great for the SEC – adding Tech captures that Atlanta market – and is much more convenient to fans traveling to games. Tennessee/GT was great – miss the rivalry.

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Tech tried to get back into the SEC in teh late 70’s – was voted down. Bobby Dodd said leaving the SEC was his big regret.

Plenty of Tennessee, Auburn, Bama, Florida and Carolina fans in Atlanta area – geography is perfect – convenient for the local fans.

Miami TV market would be huge – would take Miami over FSU. Miami over Clemson. However, dang it is a long way to Miami – ever driven there? Stay with GT. Monopolize Atlanta TV market – best fit for fans.

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PJ ain’t coming to the SEC …

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GT would bring back memories of past great games. As a UGA fan it opens up an OOC date for UGA. However, IMO GT can not compete over a full season, year in year out. They would be another Ole Miss.

FSU would sell just as many tix and would draw even bigger on the TV.

I do agree 12 teams works very well, more teams would split up long time rivals. The only really BIG game lost in the expansion was Auburn/UF.

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I personally would hate to leave the ACC. Have grown accustomed to our great rivalry with Clemson – and enjoy our side of the division with VA Tech and Miami – great schools. Playing Georgia at the end of the year really caps off our season. If the SEC did raid the ACC for a team – I would want TECH to go back to the SEC. Just a better football conference and the thoughts of playing Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky and rotating Auburn, LSU and Alabama would be too much to turn down.

And I agree with the Tennessee fan – geopgrpahy wise – a better fit – and easier for all of us to travel.
UGA – 90 minutes
Tennessee – 3-1/2 hours
Auburn – 1-3/4 hours
Alabama – 3 hours
Vandy – 4 hours
South Carolina – 3 hours
Florida – 6 hours

Clemson is our closets ACC school – everything else is a minimum of 4 hours.

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Stan likewise,

Expansion will be interesting if it does happen because IMO the SEC will be reacting and thus depeneding on where other chips fall.

I read a story where the Regents vote that decided Colorado’s conf with the Big12 would have been in the PAC10 if the vote was taken later. They took the vote and it did not pass. However new board members were coming on (that would have voted PAC10) could only witness the vote.

http://www.thewizofodds.com/the_wiz_of_odds/2010/03/cost-of-colorado-jumping-to-pac10-9-million.html

The wizoffods blog also has some interesting news linking Nebraska and Mizzou to the Big10.

16 teams for the SEC? FSU, Miami, Clemson, GT top 4 in that order.

If Texas goes with the PAC10. The Big takes Neb. and Mizzou. Further if the ACC teams don’t join, the remaing Big 12 gets very interesting. Oklahoma is not linked to any moves. I would imagine the MWC and WAC gets shuffled too.

If the Big10 does get serious on going to 16 teams, Nebraska and Mizzou have one foot out the the door. Does Oklahoma try to sweeten the deal? OU vs. Nebraska has spent far to long not being a yearly fixture of the season. The Big12 dropped the ball on that one.

Don’t forget L’ville could be hung out to dry with the Big10 raiding the Big East and would be a nice fit especially with Basketball.

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67 NATIONAL TITLES – 123 SEC TITLES!!!

I personally don’t understand why anyone would join a conference with my mighty TIDE. 0% chance of success.

Ala-FREAKIN-bama, Ala-FREAKIN-bama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I think Syracuse is the most likely Big East team to join the Big 10. (It’s the best candidate to bring in the NYC market, despite what Rutgers backers say. You do have to consider the basketball component.) The next best fit is Missouri, and of course Notre Dame is always on the table. So, those schools make it a Big 14.

I also think Colorado and Utah will got to the PAC-10. This would be a two team loss for the Big 12 (Mizzou and Colorado), so I think it is possible for Arkansas to move to the Big 12 (with a little cash from Jerry Jones) along with TCU.

The SEC void could be filled by FSU or Clemson.

The ACC fills its void with West Virginia.

Then the Mountain West fills its two vacancies (Utah, TCU) with Boise State and Nevada.

The Big East fills its two vacancies (Syracuse, WVU) and adds two more schools with Memphis, Marshall, East Carolina and Central Florida.

So a lot of dominoes would fall across the country, but it’s not the seismic move described by Tony and a Big 16.

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Stan, Agreed I think FSU drama will calm down with the new staff. Miami drama has really calmed down. A board I used to post on had a Miami alum that would post arrest and graduation stats. From what he posted Miami looked cleaner than UF or FSU. I need to see if I can find their Fulmer Cup standings.

IIRC Bowden wanted to be 100% certain that he did not have to play Auburn and Bama in the same year on top of UF, and Miami. In the 90s that could have been half of the AP top 10. It rubs me wrong too but he does have a point. Also the ACC was knocking on their door wanting the exposure. Bowden is retired and the new staff has SEC ties. Besides I have family down in Tallahassee sp? and always liked going down there.

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A 16 team Big Ten still loses the title game to the SEC champion. 16 teams splitting a pie that expands little means less for all 16 teams. Delaney, if he has a brain, adds one team and tries to play second fiddle to the SEC. That is the maximum he can achieve in this scenerio.

A 16 team Big Ten would be about as popular as the Big Ten Network, wherever that is in any cable package………..

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the logical choice would be expand to 12 with ND filling the role. ND plays 3-4 Big 10 schools annually (MSU, Michigan and Purdue every year, with Indiana, Northwestern and/or Penn State from time to time). but as previously noted, ND isn’t going to join a conference anytime soon. and it’s about more than just $$$. ND likes its independence and sole control over its brand. the SEC seems to be the gold standard for college football conference brand and ND is the gold standard for individual brand. let’s say that as in independent, ND’s annual (football) revenue is $100 million, but as a member of the Big 10 they could earn $150 million, so what? while it is true all college sports are about the money, in ND’s case, $100 million is enough, if the school maintain sole ownership of the brand.

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67 NATIONAL TITLES – 123 SEC TITLES!!!

Correction fellas: Make that 69 NATIONAL TITLES. Just found a couple more while surfin’ the net.

Ala-FREAKIN-bama, Ala-FREAKIN-bama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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In the past decade, GT played for the national title in basketball, and went to the BCS. How many other schools have done that? Just Flordia and Ohio State I believe. And GT maintains a top 30 national ranking in academics. And we’re ranked #3 in baseball. I think that whatever happens as far as re-alignment, if we end up in the ACC or the SEC, GT will be just fine.

The SEC isn’t as strong as you think in football. It’s just Alabama, Florida, and the 10 dwarves. GT would do fine in the SEC.

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Wow. If the Big Ten went to 16 with those teams then they would not only be the premier football conference but would also be the premier basketball conference. That would be amazing to watch. Seems like an overly bold move though.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Money talks thats why ND stays on their own.

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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.

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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.

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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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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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.

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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.

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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?

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69 NATIONAL TITLES – 126 SEC TITLES!!!

All Creampuff Conference! That makes me giggle!

Ala-FREAKIN-bama, Ala-FREAKIN-bama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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16 not, Post some links verifying that ND makes less money than Northwestern after ND’s BCS and TV contracts.

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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!!!!!!!!!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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hawkeye – adding Notre Dame or an additional team to get 12 teams would be in your best interest – currently – the B10 enjoys splitting conference titles to keep members happy.

However – Imagine two 6 team conferences:
B10 WEST (MINN, Iowa, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Michigan, ILL)
B10 East (Penn STATE, OHIO ST, Mich ST, N’western, IND, Purdue)

Just like the SEC – IOWA would play your own division – a perm. East Opponent ( say Perdue), and rotate 2 B10 East opponentes home and home every two years – you would go throught the entired – home and home in 6 years…………………..and you could get a chance at Ohio State in the B10 Championship game!!!

Can you dig it??

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Taylor – look at the traditional power schools in the ACC – most clumped in the south – GT, FSU, MIA, Clemson, UNC – I doubt you would get the school Presidents to sign off on that. VA TECH would love that set-up!!! West VA is very good – BC can be good, PITT – about the same as BC – Rutgers – not so good.

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$9 mil from what NBC, the BCS, or ND and their Big East Basketball deal. Remember this about the entire picture not just football. From what I can find ~$9 mil from NBC plus ~$9mil from the Big East. So that is $18mil plus $1.3 mil from the BCS or $4.5 mil if they make the BCS. In addition they have 100% control of their image (more royalties) and do not split bowl money or special matchups such as playing in the Jerry Dome.

It looks like a wash on ND being solo vs joining the Big10 but ND will most likely be able to extend their TV contract for more money. ND will not join a conf. until the TV money stops putting them even with the Big 10.

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Has anyone given any thought to what an expanded NCAA tournament would do to scheduling? What would be the incentive for anyone to schedule any tough games?

For example, Va. Tech just missed the tournament this year. Good record but a weak schedule kept them out. If the field had been 96 instead of 65 this year, would the weak schedule have kept Va. Tech out? Certainly not.

I guess I don’t mind an expanded field IF that means more mid-majors get in but, if it means that more 18-16 10th place so called “majors” get in, count me out.

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Ogeechee Dawg, Permanent rivals from the other division are not a given. The Big12 does not have that provision.

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guys, ND’s decision is not solely based on money – I know – I’ve been there. it’s about autonomy. ND Football is a stand alone brand. it would be like Coca Cola becoming part of Kroger’s house brand. Coca Cola will ALWAYS allow Kroger, and Publix, and Ingels, and Winn-Dixie to sell their product, but they will never surrender control. OK, well “never say never” but not likely in our lifetime, well, wait a minute I am already dead. ND wants $$ as much as the next school, but what they have to gain ($) and what they have to lose (control) puts us years away from seeing ND Football in a conference (besides, the Ivy League, where they belong!).

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Tony,

Would expanding the tournament field guarantee more money from a network (or networks)? The new watered-down tournament may not be as valuable. This plan seems like it could very easily backfire.

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Have 5 super conferences and a 8 team playoff

Super conferences would be the
South
Southwest
North Midwest and West.
Each conference would have around 16 teams.
Acc would add Wv, Louis, S fla and Uconn
Sec would add Texas Tex am Missouri and another team. West would take much of the big 12 and the North would be the current big 10 plus ND and some big east schools like pitt and cuse. Midwest conf, which could be named something else would have boise, tcu byu and some other decent smaller schools.

Winner of the 5 conf gets into the playoff. Then 3 at large based on final rankings.

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13 NATIONAL TITLES – 22 SEC TITLES!!!

OTTO – thanks for covering my back! Imposters are a fact of life on this sight.

It’s great to debate and trade thoughts with guys like DawginLex, Otto, Ogeechee Dawg, Altamaha Dawg – and guys like Doug Coleman. These are true college football fans! Even Gator Bob!

ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL TIDE!!!!

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Otto – you are correct about the B12 and permanent opponent provision. That is THEIR mistake!!!!

The B12 would be better served to look at the SEC model on payment distribution, scheduling and tie break rules!!! The SEC got it right – after some twisting and turning. For example – dropping the two team permanent opponent in favor of ONE team – alowing to rotate all the teams quicker through your schedule.

In our case – UGA kept Auburn – dropped Ole Miss – but now we get to play LSU, ALABAMA, ARKANSAS more frequently – which is they way it should be!

B12 has hurt itself – and I think they are in danger of losing Nebraske, Colorado or MO as a result of their current policy and protocols.

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It’s a given that if the Big 10 goes to 16, that the SEC will have to expand, they’re not gonna let the Big 10 one up them & get better TV deals. They’ll look to get teams from the ACC, I would think they’re top 4 would be GT, Clem, FSU, & Miami. Getting all 4 of those would put a strangle hold on the south where a lot of the best talent is located. All 4 of those teams fit the SEC geographically, that would lock up the S. Carolina, Florida, & GA schools. And it would completely get the Atlanta TV market. The Big 10 definitely wants to get in on the New York TV market. If the Big 10 & SEC expand, the Big 12 & Pac 10 will follow.

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Big Time Tech Fan – not a bad idea – however, I would seed the tournament based on rating consensus.

For example – #1 vs #8, #2 vs #7, #3 vs #6 and #4 vs #5.

My concern is that a Weak Conf USA team – playing a weaker Big East team moves forward.

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BAMASTAN-Who or what was that imposter all about?
If that coach from Cincy (Brian Kelly) is half as good as I hear and read then we will get one insane eyepopping game between the Tide and the Domers in 2012. This guy is a mixture of Coach Saban, Urban Meyer, and Lou Holtz. He can resore the glory and put the fight back in the Irish-what a game for the NC!
I am torn as to who the greatest coach was though-hard to discount votes for the awesomeness of Coaches Bear Bryant, Bud Wilkinson, Knute Rockne,and Blake of Army. They are all in the Football Hall of Fame and Heaven for sure!
Remember 12 is the number!

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ON thought on the playoff – scre conference winners – I would rather take the top 8 ranked teams. You could have a situation where two undefeated SEC or B12 teams play for a conference title – and one of the teams get elimated. The a weak Conf. USA team with 2 or 3 losses gets into a playoff.

Go with the top ranked teams – regardless of conference affiliation – or better yet – go to a 16 team play-off – 8 conference winners – 8 at large.

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Ogeechee Dawg, the BCS confernces have to agree to it and to insure they get their slice of the pie their team has to be in.

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[...] the Rust Belt — one foot in the Mississippi, the other in the East River — is very much on the table: "I’ve spoken to a number of athletics directors and commissioners who are convinced [...]

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HawkeyeFB, you’re full of garbage. The SEC has the better deal.

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What an awfully written article. His intro takes up 2/3 of the page and he doesn’t ever get to what he set out to talk about.

Not only that, he doesn’t give any justification for his rambling ideas and incoherent plans. There is no way this guy’s name can actually be Mr. Collegefootball. Good god haha…Why would the B10 do that? It IS about money, but there’s no way B10 fans want anything like that. As an alumni, I don’t want that academically. There are so many better plans, not to mention, 16 is practically unmanageable. No way another B10 member goes 5-7 years without playing Michigan or OSU. Not happening.

You sir, are a moron. If this guy is getting paid, please get me an application…

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16 is ludicrous and would kill any big time intersectional contests such as Penn State vs Alabama. No one is going to play a rugged 10 game conference slate, only 1 cupcake game, and then a big time intersectional opponent. And assuming it would be a 10 game conference game slate it would just about kill any chances of a big 10 team escaping undefeated and having a shot at a national title.

So they would kill 2 birds with one stone 1) big time intersectional matchups and 2) a much tougher conference slate making an undefeated season and shot at a national title game extemely difficult.

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HawkeyeFB,

“Citing the latest figures available in late 2009″…if those “latest” figures are from before the season, that’s not going to take into account the new contract. And even if they are from the end of the regular season, the new contract would have only been in place for 3-4 months at that point.

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I am one of the few Gator fans who would like to see us move to the ACC. We are the only academics first school in the SEC right now. I would rather see us aligned with schools like North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Virginia because we are making a commitment towards being a Public Ivy to go along with our push to be the flagship university of the State of Florida as designated by the legislature.

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What should I admit? I’ve posted published figures, and you have refuted them with zero evidence. I think is a microcosm of the academic differences between the two conferences.

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“BAMASTAN-Who or what was that imposter all about?”

Probably someone sick of that loser’s laughable tagline of 13 national titles, which counts supposed titles awarded by the AP (Alabama Press), Montgomery Rotary Club, Huntsville Webelos, and Mobile Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy.

A shame those perennial cheats backed into one this year because of a freak injury, but that’s football. At least that one is a semi-legit title.

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This is one FSU fan who so wishes to be in the SEC West. FSU joining the ACC was a bad mistake.

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You published old data. Get over it.

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AYK, if you have any figures to support your claim, I’m happy to review them.

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@ LOL – Tell me of another degree from an SEC school that has more prestigue than the University of Florida. That’s right, you can’t find one.

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I agree that 12 is the magic number and here is what you do:
Big 10 should stop catering to Notre Lame and get Iowa St to join
Big 12 then should get TCU to take ISU’s place
Pac-10 should then get Boise St and either Fresno St or Byu or Utah to join.
Every conference would then ahve a conference championship and no more worries about the “BCS” busters

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Tony: Change the subject & cut this one off. By tonight they’ll be dreaming up 24-team conferences with affiliated starter conferences, and schedules will be harder to calculate than the square root of your granny’s zip code.

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To LOL at UF Alum: Funny. Like a Gator told me just last week “We are more smarter than peoples think”

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WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND!! WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND!! (stomping on table)

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I don’t see Pitt, UConn, or Syracuse going into the picture – they simply don’t add enough $$$s to the mix to make it worthwhile to the Big 10. Notre Dame obviously does, as does Missouri, Rutgers, Nebraska, and Texas.

I think 14 is a more plausible number – the only way I see 16 teams is if they somehow got both ND and Texas to come on board.

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I would switch West Virginia for Boston College.

New Atlantic – FSU, Clemson, GT, Miami, NC St, Wake
New Coastal – VT, UVA, WV, Maryland, UNC, Duke

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The Big Ten will expand and it’s just a matter of which teams will join the conference. It’s all about money. The Big Ten offers the most money per team then any conference. What ever teams they add will have to allow the Big Ten to expand in its revenue or the schools that are currently getting 22-23 million a year for being in the Big Ten will not buy off on the expansion as they would lose money. So the schools they will look at will be the ones that can help them expand coverage into a new area. Also every school in the Big Ten are in the Association of American Universities (AAU). Notre Dame is not a part of the AAU but would think Big Ten would look the other way to get them to join since they did reach out to ND years ago. As for the other schools being mentioned in expansion, I would have to believe the Big Ten would stick to that the school must already be a part of the AAU or qualifies to join the AAU. So if you want to speak of teams that could join the Big Ten then you should look at Iowa State, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Vanderbilt. Out of those schools what brings the most to the Big Ten. Never rule out a school from another conference as the Big Ten can offer the most out of any conference. Iowa State, Kansas, Nebraska, and Vanderbilt would bring nothing to the media market. Maryland would bring in the DC market but suspect that is a far reach as distance does become a factor. Missouri brings the St. Louis and Kansas City Market. Rutgers and Syracuse bring the NY market. Pittsburgh really brings nothing in media market as the Pittsburgh area is already covered being between Penn State and Ohio State, but they do fit in the Big Ten area and would be a great addition in multiple sports.

I would have to suspect those that are locked to join the Big Ten will be Missouri and Rutgers. Then it becomes a matter of if Notre Dame will join and if the Big Ten goes for 16 teams. Let’s say the Big Ten takes Rutgers, Missouri, and Pittsburgh or Notre Dame. Then the Big Ten can keep the conference name as 10 states could be represented in the conference. Seriously I can see the Big Ten trying everything possible to keep the name of the conference the same as it is the oldest conference.

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The Big 10 needs “change”. Contrasting the “change” that’s going on in this country now whereby the increase in the size of the Federal government is having a catastrophic effect financially, an increase in the size of the Big 10 Conference would be benefit it greatly. As far as I’m concerned, the more teams added the better. That’s the kind of “change” I can believe in.

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Add Clemson and FSU to the east, Texas and A&M to the west. Expand to a nine-game conference schedule, with one permanent opponent and one rotating opponent from the other division. No one would be able to touch us. I, for one, have no desire to see Tech given the prestige of an SEC membership.

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If the Big Ten wants to add five more teams … and Notre Dame doesn’t want to play ball … they need to look in multiple directions.

1) Missouri
2) Kentucky
3) Pitt
4) Rutgers
5) Syracuse

This gives you a Big Ten West of Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue, and Indiana … along with a Big Ten East of MSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Kentucky, Pitt, Penn State, Rutgers, and Syracuse.

Now that is truly a super conference. The SEC can react by adding Texas, TAMU, Oklahoma, and OSU … along with a geographic charity case like East Carolina to replace the Wildcats … which keeps them right in step with the Big Ten.

The other Big 12 teams will end up adding some Mountain West schools and perfect a few Conference USA tag alongs. The ACC, if it wants to go to 16 as well, can add West Virginia, UConn, Temple, and maybe Buffalo … since Syracuse would be off the table … then break into true North and South divisions like it should have right now.

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adding teams to the Big10is not about sports necessarily. It is about adding to the research coffers and expanding the Big Ten Network viewing footprint. ND gets 9mil per year from NBC, Texas gets 12. Poor little Northwestern gets 22mil as it’s share. No less than 3 institutions will be added. add Missou and you get St.Louis and KC. ND will add a national following and along with Rutgers will add the coveted NYC market. If they go to 16 it may be Texas and A&M or two more eastern teams.$$$$$$$$$ talks

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What if the Big 12 merged with the Pac 10 and added Colorado, Colorado State, Boise State, Utah, BYU to the “Western Division” and added TCU, LSU, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Mississippi & Tennessee to the “Eastern Division”, making two 15 team divisions and opening the door for an addition of 1 more for each division during the next 5 years. Given what the new census will be showing for population, don’t you think that new league would be right in the thick of the grwoth of our country?

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you know what’s crazy? ND in the ACC is a better fit. Academically, they’re better suited to “compete” against Wake Forrest, Duke, BC, and UVA. AND they just booked a “home game” at FedEx Field in Novemeber 2011 with Maryland. but as I said, they aren’t hooking up with anyone anytime soon. let’s face it, they are not a factor in the BCS mix and have not been since the pre-Weis era, and they seem content to be independent. let’s be real; the only shot they have – as an independent – of making it to the BCS championship game is 12-0, and they can’t beat Navy. Boise State or Utah has a better argument. their best shot at the BCS is joining the ACC.

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The key(s) to all this, as it always is, is what Notre Dame decides to do. I think ND can remain independent, for now, but risks long-term damage if it does. Assuming that the Big Ten and Pac-10 both expand to 12 teams each, the college football landscape could be drastically altered. The Big XII is a prime target of expansion by both the Big Ten and Pac-10, and it’s members (other than Texas) are more than happy to entertain offers. Colorado is as good as gone to the Pac-10 if they come calling, and Mizzou has all but said it will jump at the chance to join the money pot that is the Big Ten. [An aside to Are You Kidding? above: the ESPN-SEC contract that was just signed is more lucrative than the Big Ten's ESPN contract, but all estimates show that total revenue brought in, because of the Big Ten Network, the Big Ten teams are getting somewhere between $3 and $5 MORE per year than the SEC. Thus, the total tv revenue available to the Big Ten is significantly higher, and will probably increase in any new contract since the SEC is now locked-in for the next 15 years to ESPN].

If two Big XII teams bolt, than that confernce will immediately look to expand, probably to the West (TCU and someone else), but could also look to it’s quasi-past in Arkansas, which is much more a fit with the Texas-dominated Big XII than it is with the SEC. If that were to happen, the SEC would look, probably to the ACC for a replacement, setting off a chain-reaction. Add to that fact that once it’s current contract with ND is up, NBC will NOT be giving the Irish anywhere near the amount they have been (the contract has been a $$ loser for NBC), and all of a sudden, ND is outside looking in. The only way ND maintains it’s independence is if it is generally equal to the other “national” football programs in terms of revenue. to date, that has generally been true, but those days are quickly coming to a close. If Notre Dame were to look at it’s long-term interests, it would see that joining the Big Ten is a no-brainer (from both sides’ perspective) and get out ahead of this thing while it still has some negotiating leverage.

And, if ND were to join the Big Ten, that would be it as far as the league’s expansion goes. Not that I really think a 16-team super conference is really in play (just too big and unwieldy).

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Tony, you buried you lead. To heck with all the waste of time hoops talk. A 16 team Big Ten is big news

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I’ve read quite a bit of interesting analysis here, both in the article and in the comments. Here are my thoughts:

1) I hate to say it as a Big Ten fans, but there probably is a great deal of jealousy on behalf of Big Ten fans towards the SEC whether we admit it to ourselves or not. So I have to agree that part of the motivation to expand would be to counter the SEC.
2) I’ve longed to renew our rivalry with Pitt (I’m a Penn Stater if you haven’t guessed), but I know Pitt joining by itself would be a hard sell. So I’d be happy to go to 14 or 16 teams as long as Pitt is one of them.
3) The hell with Notre Lame. Why should ANY conference help them after the way they’ve back-stabbed everyone else in college football? I’d rather pick up schools like Pitt, Syracuse, Missouri or Rutgers. We’ve had great rivalries with both Syracuse and Rutgers, and Missouri would give the conference access to another television market.
4) 14 teams would probably be the ideal number. 12 is too few to really shake up the conference, and 16 is too much.

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Also, remember try to think like a commissioner or college president, not a fan. There is only one reason why the Big 10 would expand: more money FOR EACH SCHOOL. This is why Pitt, despite being a great choice from the FANS point of view, will almost certainly not be joining the Big 10. They occupy the same market as PSU, hence severely decreasing their value. This is also why Cinci and Iowa St. are out as potential expansion candidates (not to mention quality academics, or lack there of, at both schools). The list of potentials is probably Syracuse, Rutgers, Texas, Texas A&M (in order to get Texas), Mizzou, Nebraska and maybe UConn.

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[...] Barnhart is hearing whispers from conference commissioners indicating that the Big 10 is at least considering expanding to a superconference of 16 teams. The [...]

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You people are nuckin futz. Texas ain’t goin to the Big Ten. It would be a step backward astheticaly. The Big Ten already looks bad with it’s teams not playing high quality , out of conference schedules. Not to mention they all dissapear for a month. Pac Ten or SEC are the only real choices for Texas and Pac Ten would have to create a championship to lure them. Just imagine. Texas vs UGA in Atlanta. Sounds like 10 million bucks to me.

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This is an awful piece of writing. Barnhart and the AJC should be ashamed.

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PAC-10 adds Colorado, Colorado State, Utah and BYU because they like the in-state rivalries and becomes the PAC-14. Missouri goes to the Big 10 and Big 12 moves Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to the North division and adds TCU and either Houston or SMU to the South, This reunites Nebraska and Oklahoma to play every year. Big 10 now has 12 teams and can add 2 or 4 more teams from the Big East depending on where they want to expand their TV market. I say they add Pitt to appease JoPa and either Rutgers or Syracuse for the NY TV market. The Big East raids Conference USA and takes Marshall, Memphis, Central Florida and ECU to go to at least 10 teams and has a championship game.Conference USA raids the Sun Belt to get back to 12 or 14 teams. If SEC feels compelled to expand which I don’t think they are they could add Clemson and GT or FSU to the East and move Vandy and Kentucky to the West. ACC adds UConn and Rutgers or Syracuse depending on who the Big 10 chooses.Major changes but not earth shattering..

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Whatever does or does not happen. I would like to see at least the Big11 and the Pac10 get their mess together and have a conference championship game as we do in the SEC. At least if one of those teams in those other conf. gets to play for a NC it would calm some of the retoric down about who is legit. Pac10 should offer Boise St and Fresno St. Notre Dame needs to get off their High Horse and go into the Big11. The Big east needs to expand by adding Youngstown St. Buffalo if they continue to improve, and two other top tear MAC schools. IMO.

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whoever said GT would be the doormat of the SEC is just stupid and suffering from the delusion that only teams from the SEC are allowed to be good.

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FSU would have little interest in leaving the ACC. The current alignment affords them equal exposure to BCS dollars, a formidable schedule (always top 5 in the country…remember you play a schedule, not a conference) that obliges them to more TV coverage (Google ESPN’s top watched programs ever – the top two are FSU vs Miami) and thus dollars. Not to mention that the ACC is not a one-trick pony like the SEC. Sure you have a few good basketball and baseball teams here and there (KY, UF) but it’s even better for those sports in the ACC. Of course, then there is the topic of academics; I don’t need to list all the great universities in the ACC because you already know who they are – and there is a precipitous academic drop between the bulk of ACC and SEC schools. The SEC has 3 great universities (Vandy, UF, UGA) and all the rest are average. FSU is an excellent university, and only bound to be greater aligned with the likes of Duke, UNC, Virginia, Boston College, GT….shall I continue?

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I Disagree…”you show me your friends, and I’ll tell you who you are.”

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Big XII,

The SEC splits is TV revenue evenly among all teams. That is also the method used by the Big 10. I think only the Big XII and PAC 10 split TV revenue based on schools individual deals.

Juan

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[...] Tony Barnhart said yesterday that he has talked 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. [...]

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[...] Tony Barnhart speculates about conference expansion after hearing a bunch of other people speculate about conference expansion. [...]

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I love you Sec guys! you take over any football blog about how great you are! why ? take away the fact your schools sucks @ education, and yes SEC is awesome! but don’t fool yourselves into think you will remain that way forever! ………. and stop saying the Bigten cant count.. you sound stupid! they didnt change the name cuz they thought they was adding another school.( N.D.) and the have 11 in the logo… come up with something new at least!

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I don’t think anyone will go to 16 teams… but i believe 14 is the magically number.
at least for the Big Ten… and i don’t think they go with a east/west but instead with a rotation that switches every year, I.E. they never have one division lacking for more than two years. in football you never know what school has the once in 4/8 year golden year, but by rotating you keep the conference true, and yet have 3 in conference games to keep the rivals in place

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BamaStan and Otto-help here! Who is the freak imposter?
Now for the truth everyone needs to hear. 1. ND will not join a conference anytime soon. It’s the $$$ period. And when they arise as Bama and USC have look out-the kitchen will be on fire again and this is good for all of football. 2.12 is the magic number. 14-16 would forever erase tilts such as Bama-PSU, ND-Texas, or USC-Nebraska.Who would risk that? 3.Why insult Navy-I am an Army guy and I can tell you that the Navy dudes are tough and honorable men of character. Plus I have to admit they saved my bacon on a few occasions-so leave the Navy comments out. Some teams come and go-others are forever in the mix.
And now for the pain we all awaited-who rules colege bb now? The Duke Blue Devils of the ACC!? Congrats but it is painful to accept!

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If Miami were to join the SEC, would Florida still find a way to dodge them on the schedule?

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Bama Stan, you can’t just make stuff up and pawn it off as fact.

13 national titles? Come on now. I think we can all agree Bama is one of the all-time historic programs, but no school does more to pad its resume with fictitious titles. Of the 13 national titles claimed, one is dubious, one is questionable, and two are completely fabricated. In 1930 you finished the season ranked #2 behind Notre Dame in every major poll. In 1934 Minnesota was declared the national champion by 8 of the 12 existing polls. 1941 is a total lie, as you finished the season ranked #20 in the AP poll. And in 1973 you finished the season ranked #4 in the AP poll. Most credible sources–i.e. everything but the Alabama media guide–credits you with nine consensus NCs, not 13.

As for ND’s concessions, your claims aren’t accurate here either. ND does NOT get an automatic BCS bowl berth if they win 10 games. Their record is immaterial; they have to finish the season ranked in the Top 12 to be eligible for a BCS berth or finish in the Top 8 to get an automatic berth. I love how ND haters scream “favoritism” when it comes to BCS bowls and then conveniently ignore the fact that the BCS conference champion auto-bid format sent an 8-4 Purdue to the ‘01 Rose Bowl, a 9-5 Florida State to the ‘03 Sugar Bowl, an 8-4 Pitt to the ‘05 Fiesta Bowl, and an 8-5 Florida State to the ‘06 Orange Bowl. Four times in a 6-year period a BCS conference team with an average of 4.5 losses went to a BCS bowl, and you think it’s a crime if a 10-2 ND gets BCS consideration? Please.

Yes, ND gets a slice of the BCS payout even if they don’t participate in a bowl. And how is that different from every SEC school splitting the pots of every bowl with an SEC team in it, regardless if the SEC team plays in a bowl?

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Do This-Way too heavy on the Western side of your league proposal. Maybe switch LSU and say Vandy or UK?

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Sorry, I don’t get it. If the Big 10 expands, they have more teams sharing the bigger pie. Why does that mean that we have to expand to keep pace? Pace with what?

Jim Delaney is already responsible for foisting the BCS on an unexpecting College Football world and rigged it where Big 10 has played in more BCS games than any conference. It has reduced their competitiveness. They have eschewed conference expansion since before time and principally because of Jim Delaney. They have no Championship Game because of Delaney, yet they have touted their teams beyond their capabilities and pimped them up by having more bowls to take their teams. This is simple dilution in order to get more money while the competition falls off. Jim Delaney is no guru. He has heavy-handedly promoted the Big 10 into oblivion. The SEC has seen to that.

The SEC is the leader of the pack because they welcomed competition, something that Delaney says is not that important. His deal is to influence the NCAA on anything that gets money for him and sometimes the Big 10 with the least amount of competition. Ohio St is ranked each year beyond their capability and have become the most thumped team in College Football due to their undeserved props upward by ESPN (full of ingrown OSU people) who champion Delaney because he helps their cause. Well, BS to the BCS and the Big 10 expansion. I just don’t see how that will push us toward expansion in order to compete. By this reasoning we can expand the SEC to 24 teams and take over the NCAA and college sports. Hmmmmm. That idea may be worth pursueing. We could have two conferences, the SEC and the ROT (Rest of Them).

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ND will join the Big 10 because they really r starting to have a tough time scheduling opponents. They can make more money in the conference and still have there TV Contracts (Michigan has an exclusive TV contract with ABC). If ND ops out of joining the Big 10 then they will have to find 3 to 4 Quality opponents to play against. And in todays games of easy non conference games that will be come harder to do. So look at it this way. When ND joins the Big 10 they will want to bring along there natural rivals. That being Pitt. Texas and Texas A&M. Also this would give the Big 10 the two most winning est programs in college football. For those who think the all mighty SEC is all that, they should look at the all time records of the show down between the two conferences u might learn something. By the way will someone teach those Alabama fans how to count please.

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or if you want to look at it the other way from 1999-2010
FL (2-4) LSU ( 2 -2) Bambie ( 0-2) auburn (3-2) Georgia ( 3-0)

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If the SEC expanded, taking Louisville and West Virginia would be fine with me. Move Vandy to the SEC West. The SEC needs basketball power and those two would be perfect. The Louisville v Kentucky rivalry would evolve into being every bit as intriguing as the Duke v UNC rivalry, and just as heated. West Virginia brings a huge traveling fan base and would be a fine add for football and basketball. Both schools have been to Final Fours and BCS games, and have done well. If the Big 10 raids the Big East, then those two are who I want in the SEC. The ACC better hope that the Big 10 just gets Notre Dame, Pitt, and Rutgers so that they can pick up Syracuse and UConn, since Boston college desperately needs some actual conference rivalries. Cincy and USF could go back to C-USA.

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[...] Tony Barnhart speculates about conference expansion after hearing a bunch of other people speculate about conference expansion. [...]

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[...] that spent his career writing about, covering and having lots of sources in the college games. So, this is intriguing. The other big topic here has a chance to completely change college football as we know it. I’ve [...]

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Going to sixteen teams for the Big ten (two?) would be the death of the conference and they know it! This bluster is to lure or force the Irish to join. And the Irish will exact a high price on and off the field of play. It’s that simple my great football loving fanatics!
Twelve is still the magic number folks-twelve!

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The Big 10 will expand to no more that 14 teams. Pittsburgh is in. If Notre Dame wants in they are in. They would also make more money.
This would one team would need to be added. Who knows what team that would be. Austin TX, is 1603 miles to State College PA (PSU) All non revenue sports travel by van. That is simply to far for the Lacrosse or tennis team to travel. The longest trip in the big 10 currently the longest Big 10 trip is State College to Minneapolis 995 miles.

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For all you SECers, each team in the Big 10 makes more annual TV money ($22 million each) than any team in any conference in the country because of the Big Ten network. That said, Big Ten expansion is going to be decided by the university presidents and not the athletic directors or the alumni. That means that money and academics is going to be the governing factor-not football or basketball rivalries or travel distances that fans may have to drive or fly for away games. Rutgers has over 21 million people within a 50-mile radius of its campus and is a good academic institution. Result: alot of TV sets with Big Ten network on basic cable. Syrucuse reinforces the NY market, is good academically and brings a top-10 basketball program to the table. Notre Dame needs no explanation. If the Big 10 goes to 16 members, Missouri brings in the St. Louis and Kansas City markets and Nebraska has a national following. All of these schools are in the top 100-150 academic schools in the country. Sure, the Big 10 presidents want more TV money to justify adding members, but they also care about academics and graduation rates of their atheletes.

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some points….

a) stop the roll tide and go dawgs partisanship in this discussion.. it does no good in long term solutions.

b) quit pointing arkansas out the door.. the sec are brothers, so please do not throw your brother under the bus.. same with kentucky, to suggest they move to sec west would destroy about 100 years of rivalry with their current sec east brothers.. we are all part of the same family, keep this in mind.

c) $$$$ is a motivator, do not forget this or we all will be in peril. money comes from academics (via research dollars) and athletics (via tv revenue – MFB & MBB). we are probably generally fans, but decisions are made at the top with an eye to the bottom line. modern major colleges are factories for research and entertainment – see also the current 96 team NCAA basketball expansion for proof.

d) understand the difference between owning your product (see also Big 10 network) and renting your product (see also SEC deal with ESPN). one creates a revenue stream that grows over time, and the other offers fixed installments over 15 years. if you attended a university in the SEC, you should be able to figure out which is which.

e) while new to our SEC brothers, this discussion has been going on for awhile in other conferences – I might suggest http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/ as there are about a dozen well debated blogs on the expansion topic (warning.. a lot of reading to get through them all – but many interesting thoughts). as this site has had about 500,000 hits, my guess is it is reaching many folks. A good discussion might be what a 16 team SEC would look like. for those not old enough to remember, the SEC and ACC were one in the same in the old Southern Conference.

f) I would like to see the SEC be the best conference for my children and grandchildren, but for that to happen we must all stick together and fight side by side as brothers in defending against those who would like to see us fail. S – E – C !! S – E – C!! S – E – C!!

ps.. thank you mr. barnhart for this article, i know you can pull my email from this post if you would be kind enough to correspond with me.

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You are blowing smoke, my friend. The Big Ten and SEC are far too intelligent to expand to an unruly mishmash of 16 teams. The old Western Athletic Conference tried it in the 90s and the longstanding members (BYU, Utah, Air Force, etc.) all bolted to form a more manageable 9-team Mountain West Conference. 12 teams is the max for a manageable conference. The Big Ten is set with Notre Dame joining. The only other schools they would consider are fellow AAU (American Assoc. of Universities) members Pitt, Missouri, Nebraska or Texas, and it will only be ONE of them.

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i personally agree that 12 is the magic number, but i am just a fan. If i were a decision maker, I would want 16 as it stays in the math.. 2×2 = 4, 4×2 = 8, 8×2 = 16, 16×2 = 32, 32×2 = 64, and 64×2 = 128. when dealing with brackets these are the magic numbers, and translate to the greatest possible revenue streams. If you do not think the #1 motivation behind all this is $$, then you probably believe in unicorns and the tooth fairy. (14 just does not make good math brackets).

do i personally want to see 16 team conferences, or a 128 team NCAA basketball tourney? NO! NO! NO!

do i think it will happen in my lifetime? YES$$ YES$$ YES$$

the point is.. if this is the future, i would rather see the SEC be proactive, not reactive!!

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The Big 10 has far more to offer than the SEC, and if Texas and A&M leave the Big 12, that is where they will land. Football money is big, but research/academic money is much much much much bigger.

And the Big 10 is the undisputed king of the research/academic side of this argument. Football (and sports in general) = tens to maybe a hundred million dollars. Research money = hundreds of millions of dollars, maybe more.

SEC might be the best football conference, but the Big10 is the conference that brings prestige and money.

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[...] man Tony Barnhart posted an interesting blog entry this week that, if true, could have serious implications for college football and the SEC. In the [...]

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If the Big East gets raided like that, they would have but one way to go – South…and who knows if that would even be the “Big East” or something else. The league would have no choice but to create a north/south divisional line-up, but would probably remain east (of the Mississippi River).

If you added Marshall and East Carolina and then went into the deep South to pick up Memphis, Southern Miss, and Central Florida, that would start to regain a plausible core for keeping it together. If, however, the ACC and SEC get into the superconference game who knows what will happen. The SEC can pick on the ACC and Big XII, so we might see more dominoes flying than ever before.

I could easily see a team or two left over from the Big East raid going to the ACC. And the Big XII might come a little farther east if they have to do that. SMU, Rice, TCU…nah. The Texas schools hate each other, so I cannot see them adding more from the Lone Star state. What a guessing game.

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OK people of the Big East-time for the ugly truth to emerge. If the Big Ten (two) raids the Big East the party is over and this becomes a basketball league only if even that! Football will be a corpse. It is incredible that the Big East leaders are idly sitting by while the Neros of the Big Ten are going to burn Rome down. And let us not forget about the felons of the ACC who lie, cheat, and steal with the finest of the rogues.
The solution? Tough formula but we have it. The hottie team to get would obviously be the Irish of Notre Dame. Instant exposure. But probably not to occur. Be brash. Reoffer Boston College which has no rivalries at all in the ACC. Now for the coup:pursue Navy (you think they were tough last year? look out-just ask the Irish and Ohio St), UCF, Southern Miss.,East Carolina (with that new coach look out), Marshall, Temple, Buffalo, and persuade Nova to go D1. The “SUPER CONFERENCE’ template is born and in a short few years this conference would be more than able to hold its own with anyone with the presence and foundations of West Virginia, Pitt, louisville, and the re-emergence of Syracuse. UCONN and USF are also becoming a very nice force.
The idea here is to be aggresively proactive. Do not wait for the “Pearl Harbor’ raiders to come calling-slam the door in thier face, reel in a huge media contract, and beat them to the punch. This may bring tears to non football schools in the Big East that well… have to go…sorry Depaul, Providence, Seton Hall, St Johns and maybe Marquette who are somewhat deadbeats overall. This is about the reality of survival. Now who is going to throw that first punch? As Bernie Mack would have said (God bless his soul) “Are you listiening ADS and Presidents of the Big East?”

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Don’t forget that the Big East can dispand the football side of the Big East by this June without penalty (i.e. if everyone decides to dispand). THis I beleive was part of the original pac they made when the first raid happened). Doubt it will happen but there is that scenario to consider.

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Everyone that thought the Big East was such a lousy conference was wrong. Now the Big Ten has potentially decided they want a couple of our schools. In order to do that, the Big Ten will have to wait 27 months and each team will have to pay the conference 5 million to leave. The Big East changed it’s policy after the raid in 2003 of Miami, VT and Boston College. So the Big Ten will have to wait. If they choose four from the conference, they won’t start play until 2013-2014 season. If four join from the Big East, the conference will receive 20 million total or 5 million from each team. The Big East will probably go after Central Florida and Marshall. East Carolina and Memphis may also be in the picture. Many Cincinnati fans love the Big East for all sports. I don’t ever see Cincinnati going south as an SEC school even though I think they are a desirable school with two recent Big East championships. I see possible move for Cincinnati to the Big 12 or ACC. Ohio State will NOT allow CIncinnati to join the Big Ten. Took much competition for the Suckeyes in the bUCkeye state. GO BEARCATS. BamaStan- I didn’t know that universities could get NCAA titles on the internet. IS that why Alabama has so many titles?

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Miami & FSU in a 14 team SEC would break the freakin bank with the TV contract.

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[...] the Big Ten’s growth, and the latest speculation points even to the possibility of the conference swelling to 16 teams, essentially creating a “Super [...]

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[...] Barnhart is hearing whispers from conference commissioners indicating that the Big 10 is at least considering expanding to a superconference of 16 teams. The [...]

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