The Conference Expansion Thread

[bearsfan_51]

Originally Posted by Grizzlegom

In terms of football, Penn State already recruits the DMV better than Maryland does but I'm scared about that opening up to the rest of the B1G (namely Ohio).

That was already going to happen with the sanctions and Urban Meyer coming to OSU.

[scottyboy]

it's just gonna suck because I like a lot of big 10 schools and posters here. Like most of the michigan, iowa, and gopher fans here.

I'll have no trouble hating on psu though, that's gonna be the big rivalry. Sorry to the psu posters here (well, most of you ;) )

YOU'RE GOING DOWN JBOOBIE.

I just want it to happen. In Tim Pernetti I trust.

[JoeJoeBrown]

Originally Posted by scottyboy

it's just gonna suck because I like a lot of big 10 schools and posters here. Like most of the michigan, iowa, and gopher fans here.

I'll have no trouble hating on psu though, that's gonna be the big rivalry. Sorry to the psu posters here (well, most of you ;) )

YOU'RE GOING DOWN JBOOBIE.

I just want it to happen. In Tim Pernetti I trust.

Wait, not this OSU FAN!?!?!?!?

I welcome Rutgers and Maryland to the conference.

Wonder whom the next two schools are going to be. The B1G is the biggest money maker in college sports. There are two slots available. What schools make sense?

99% sure they will be AAU schools.

I recommend my alma mater, CWRU. They could beat Maryland at football.

Seriously, here are the strong candidates:
Pitt, Virginia, Missouri, Georgia Tech

Not likely, but possible:
UNC, Duke, Vanderbilt

My pet longshots that won't happen:
Florida, A&M

Delaney's wet dream that won't happen:
ND (assuming they are admitted to AAU as a condition), and Texas.

[bearsfan_51]

No to Pitt. They add nothing that the league doesn't already have. Don't think Missouri would leave the SEC after just joining, but you never know.

I think Virginia and Georgia Tech are the next options, assuming they want to go to 16. UNC I'm sure is at the top of their list, but that's less likely.

[Giantsfan1080]

UNC, UVA, and GTech make the most sense by far.

[Shane P. Hallam]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

No to Pitt. They add nothing that the league doesn't already have. Don't think Missouri would leave the SEC after just joining, but you never know.

I think Virginia and Georgia Tech are the next options, assuming they want to go to 16. UNC I'm sure is at the top of their list, but that's less likely.

Pitt just had a heck of a time joining the ACC, doubt they would jump now anyway.

If you pull UNC, you will have to pull Duke as well. Just not sure I see that.

UVA would make the most sense, but I can see the Big Ten sticking with these two new additions only for a little while.

[Smooth Criminal]

Pitts a team I'd like to see in the Big Ten but it can't happen. They bring nothing to the table.

[Grizzlegom]

UVA friend of mine says UVA won't go anywhere without Duke and UNC.

[JoeJoeBrown]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

No to Pitt. They add nothing that the league doesn't already have. Don't think Missouri would leave the SEC after just joining, but you never know.

I think Virginia and Georgia Tech are the next options, assuming they want to go to 16. UNC I'm sure is at the top of their list, but that's less likely.

Agree that Pitt adds very little TV wise, which is the most important thing from the B1G perspective (outside of other factors like AAU, lots of non-revenue sports, etc...)

GT and Virginia make the most sense to me, but a pairing of UNC and Duke would be interesting. Basketball eyeballs are obviously worth a lot of money as well and joining the B1G might spruce up their football statuses.

[Shane P. Hallam]

Just to confirm, Rutgers is announcing tomorrow that they are joining the Big Ten.

[JoeJoeBrown]

It's so weird that the B1G is east coast now.

[MassNole]

Matt Hayes ‏@Matt_HayesSN
Rutgers could have won the #B1G this season. Imagine the reaction of the blue hairs in Pasadena.

[MassNole]

TomahawkNation.com ‏@TomahawkNation
RT @BryanDFischer: RT @wilnerhotline: Realignment source: UConn to ACC could happen as soon as Tuesday.

[Giantsfan1080]

Now the Big 10 can claim they are the birthplace of college football. I bet anything they promote the crap out of that. Also I think by far we're the oldest school in conference by at least 50 years.

[Grizzlegom]

Originally Posted by MassNole

TomahawkNation.com ‏@TomahawkNation
RT @BryanDFischer: RT @wilnerhotline: Realignment source: UConn to ACC could happen as soon as Tuesday.

Who else would you want?

[MassNole]

Originally Posted by Grizzlegom

Who else would you want?

Louisville.

Best football team in the Big East and a better basketball school. Not that it matters as FSU will now definitely look to get the hell out of the ACC.

[bearsfan_51]

Originally Posted by Grizzlegom

UVA friend of mine says UVA won't go anywhere without Duke and UNC.

Well if your friend says it....

[Grizzlegom]

I thought they had their hearts/sights set on the Big 12 but yea, that makes sense.

[Giantsfan1080]

So what will the divisions look like?

[bearsfan_51]

Originally Posted by Giantsfan1080

So what will the divisions look like?

I've heard that Maryland will go the Legends (mostly Western) division, while Rutgers will go to the Leaders division. Maryland-Rutgers will be the new crossover rivalry.

I figured they would simply move Illinois over and add both teams on the East Coast.

[Giantsfan1080]

@JFowlerCBS: ACC in talks with UConn, Louisville, South Florida & Cincinnati about 14th team to replace Maryland, source told @CBSSports.

[Grizzlegom]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

This isn't even remotely true, and is based on nothing but a myth about contiguous states that won't go away.

Georgia Tech has been, and will continue to be, strongly considered.

So much of a myth that they've continued to stick by it with every move. While I agree that they'd expand outside the contiguous states, it would have to be a huge get (something like Texas) to do it and I don't see GT alone being that get. Perhaps if they came in a package with other ACC schools as discussed throughout the thread, it would make sense, but I don't see GT by itself being a target.

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

That was already going to happen with the sanctions and Urban Meyer coming to OSU.

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

Well if your friend says it....

Did I say something to offend you? FWIW, my friend works in the Athletic department there and I talked to another guy I know (who plays for the team currently) and he said there are no rumblings around the team about going anywhere.

[bearsfan_51]

No, I didn't mean to make it personally. If he's in the athletic department you should have included that, since that obviously substantiates it quite a bit more.

[jrdrylie]

The only way Connecticut makes sense is if the ACC decides to become a basketball conference. They are letting their expansion be dictated by basketball when football is the big money-maker.

UCONN doesn't really add a great market. If they want a a good basketball team, Louisville adds a better football team and a slightly larger market. UCF and USF offer much larger markets (though Miami and Florida State already help there), huge enrollments (UCF is #2, USF #8), good facilities. All would be better than UCONN.

[bearsfan_51]

Apparently that source was full of crap

Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN
Maryland prez tells regents MD, RU in Leaders Division w/OSU, PSU, Wisconsin, Purdue & Indiana. Illinois moves to Legends


Makes much more sense.