Now I know there are some for it; I know there are some
against it. But this is just a fan’s speculative look at what would happen if
the NCAA FBS football programs reorganized into 5, 24-team superconferences. I
based my original concepts on some Big Ten expansion statements (see here).
In turn, my ideas branched out from the B1G. Let’s begin…
So when you are trying to expand conferences, you must think
about rivalries and intelligent, even place making. For the Big Ten Conference,
I first added the teams Mr. Gee expressed in addition to new rivals on the East
Coast for Penn State, and particular rivals in the “I states” of the West. Here
are the new divisions…
West
Nebraska
Kansas
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
Wisconsin
Northern Illinois
Northwestern
Illinois
Notre Dame
Purdue
Indiana
East
Rutgers
Maryland
Syracuse
Penn State
Virginia
Duke
North Carolina
Pittsburgh
Ohio State
Toledo
Michigan
Michigan State
Notre Dame finally joins the conference, and becomes an
instant “rival” for Indiana and Purdue. NIU would come in off a good MAC season
to take on Illinois and Northwestern while Kansas and Missouri join up to
challenge those in the West. In the East, PSU will be further challenged by
Syracuse as an old rivalry is transplanted to a new conference with Duke and
UNC. Pittsburgh enters to give PSU a little in-state rivalry (think
Flyers-Pens). Toledo does the same for Ohio State. I know you may be thinking that
the divisions may be rather large (Why not 4?). Well I say just think of them
as conferences within a
superconference. It allows for more freedom.
Either way, that is a fan’s speculative look at how Big Ten
expansion might play out. Come back Monday for the new SEC. Until then, I’m Sunny Swanson saying, don’t lose your
hump.
