(04-26-2016 02:46 PM)AntiG Wrote: (04-26-2016 02:11 PM)5thTiger Wrote: (04-24-2016 02:06 PM)Nebraskafan Wrote: What do you all think about adding them to the conference?
Personally, I like the idea of spreading the footprint into areas where the B1G doesn't have a presence for membership. New markets. New populations to plant flags in. New recruiting grounds that become footprint.
I would like to see them get a school in Texas since there isn't much of a presence in that state and there are plenty of Midwest folks who moved to Texas for various reasons.
Mizzou and KU and finally be done with this ridiculous stuff. College sports shouldn't be about money. Destroying history, tradition, and rivalries for the dollar isn't worth it.
Why even expand at all if not for the money? Its not like Mizzou & KU have a particularly compelling historical rivalry with anyone in the Big Ten. Yes, Nebraska, but nothing to make the conference go "WOW we NEED to have them in our conference." Same goes for those wanting UConn. Nothing impressive being brought to the table here outside of a great basketball program. Hartford is a good market to add, but that's about it.
Texas & Oklahoma as a package though, that's the fantastic wow factor. THAT moves the needle, that makes the money, that adds to our conference's tradition, history, and adds a fantastic rivalry that extends to Nebraska as well.
The B1G isn't going to expand just for the sake of expanding. They are going after the money, which means the biggest markets and/or "Franchise player" type of schools... meaning the specific targets are Texas, Oklahoma, Florida State, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Duke.
Mizzou-kansas border war. Mizzou-Nebraska victory bell. kansas- nebraska. Mizzou-Illinois Braggin rights. Border with Iowa. Of the Top 22 most played programs for Mizzou, B1G schools make up 8, including former conference foes.
So far as rivalries/history go, Missouri is easily the most connected out of any remaining schools.
Oklahoma, Florida St, and UConn don't have academic (AAU) chops.
If Texas wanted to be in the B1G, they would be there already.
Duke isn't coming by themselves. Which would mean UNC, while skipping UVA.
Going beyond 16 is unrealistic at this point, and for the forseeable future (30 years). That means 2 schools (if any at all) that would get into the B1G. I'm not unrealistic, so I don't expect Missouri and Kansas to be invited anytime soon. Truth be told, the top 2 targets are almost definitely Virginia and UNC. Virginia, I can see, but I really don't think UNC would leave their comrades/rivals in the dust. The whole Georgia Tech, Florida St train is even more unrealistic than the Texas train, which is minuscule at best.
The best way to sum it up is that there are 2 spots up for grabs, with roughly 4 options in the West, and 4 options in the Central/East.
Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas in the West. Notre Dame, Virginia, UNC, Duke in the Central/ East. Anyone else you have to go through these states to get to, which goes beyond 16. If I'm being extremely visionary, MAYBE throw UConn in there if they can grow football and academic reputations...but that would take decades.