http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2950700



So, is it going to be Rutgers or Syracuse?



Syracuse potentially gives them another hockey team if Big Ten hockey gets started.


It also eases the minds at Northwestern by adding another private school.







Notre Dame is obviously out of the picture.

This could be just 'saber rattling' by the Big10 to let ND know they will not wait forever for them. In addition, don't forget about Missouri. Those four schools (RU, Missouri, SU, and ND) are the only realistic choices for Big10 expansion.

Notre Dame is scheduling games all over the country for 2011, 2014, etc.


I think the Big Ten finally realizes that ND will never join a football conference.




I'll agree to add Missouri to the list.




So, who do you think it will be?

Cuse, Rutgers, or Missouri?

I like Syracuse here because they have a bigger football stadium (although Rutgers is really only one decent expansion from passing them) and a bigger basketball arena. The Carrier Dome could even host a Big Ten Football title game if necessary, although the Lucas Oil Stadium (replacement for the RCA Dome) would be a better choice.

I am probably one of the few Big East fans that is pleased to see the Big Ten making some noise to move to 12 teams.

I personally cant stand the current 16 team Big East alignment that has some schools that play football and some that do not and especially the Notre Dame situation that does little to help Big East football and takes so much in the process.

With that said, my vote or better put as a preference is Notre Dame to the Big Ten.

This would open up the much needed 9th football spot for a deserving school that would play all sports in the Big East including the much needed 9th football member for balancing football schedules.

If Notre Dame continues to neg, then the best option for the Big Ten is Rutgers.

Syracuse would be best to finally convince the Big East to split, however, Rutgers makes the most logical choice if Notre Dame continues to push back on Big Ten membership.

Final note: The Big East football schools only have themselves to blame for this latest Big Ten movement.

If the Big East football schools would have split, either Notre Dame would have been forced to move to the Big Ten or joined the football schools.

Deciding to remain with the basketball schools continues to provide Notre Dame a safe haven for varsity sports and in the process continues to make the Big East football school vulnerable to raids.

If Notre Dame left the Big East, the Big East would add a basketball only school to preserve the 8/8 balence, just as they added Marquette and Depaul.


But don't worry about that because Notre Dame WILL NEVER JOIN A FOOTBALL CONFERENCE.

It's not an option.



If the Big East splits, ND will go with the bball schools.

mplsbison, I waiting for the day that Notre Dame is force to play in a non BCS mid major basketball league. The Big Ten will be laughing all the way to the bank. We all could use a good laugh on that one.

I do agree with you that Notre Dame will option to remain with the basketball schools.

If Rutgers leaves, then the decision is easy on which team to pick for expansion to bring the football schools to nine. You no longer have to decide which team is best Memphis basketball or Central Florida's location.

But there won't be an expansion to 17. MT has said it himself that there are no viable options.


I doubt highly that UCF would not be picked for all sports as it gives USF a travel partner for non FB sports.

Big Ten has obviously given up on Notre Dame and deservingly so.

Even if the Big Ten does expand to twelve, that does not necessarily require them to have a championship game. Of course, when playing less of a round-robin, controversy may arise at times to a greater level as to whom is really the conference's best in a given season.

Rutgers? Syracuse? Missouri? To really narrow that down to one may take a lot more information. Much resides with the individual schools in negotiating, and projecting for the long-term with regard to issues ranging from facilities to Olympic-type sports sponsorships. Commitments go both ways. Those new Big East exit fees?

I tend to believe an Eastern team would get the nod over one from the plains/upper Mississippi River region. Penn State needs a clear "eastern rival" incorporated in the Big Ten. Also, the marketing may just be much better than extracting a team from the Big Twelve-north. Schools such as Iowa State (to the west) and Pittsburgh (to the east) certainly would offer travel and scheduling convenience, but would be less an additive than others with regard to TV market expansion.

Would Missouri really want to leave the Big 12 north and give up conference membership with schools such as Kansas and Nebraska? Would Rutgers believe they could compete in the Big Ten consistently with major travel costs involved? Will Syracuse football be projected to re-establish itself equal to the Big Ten general level of play or would it be like adding another Northwestern? Some questions to be answered.

I keep thinking....West Virginia.....contiguous, another State, sports programs who could move right into the thick of things for most Big Ten competition. But the ACC did not pursue them nor does the Big Ten seek them. It's unfortunate, maybe a tad bias, WVU's academic image, along with its largely rural hills and population, does not garner it more respect.

WVU not being AAU pretty much takes them out of the discussion. Same problem with Kentucky.

Does Maryland stand a chance? They bring the Baltimore market (#24 for TV), and even access to the Washington DC market (#8 for TV).

Agree fully that West Virginia is not an option. They bring almost nothing for TV increase and they're not AAU.


Maryland is another interesting option that I didn't consider. They definately bring the Washington/Baltimore market which is pretty big (though not as big as the NYC market) and they're AAU.


I kind've think that Maryland associates itself more with the mid Atlantic area (Virginia, North Carolina) than it does the New York/New Jersey/Penn area.

The Big Ten is being systematic and floating the expansion idea to pick up steam.

Two names were dropped in multiple media circles: Syracuse and Rutgers. The Rutgers idea is not new, and was even a recommendation from a consulting firm the Big Ten employed some years back. At the time of the report, many were surprised at the mentioning of Rutgers.

Plan one may actually be to give Notre Dame one last chance for bitting. If the Big Ten really wanted to play hard ball, their Presidents could direct their ADs' not to schedule ND in major sports, even citing the need to incorporate a new 12th member and adjust to the new Big Ten Network format. (The Mich. State blog that Freaked shared reflected on this concept though many have said for years, schools such as Michigan, MSU, and Purdue were all part of enabling ND for their own revenue benefits).

Plan two make be to get the best it can for an eastern addition. None are perfect, but you go with the one that offers the better positives.

Whatever the case, it won't be done by the Swofford (ACC Commish) style. But Swofford reached his basic goals amid controversy, modifications, and lawsuits. Umhhh, and wasn't it a school called "Syracuse" that the ACC originally wanted but ultimately didn't add due to Virginia politics----and the school was kept free in the lawsuit fiascoes?

Post Nabb floundering, dumping a proved fb coach, who at least kept the program moderately competitive, for one who seems to have things going in reverse so far, doesn't render Syracuse its most strongest profile for a potential moment of near future BIG10 consideration.

MD is a looong shot (not even a peep about Big 10 expansion in the Balt or DC papers). But it would restore a rivalry with Penn St and open up the spot for Syracuse which should have been theirs a few years ago.

sec03, agreed the Big Ten will not take the back room approach as the ACC handled expansion a few years back.

The Big Ten was up front when Penn State joined as well. It was reported well in advance in the USA Today before Penn State was admitted to the Big Ten.

If the Big Big Ten were interested in Maryland or Missouri they would have most likely been mentioned by now.

Likewise if the Big Ten were interested in Notre Dame the school would have been include in the statement.

With Notre Dame recent annoucement of a home and home schedule with Oklahoma, Notre Dame has no interest it the Big Ten or helping out the Big East football schools.

It is very clear the Big East is on notice that another school may be lured away.

If the Big Ten decides to expand which is a huge possibility or they would not be discussing the situation, I can not see how either Syracuse or Rutgers could turn the offer down.

The Bowls, revenue, and academic benefits are just to great in the Big Ten.

The Big East football schools need to be looking for a replacement ASAP.

It has to be Central Florida as an all sports member.


It restores the 8/8 balance between FB and BB schools and it gives South Florida a travel partner.