Last week we touched on some reports of major conference expansion possibilities in the NCAA that had the potential to change the landscape of college sports forever. What appeared to be a rapidly developing shake-up has since slowed, at least for the time being, with Texas opting to remain in the Big 12 in a bid to hold their remaining schools together.
That didn't stop the Pac-10 and Big Ten from striking the first blows in what could be a developing story for years to come. The Pac-10 grew to a dozen, swiping the Colorado Buffaloes and the lucrative Denver TV market from the Big 12, and added Utah as well in lieu of their failed bid to make off with the rest of that conference. And of course, the Big Ten officially brought Nebraska under the tent beginning as early as 2011, which strengthens an already tough football conference and gives the league a western powerhouse.
All of which begs the question: how on earth do they divvy this thing up?
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With Big Ten teams now strewn halfway across the northern United States, the most logical division would call for an East and a West. Penn State fans might not be too happy with that idea though. The natural separation would lead to their being paired with both Ohio State and Michigan, the traditional favorites to win the league title. What a road for any of those teams to travel to a championship game.
Meanwhile, you could argue Nebraska gets off way too easy in the West (although I would not). Wisconsin is a top notch football program, but a pairing with Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Northwestern typically offers more opportunities against the cupcakes. For that matter, it's difficult to imagine either the Gophers or Wildcats would be too pleased with the arrangement.
Geographically, only one other idea makes much sense. A North/South is plausible, perhaps sticking PSU with Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Purdue in the South division. The North would be a tightly knit bunch, but such an arrangement would mean yearly road trips from as far as PA to NE. However, it does a proper job of balancing the league's current powers.
There's some talk about different setups for the other sports, but Penn State's football program is the draw here. What's the best split for pigskin in the Big Ten?
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