During the recent days there has been some speculation around the Big Ten's expansion efforts. The latest speculation is that the Big Ten will be adding 5 more teams to make a 16 team conference. The teams that would likely be added would be Mizzou, Syracuse, Rutgers, Pitt and Nebraska. By having the Conference Championship Game the season would end the first week of December like most other conferences. The Big Ten probably feels left out towards the end of the season watching other conferences play and get more exposure. There is also a lot of money to be made by the addition of teams to the conference. One of the biggest reasons why has been the success of the Big Ten Network.
I am all for expanding the Big Ten and having a Conference Championship Game however, I do worry that if we added 5 teams it would lessen the current rivalries that the Big Ten already has. You could go years without seeing a Michigan vs Ohio State, Indiana vs Purdue, Michigan vs Michigan State etc...
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Matt, in most conferences, games like OSU-Meeeechigan, IU-Purdue, and so on are protected rivalries and happen every year. We wouldn't see OSU or Michigan as often, but those protected rivalries would definitely stay in place. Right now, IU is guaranteed to play Purdue and Illinois every year. The other teams cycle, but those two are constant. I'm sure something like that would be maintained in a super conference, even though I think it'd dilute the already great entity that is the Big 10.
ReplyDeleteIm glad they would stay in place but would still like to see IU play them most years. Right now it is looking like a 4 divisions with 4 teams each. I'm not sure as to the teams in each division on how they will rotate who plays who and so on.
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