Forget Pitt, Big Ten Rumored to now be Talking to Texas

[AlumKCof93]

For academic reasons, I don't think the Big 10 wants Kansas or Nebraska.  I wonder if Texas moves to the Big 10, does that result in ND reconsidering its position and finally joining?  If so, the Big 10 would add Missouri and could split into 2 divisions, adding a title game.  That would be a helluva conference for both basketball and football.  There would be enough quality football and basketball teams to guarantee large enough payouts to satisfy each member.

[PJDunn]

The B10 may not want Nebraska for Academic reasons, but KU is solid.  Certainly better than Iowa, Ohio State and Minnesota.  The problems with Kansas are a crap football program and a mediocre TV market.  The B10 is better off with Missouri.

[KipsBayEagle]

Texas moving to the big ten would be a competitive disaster for them in football.  Playing Oklahoma, texas a &m, and texas tech are requirements for texas and their fan base.  That means a big ten season schedule with those three out of conference, combining for a murders row of games each season.  Also, texas would be flying 3 hours to every single away game, something no school wants to do unless its a neccesity.  Whats going to end up happening is that all these conferences are going to grab schools that aren't already in BCS conferences.  Pac 10 will grab utah, byu, or Boise state.  Big ten will try and poach a big east school, but it seems that if they were going to grab rutgers or pitt, it would have happened already.  I would say university of miami.... of ohio.  A better school than most think (usnews rates it higher than marquette).  Big east teams won't leave because it doesn't help them to get beaten up every year in a power football conference when they can contend every year for a bcs birth, plus Big East basketball is by far and away the best basketball conference in the country for revenue, by a long shot.

[wiscoave]

"Big east teams won't leave because it doesn't help them to get beaten up every year in a power football conference when they can contend every year for a bcs birth, plus Big East basketball is by far and away the best basketball conference in the country for revenue, by a long shot."

You are smoking crack. From an academics standpoint, it's a no-brainer. From a money standpoint, it's a no brainer. MU, as a part-time member of the BE, only receives about 2 MM. Whoop-de-damn-doo. Full-time members I think are around $5 MM. If a football school in the BE gets invited, they are gone. Period.

[KipsBayEagle]

One could argue that big east football over the past 5 years has been better than big ten football

[wiscoave]

One could argue that big east football over the past 5 years has been better than big ten football

So I guess you are a believer that re-alignment is all about creating competition. Money and academics are inconsequential? Please. The only reason ND doesnt join the B10 is because of $. And I hope it hurts them in the end. 

[avid1010]

You are smoking crack. From an academics standpoint, it's a no-brainer. From a money standpoint, it's a no brainer. MU, as a part-time member of the BE, only receives about 2 MM. Whoop-de-damn-doo. Full-time members I think are around $5 MM. If a football school in the BE gets invited, they are gone. Period.

The $2 million and $5 million are both "whoop-de-damn-doo"....

[MarkMiller]

Appears that down the road a bit the Big East will be a basketball only conference. If that happens, I'd look for Xavier, Dayton, Butler and Charlotte to join the league, making it a 12-team league.

Eastern Division
St. John's
Villanova
Georgetown
Seton Hall
Providence
Charlotte

Western Division
Marquette
DePaul
Notre Dame
Xavier
Dayton
Butler

Play each team in your division twice and the teams from the other division once for a 16-game league schedule.

[wiscoave]

Appears that down the road a bit the Big East will be a basketball only conference. If that happens, I'd look for Xavier, Dayton, Butler and Charlotte to join the league, making it a 12-team league.

Eastern Division
St. John's
Villanova
Georgetown
Seton Hall
Providence
Charlotte

Western Division
Marquette
DePaul
Notre Dame
Xavier
Dayton
Butler

Play each team in your division twice and the teams from the other division once for a 16-game league schedule.

And that would be unfortunate. The teams that are most synonomous with the BE are gone (with the exception of Nova and GTown). The biggest rivalries are hacked away. This new conference has no identity academically. Recruiting for the conference would prove to be more difficult, at least when it comes to getting the best.

[Litehouse]

And that would be unfortunate. The teams that are most synonomous with the BE are gone (with the exception of Nova and GTown). The biggest rivalries are hacked away. This new conference has no identity academically. Recruiting for the conference would prove to be more difficult, at least when it comes to getting the best.

While it's not as nice as what we have now, it might be the best we can realistically hope for, and I like it better than the old C-USA days.  I also disagree with the academic identity, these are nearly all urban catholic schools (ND not being urban, and Charlotte and Butler not being catholic).

[GGGG]

According to the link I posted, expansion was at the top of the list of things to do for Larry Scott. The B10 has been talking about it for years....and have done absolutely nothing. Larry Scott sounds as though the "idea" has materialized and Im willing to bet you the PAC10 moves first.  

No, the Big Ten has *not* been talking about it for years.  People have been *speculating* about Big Ten expansion.  They did invite Notre Dame...who turned them down in a moment of hubris that is gonna look really, really dumb in about ten years.

So if the Pac Ten gets Utah and Colorado, and the Big Ten gets Texas...who's the winner?  Big Ten hands down.

[MUCam]

The only reason ND doesnt join the B10 is because of $. And I hope it hurts them in the end. 

This is wrong.

ND has admitted that they would make far more money under a Big Ten TV contract than they currently do under their TV contracts. ND hasn't joined because ND is ND in all its pompousness and glory. I agree with the earlier statement that a Texas entry could drive ND in. Adding ND, Texas and then Mizzou would be a major (and realistic) coup.

As for Texas, I think it is a very realistic possibility. The reality is that regardless of the level of competition / current prestige for Big Ten football, the money being brought in continues to make it arguably the "best" or at least, most profitable conference in the country. I have seen figures that estimate that Texas could double its TV revenue by joining the Big Ten. Add in the academic factors and you are talking some very serious consideration TX will give to a Big Ten move.

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

Not the least bit surprised by this.  Big 10 threw out feelers to Texas in the late 1990s as I recall before they invited ND as the 12th team.

Short of ND, this would be the perfect match for the Big Ten.  Maybe not geographically, but on a $$$ side, this would be a match made in heaven.  Texas and Ohio State (#1 and #2 largest athletic departments) in the same conference from a revenue perspective?  Big 10 Network distribution into Texas?  Start counting the bags of money now.

[GGGG]

Not the least bit surprised by this.  Big 10 threw out feelers to Texas in the late 1990s as I recall before they invited ND as the 12th team.

Short of ND, this would be the perfect match for the Big Ten.  Maybe not geographically, but on a $$$ side, this would be a match made in heaven.  Texas and Ohio State (#1 and #2 largest athletic departments) in the same conference from a revenue perspective?  Big 10 Network distribution into Texas?  Start counting the bags of money now.

"Short of ND?"  This would be better than ND for the Big Ten.  Much better.  For the Big Ten Network to get instant access to every market in the second largest state in the country?  Notre Dame won't do that.

Here is a nice summary of why this would work out for both sides:

http://tinyurl.com/yasdnuh

[JWags85]

 Big ten will try and poach a big east school, but it seems that if they were going to grab rutgers or pitt, it would have happened already.  I would say university of miami.... of ohio.  A better school than most think (usnews rates it higher than marquette).

Its Miami University.  Or Miami of Ohio as slang to clarify.  Sorry, as an alum its a pet peeve of mine.  Fantastic school, was top 50 in the country for awhile, its ranking has dropped a bit recently as a ton of money from the state of Ohio has flown into OSU for scholarships and such, and thus its taking some quality kids that normally went to Miami away to Columbus.  Additionally, its not a research heavy graduate school university, which harms schools in those rankings, same with Marquette.

Miami actually was mentioned as a possibly Big 10 addition 25-30 years ago, but there is just not enough money for them to play with big boys.  Football only plays in a 25-30K seat stadium, and basketball is in an awful venue that is shaped like a U and has half of it curtained off.  That being said, if all this shake ups happens, Miami could be sitting nicely as its academic profile and sports history place it head and shoulders above the other MAC schools and alot of other mid majors.

[The Lens]

Very interesting article from 2007 about the forming of the Big 12.  It is clear that Texas has had wandering eyes for 20+ years. 

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/MYSA081405_3N_SWCbaylor_tech_1ca3e1c_html8528.html