As we know the Big Ten has elevan teams. If the Big Ten added another team then they could add a Conference Championship Game on the first weekend of December. But who?
I would also say if the Big Ten added another team, should the Conference change the Name of the Big Ten?
How would the Conference be split? East/West, North/South, Other?

Due to a requirement of the Big Ten bylaws, any expansion must be within, or next to, current Big Ten territory (although, like all bylaws, this could be amended by conference vote). Due to the addition of the Big Ten Network, expansion talks have been revisited. Expansion could mean adding a conference championship football game and adding a school in or near a large TV market, greatly aiding the Big Ten Network's marketability. It is likely academics will also play an important role in any potential 12th school being invited into the conference.

possible universities that have gained favor for any possible expansion for the 12th spot in the conference include: University of Notre Dame, University of Connecticut mentioned on ABC sports on 11/07/09 Penn State-Ohio State football game, Rutgers University, Syracuse University, University of Missouri, of Nebraska, University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia University, Iowa State University.

Pitt

Nebraska, University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia University, Iowa State University any one of these three would be ok with me.

Of the three I would want Nebraska.

Notre Dame will never join a conference as long as they have the NBC contract.
Also, I can't see any school who currently belongs to a BCS conference leaving their current conference to join the Big Ten.

If they went to two divisions, they had better put Ohio State and michigan in the same division. Unlike the big 12 who put Nebraska and Oklahoma in different divisions, thus ending that rivalry.

ck9 wrote: Notre Dame will never join a conference as long as they have the NBC contract.
Also, I can't see any school who currently belongs to a BCS conference leaving their current conference to join the Big Ten.

If they went to two divisions, they had better put Ohio State and michigan in the same division. Unlike the big 12 who put Nebraska and Oklahoma in different divisions, thus ending that rivalry.

I see what you're saying with the BCS issue, but even as bad as the Big10 has been; B10 is still better than Big East football.

has got to be Pitt, WVU, or Notre Dame.
ND is the logical choice, but for some illogical reason, they all still think they are "too good" for conference play. What an inane and naive perspective. Especially with that ninny as your coach.

Pitt is probably the best choice.

ck9 wrote: Notre Dame will never join a conference as long as they have the NBC contract.
Also, I can't see any school who currently belongs to a BCS conference leaving their current conference to join the Big Ten.

If they went to two divisions, they had better put Ohio State and michigan in the same division. Unlike the big 12 who put Nebraska and Oklahoma in different divisions, thus ending that rivalry.

If Notre Dame doesnt start winning some games then NBC may drop them.

I wouldnt be surprised to see OSU and Mich threatin drop the conference if the rivalry was ended. Then the Big ten would be back in the same position that they started in.

I'd go with Pitt. Close in proximity to Big 10 schools and a pretty good opponent. I think ND is better as an independent.

Notre Dame is the best fit, but like others have said, tv contracts and other monetary reasons will probably always keep that from happening.

wes_mantooth wrote: Notre Dame is the best fit, but like others have said, tv contracts and other monetary reasons will probably always keep that from happening.

They keep losing and those monetary reasons aren't as great as they are now. Granted, ND's market is strong win or lose but there will be a day that ND isn't in such a powerful position. But ONLY then do they entertain coming into a conference

killdeer wrote: has got to be Pitt, WVU, or Notre Dame.
ND is the logical choice, but for some illogical reason, they all still think they are "too good" for conference play. What an inane and naive perspective. Especially with that ninny as your coach.

Pitt is probably the best choice.

That is all kinds of wrong. Notre Dame tried to join the Big 10 a looong time ago, Big Ten said no. Then Notre Dame beat Fielding Yost so right before their next game against each other, Yost cancelled the series. Later, Michigan coaches tried to get the Big Ten to not play Notre Dame at all (many speculate anti-Catholic reasoning), only Michigan State and Purdue wouldn't go along with the ban. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/250878-to-hell-with-notre-dame-the-rocky-road-of-the-nd-michigan-rivalry

You were on quite a roll though, well as much as you could be without being right... In any case, taking away the history Notre Dame has had with the Big 10, still without NBC it is in Notre Dame's best interests to stay independant. Even if the Big 11 fans think they're naive.

Pittsburgh is the best choice, followed closely by West Virginia. Cincinnati would be interesting but Ohio State would never let it happen.

Big Ten West
-Illinois
-Iowa
-Minnesota
-Northwestern
-Purdue
-Wisconsin

Big Ten East
-Indiana
-Michigan
-Michigan State
-Ohio State
-Penn State
-**Pittsburgh**

The Big Ten East would be far better than the West, but that's the way it'd have to be if you wanted the rivalries to remain for the most part.

Mr Pat wrote:

killdeer wrote: has got to be Pitt, WVU, or Notre Dame.
ND is the logical choice, but for some illogical reason, they all still think they are "too good" for conference play. What an inane and naive perspective. Especially with that ninny as your coach.

Pitt is probably the best choice.

That is all kinds of wrong. Notre Dame tried to join the Big 10 a looong time ago, Big Ten said no. Then Notre Dame beat Fielding Yost so right before their next game against each other, Yost cancelled the series. Later, Michigan coaches tried to get the Big Ten to not play Notre Dame at all (many speculate anti-Catholic reasoning), only Michigan State and Purdue wouldn't go along with the ban. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/250878-to-hell-with-notre-dame-the-rocky-road-of-the-nd-michigan-rivalry

You were on quite a roll though, well as much as you could be without being right... In any case, taking away the history Notre Dame has had with the Big 10, still without NBC it is in Notre Dame's best interests to stay independant. Even if the Big 11 fans think they're naive.

"Fielding Yost"?...what are you...90 years old? In the 20th...and now 21st century, the Irish have been approached by the Big Ten (and other conferences) about conference affiliation...in each case, largely on the strength of their NBC contract, which purports to display Notre Dame as some kind of program above and beyond the reach of most NCAA programs, ND has consistently rebuffed conference play. Much to their detriment, IMO. ND is no longer relevant in NCAA football except as a historical and legendary novelty. Until they can compete with the major conference players (and this year, like the last few, they have shown that they cannot) indenpendent status is merely a novelty, and not a position of strength for this formerly legendary program.

sjmvsfscs08 wrote: Pittsburgh is the best choice, followed closely by West Virginia. Cincinnati would be interesting but Ohio State would never let it happen.

Big Ten West
-Illinois
-Iowa
-Minnesota
-Northwestern
-Purdue
-Wisconsin

Big Ten East
-Indiana
-Michigan
-Michigan State
-Ohio State
-Penn State
-**Pittsburgh**

The Big Ten East would be far better than the West, but that's the way it'd have to be if you wanted the rivalries to remain for the most part.

Agreed with the east but imagine instead of pitt, how bout ND.
The big 10 east would be by far the toughest conference.
The problem is what team would want to play OSU, Penn St, Mich, and ND every year!

Overrated university is all about the money and having an easy schedule noway do they join a big time conference.

Well look at other conferences..you play 8 conference games...5 in your division and 3 in the other. Let's say you put Pitt in the Big 10

North
Michigan
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Northwestern
Illinois

South
Iowa
Indiana
Purdue
OSU
Penn State
Pitt

Michigan would play all of the North...including their rivals Michigan State and Minnesota
The other 3 conference games would be OSU, and a rotating 2 teams. Michigan would play the other 5 teams in the South every 1 time every 3 years. It's not that different than what the schedule is now. I think now, it's a 2 game layoff between teams..I.e. Michigan doesnt play NW and Minnesota for 2 years.

No matter who you put as the 12th you could seperate OSU/Michigan, but still have them play every year...Possibly 2x

BTW...I like Cincinnati

bigkahuna wrote: Well look at other conferences..you play 8 conference games...5 in your division and 3 in the other. Let's say you put Pitt in the Big 10

North
Michigan
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Northwestern
Illinois

South
Iowa
Indiana
Purdue
OSU
Penn State
Pitt

Michigan would play all of the North...including their rivals Michigan State and Minnesota
The other 3 conference games would be OSU, and a rotating 2 teams. Michigan would play the other 5 teams in the South every 1 time every 3 years. It's not that different than what the schedule is now. I think now, it's a 2 game layoff between teams..I.e. Michigan doesnt play NW and Minnesota for 2 years.

No matter who you put as the 12th you could seperate OSU/Michigan, but still have them play every year...Possibly 2x

it could work only if the last game of conference play was a crossed divison game so mich and the bucks can play the last game of the year same with, MSU/PSU, Ill/In, NW,Pur, Minn/Iowa

I think Pitt would be the best fit. Brings PSU another natural rival.

killdeer wrote:"Fielding Yost"?...what are you...90 years old? In the 20th...and now 21st century, the Irish have been approached by the Big Ten (and other conferences) about conference affiliation...in each case, largely on the strength of their NBC contract, which purports to display Notre Dame as some kind of program above and beyond the reach of most NCAA programs, ND has consistently rebuffed conference play. Much to their detriment, IMO. ND is no longer relevant in NCAA football except as a historical and legendary novelty. Until they can compete with the major conference players (and this year, like the last few, they have shown that they cannot) indenpendent status is merely a novelty, and not a position of strength for this formerly legendary program.

Do you understand how stupid you sound when you say Notre Dame is no longer relevant in College Football?

I take it the OTHERS vote are for Cincy

sjmvsfscs08 wrote: Pittsburgh is the best choice, followed closely by West Virginia. Cincinnati would be interesting but Ohio State would never let it happen.

Big Ten West
-Illinois
-Iowa
-Minnesota
-Northwestern
-Purdue
-Wisconsin

Big Ten East
-Indiana
-Michigan
-Michigan State
-Ohio State
-Penn State
-**Pittsburgh**

The Big Ten East would be far better than the West, but that's the way it'd have to be if you wanted the rivalries to remain for the most part.

No, you do North vs. South. OSU and UM can't be in the same division.

bigkahuna wrote: Well look at other conferences..you play 8 conference games...5 in your division and 3 in the other. Let's say you put Pitt in the Big 10

North
Michigan
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Northwestern
Illinois

South
Iowa
Indiana
Purdue
OSU
Penn State
Pitt

Michigan would play all of the North...including their rivals Michigan State and Minnesota
The other 3 conference games would be OSU, and a rotating 2 teams. Michigan would play the other 5 teams in the South every 1 time every 3 years. It's not that different than what the schedule is now. I think now, it's a 2 game layoff between teams..I.e. Michigan doesnt play NW and Minnesota for 2 years.

No matter who you put as the 12th you could seperate OSU/Michigan, but still have them play every year...Possibly 2x

BTW...I like Cincinnati

I like North and South.

I think Pitt or West Virginia would be good. They both make sense in sports other than football, as well as geographically.

If they get a Conference Championship game it I think it should be at Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indy
It is a center location and in a dome

I think it makes more sense for Ohio State-Michigan to be in the same division. Otherwise they could play in back-to-back weeks, and that would just be weird, and wrong in my opinion.

And I'd vote for the Championship Game to rotate between Detroit's Ford Field, Indianapolis's Lucas Oil Stadium, Chicago's Soldier Field, Green Bay's Lambeau Field, Cleveland's Browns Stadium, and possibly Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium. If the Vikings were to ever get a new stadium, or if Pittsburgh would move out of the Steelers' stadium, use those stadiums too for the rotation. I think it'd be neat to have all of the area's NFL stadiums used, plus the geographical advantage would cease to exist for certain teams; it would be fairly equal for all teams, except Penn State and Iowa.

I agree with all that chose Pitt.