With Texas A & M's brilliant move to the SEC, the question is....who will be the SEC's 14th team and who should be the Big Ten's 13th....and 14th.
The Big Ten should immediately move to add Oklahoma to the conference. Oklahoma is a perfect natural fit and their addition would move the Big Ten much closer to the SEC in terms of prestige. The Sooners can't be any more thrilled with Texas's baloney than the Aggie were following the Longhorns sweetheart deal with ESPN. Oklahoma is a HUGE national brand and would be welcomed with open arms into the Big Ten.
The addition of Oklahoma would balance the conference and also allow the continuation of one of the best rivalry's in college sports....Oklahoma and Nebraska. It would also allow the Big Ten to balance things regionally by having the Sooners and Huskers anchor the Big Ten west with Nebraska.
Oklahoma would also bring the Big Ten solidly into the Texas market as there are many Oklahoma and Nebraska alums in Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.
The Big Ten west would consist of:
Nebraska, Oklahoma, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern and Minnesota.
The Big Ten East:
Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Indiana, Purdue and Notre Dame/(Rutgers, Pitt, Syracuse)
This would give the Big Ten a mega-conference that would rival the SEC. The Big Ten markets would be much more lucrative than the SEC, with solid huge media markets in Dallas, Houston, Milwaukee, Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Indy, and NY. This would solidify the Big Ten for years to come as a solid media partner for any network. It would be a coup for the Big Ten Network.
Scheduling:
6 games against division rivals, 3 non-conference games, 1 "crossover division" challenge and 2 rivalries against opposite divisional oppponents and 1 title game.
The whole idea makes a lot of sense. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment.
