Expansion Update - Notre Dame reportedly not joining

[Mike Furley]

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/extras/colleges_blog/

Boston Globe blog reports that Notre Dame is not a likely candidate - which doesn't surprise me much since for two reasons. One, it's not a member of the research association that all Big Ten teams belong too; and two, marginalizing Notre Dame is probably in the best interest of Big Ten schools. Notre Dame's independent status has marginalized the university in the BCS format that has been the norm for the past decade.

Looks like it could be Missouri, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, and Syracuse.

I guess then it would be a west/east split

East: Rutgers, Syracuse, Penn St, Pittsburgh, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan St, Indiana
West: Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue

I'm not sure how Purdue and Indiana feel about getting split up, so I think either Pittsburgh or Nebraska would be the last choice with whichever one gets in the other doesn't and another team is brought in from the same region. i.e, if Pittsburgh comes, then Maryland comes too and Nebraska is out. If Nebraska comes, then Pittsburgh is out and another school from the west is added like Kansas or Colorado.

So it could be

East: Maryland, Rutgers, Syracuse, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan St
West: Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue, Indiana

or

East: Rutgers, Syracuse, Penn State, Ohio St, Michigan, Michigan St, Indiana, Purdue
West: Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and either Colorado or Kansas.


I wish they'd announce this soon. I'm tiring of trying to figure out how the conference will reformulate

[Wolvrin704]

I don't think ND turning down an invite would surprise anyone seeing as they have been very adamant that maintaining their independent status is their top priority.

With that said I have some reservations about the 5 schools you have listed, namely Rutgers, Syracuse and Nebraska.

Rutgers does nothing IMO to add to the B10 other than more tv sets. They're nothing special in any sport or academically.
Syracuse is good in basketball but pathetic in football but again will add a lot of tv sets.
Nebraska does almost zilch more than anyone. The state of Nebraska already receives B10 network with their cable/sat packages, the only sport they are good at is football and they are not anywhere near the academic standards of the B10.

Irregardless I would still welcome these teams as I think it will make the conference better and to be honest we're not going to pull in a football powerhouse school so to get these schools would be fine as some of them are on the cusp of being good to great.

[bighousemike84]

We have had this very same convo before and I really dont feel like revisiting it until something actually happens. Notre Dame is dead set on remaining independent but as far as I am concerned that is just a smoke screen, it is only a matter of time before they join the B10 or Big East. Until that happens I am done speculating.

[rickyleach]

nd ,doesnt want to lose out on being the best independent team in the nation , can you blame them , i mean the average 6 or 7 wins per year if they jointhe b10 they might win 5 or 6 games tops..

[NorCal Buckeye]

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/extras/colleges_blog/

Boston Globe blog reports that Notre Dame is not a likely candidate - which doesn't surprise me much since for two reasons. One, it's not a member of the research association that all Big Ten teams belong too; and two, marginalizing Notre Dame is probably in the best interest of Big Ten schools. Notre Dame's independent status has marginalized the university in the BCS format that has been the norm for the past decade.

Looks like it could be Missouri, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, and Syracuse.

I guess then it would be a west/east split

East: Rutgers, Syracuse, Penn St, Pittsburgh, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan St, Indiana
West: Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue

I'm not sure how Purdue and Indiana feel about getting split up, so I think either Pittsburgh or Nebraska would be the last choice with whichever one gets in the other doesn't and another team is brought in from the same region. i.e, if Pittsburgh comes, then Maryland comes too and Nebraska is out. If Nebraska comes, then Pittsburgh is out and another school from the west is added like Kansas or Colorado.

So it could be

East: Maryland, Rutgers, Syracuse, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan St
West: Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue, Indiana

or

East: Rutgers, Syracuse, Penn State, Ohio St, Michigan, Michigan St, Indiana, Purdue
West: Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and either Colorado or Kansas.


I wish they'd announce this soon. I'm tiring of trying to figure out how the conference will reformulate

There is commentary about Notre Dame being afraid to join the Big Ten because they would be exposed as just a mediocre program in a conference with some real competition.

I can tell you what they are really afraid of...getting shellacked by Ohio State every year. That is what they are afraid of.

[rickyleach]

hey i got a great idea how about if the bi10 adds appy state , youngstown state.

[Mike Furley]

nd ,doesnt want to lose out on being the best independent team in the nation , can you blame them , i mean the average 6 or 7 wins per year if they jointhe b10 they might win 5 or 6 games tops..

5 to 6 games top? Maybe... if Rodriguez was coaching the Irish sure, but they have Kelly.

[NorCal Buckeye]

5 to 6 games top? Maybe... if Rodriguez was coaching the Irish sure, but they have Kelly.

Another nonbeliever? Rodriguez just can't get any respect.

[Wolvrin704]

Another nonbeliever? Rodriguez just can't get any respect.

Furley is an OSU fan, so of course.

I do agree with you that ND would get beat up badly in the B10 but I don't think they're afraid of just OSU. If they thought they could win every game but OSU would that keep them from joining? I doubt it. Thats Homerism to the extreme.