Who’s next for the Big Ten?
That’s the million (well, billion) dollar question after the Big Ten and Big 12 made splashes last week in conference realignment. The Big Ten added Oregon and Washington, while the Big 12 has added Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado in the past few weeks. These moves have left the Pac-12 down to just four schools (Stanford, Cal, Oregon State and Washington State) and have once again shifted the landscape of college athletics — most notably football.
But are is the Big Ten done? The league will be up to 18 schools next fall with the additions of USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington, and many are speculating whether or not the conference will look to further expand or stay at 18.
I personally believe the conference will at least reach 20 schools so that means it’s time to take a look at who could be those two (or maybe more) schools for the Big Ten. Check out my rankings below for who I believe the Big Ten will consider if further expansion is in the cards for the league:
15
Kentucky
Would a team leave the SEC for the Big Ten? Probably not, but I also would have never expected to see USC, UCLA, Oregon or Washington join the Big Ten either so it’s clear that anything is possible. Regionally and in recruiting, Kentucky makes a ton of sense for the Big Ten and arguably fits better in the Big Ten than the SEC. So never say never with Kentucky joining the Big Ten.
14
Missouri
Another team from the SEC and another unlikely addition to the Big Ten. But not long ago Missouri was considered a great partner for the Big Ten before they elected to grab Rutgers and Maryland instead. The Tigers will most likely remain in the SEC for as long as the league will take them so don’t expect a move to the Big Ten to occur, but is another school to at least keep an eye on.
13
Kansas
Would Kansas jump from the now-stable Big 12 if the Big Ten came calling? Probably, but they certainly aren’t in dire need to leave the league like they were a few years ago. The Jayhawks are starting to turn around their football program and obviously have been one of the best in college basketball forever. So this wouldn’t be a bad addition at all should the Big Ten like to shake things up with the Big 12.
12
Louisville
Louisville is the first of many ACC teams to end up on this list and geographically would make a lot of sense for the Big Ten. I don’t think Louisville will be the first choice for the Big Ten from the ACC and is more likely to end up in the Big 12 if the ACC were to fall apart. But is still a team to consider should the Big Ten look to add more than just two more teams.
11
Virginia
Virginia just feels like a good fit for the Big Ten on paper but I’m not sure how much they’d truly bring to the league. This is a team I’ve heard many times linked to the Big Ten so there is apparently some type of mutual interest between the Cavaliers and Big Ten. I wouldn’t be against the addition of Virginia but they aren’t at the top of my list for a reason.
10
Virginia Tech
Like their in-state rivals, Virginia Tech has been a program often mentioned as an interest for the Big Ten. The Hokies would fit in nicely with the rest of the Big Ten, and have some rich history in football that suggests they can compete in the league. Like with Virginia and Louisville, though, I think this would be a team the conference only extends an offer to should they go past 20 teams.
9
Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech has been enticing to the Big Ten in the past because of the Atlanta market and the potential growth in that realm. However, I’m not sure if that is truly as big of a deal in the new streaming-enhanced world of television and live sports. I still think the Yellow Jackets are a team to consider — especially if you pair with another southern school like Florida State, Miami (FL) or Clemson — but probably not as high on this list as they once were.
8
Pitt
For purely football fun and passion, Pitt would be a great addition to the league. Pitt feels like a Big Ten team already and would have the instant in-state rivalry with Penn State — which would be great for the league. But none of the conference expansion seems to be about football these days and just about TV money. So with that being said, I don’t like the chances of Pitt ending up in the Big Ten.
7
Cal
Cal is only on this list because they would most likely be paired up with Stanford and complete the Big Ten’s west coast expansion. With how things currently sit, I don’t think either Cal or Stanford will be getting a call from the Big Ten anytime soon. But there’s still a possibility the school presidents push for these two world-class academic schools to be invited to join the conference.
6
Stanford
We just touched on Cal so here’s Stanford. There’s not much else to say about Stanford that wasn’t already said before about Cal. I personally wouldn’t mind the addition of two more west coast teams to even out the league but my assumption is that won’t be happening unless the Big Ten expands past 20 teams.
5
Miami (FL)
Miami (FL) would be a compelling addition to the Big Ten because of its football tradition and academic standards. Both of those would make the Hurricanes a great fit for the league — but it’s unclear if they would be someone the Big Ten would pick over fellow ACC powers.
4
Clemson
Clemson will do whatever it takes to get out of the ACC at this point — or at least that’s how it seems. However, the ACC grant of rights is the big blocker for them and anyone from the ACC for that matter so I’m not sure how likely it is they’ll find their out. I peg Clemson more for the SEC than the Big Ten, but they are a big enough brand to entice the Big Ten — even if it doesn’t necessarily make a ton of sense.
3
Notre Dame
Notre Dame would be No. 1 on this list if they hadn’t constantly made it clear that they are going to wait until the very last minute to join a league. And by then, who knows if the Big Ten will even want them. I still have them this high on my list, however, because things could change and the Fighting Irish would certainly be a top contender for future expansion in the Big Ten should they finally be open to it.
2
North Carolina
North Carolina would be an awesome get for the Big Ten. It’s an all-around solid pick-up for the league when you consider their academic standards and consistently strong athletic programs across the board. Sure, the football program has its ups and downs, but I still think this is one of the top schools on the Big Ten’s list and would be a slam dunk add should it happen.
1
Florida State
If you’re a traditionalist, you’ll probably hate to see Florida State at top of this list. But then again, you should hate all of the current expansion we are witnessing. The Seminoles are a big-time football program that will do whatever it can to compete at the highest level — that’s a type of football program the Big Ten should be looking to add. It’ll also tap into a whole new region in the country and embark upon SEC country — which isn’t a bad thing. Florida State would come to the Big Ten in a heartbeat if they can get out of the ACC grant of rights deal but that’s a big if right now. We’ll see soon enough where things stand and if the Seminoles can legitimately join the Big Ten in the near future.
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