Pitt to Big Ten?

[Joe]

Rezz,

Early 2000 MAC expnsion (UCF and Marshall)

Mid/late 90s WAC/MWC  split

Early 90s SEC expansion

FSU to ACC

Creation of Big East

Penn State to Big 10

Late 80s SWC split.

Conference movement is very common.

[Carolina_Bull]

If it's not going to be Notre Dame, my money is on Missouri joining the Big 10.  Solid school with decent academics (great J school) and a natural fit to complete the western side of 12 team conference (fierce rivals with Illinois).

[80mins]

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=823826

Even in the Big Ten, where change seems as welcome as college football playoff discussions, expansion is a possibility.

The 11-team conference once invited Notre Dame to join, and from time to time, rumors have surfaced that Missouri, Rutgers and Texas were possible candidates. Eventually, another school surely will be mentioned.

Question: Given the recent TV contract extension between NBC and Notre Dame, I don't see the Irish wanting to join the Big Ten anytime soon. With the Big East constantly changing teams, what are your thoughts on Pitt joining the Big Ten? A league consisting of Penn State, Pitt, Ohio State, Michigan, Purdue and Indiana would provide some great regional matchups.

Answer: Although I don't know that Pittsburgh officials have any thoughts about leaving the Big East, a move to the Big Ten certainly makes geographical sense. The Big Ten has two teams in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, so why not two in Pennsylvania?

Of course, that would create an Eastern-heavy divisional format. The West obviously would include Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Illinois and probably Purdue. That would leave the East with Pitt, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Indiana. Just the prospect of playing in that division might be enough to keep Pitt from making this hypothetical move.

What's to say the Big 10 doesn't go north-south? Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan and Michigan State in the north, leaving Pitt with Penn State, Ohio State, Purdue, Indiana, and Illinois in the south.

[USFan]

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=823826

Even in the Big Ten, where change seems as welcome as college football playoff discussions, expansion is a possibility.

The 11-team conference once invited Notre Dame to join, and from time to time, rumors have surfaced that Missouri, Rutgers and Texas were possible candidates. Eventually, another school surely will be mentioned.

Question: Given the recent TV contract extension between NBC and Notre Dame, I don't see the Irish wanting to join the Big Ten anytime soon. With the Big East constantly changing teams, what are your thoughts on Pitt joining the Big Ten? A league consisting of Penn State, Pitt, Ohio State, Michigan, Purdue and Indiana would provide some great regional matchups.

Answer: Although I don't know that Pittsburgh officials have any thoughts about leaving the Big East, a move to the Big Ten certainly makes geographical sense. The Big Ten has two teams in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, so why not two in Pennsylvania?

Of course, that would create an Eastern-heavy divisional format. The West obviously would include Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Illinois and probably Purdue. That would leave the East with Pitt, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Indiana. Just the prospect of playing in that division might be enough to keep Pitt from making this hypothetical move.

What's to say the Big 10 doesn't go north-south? Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan and Michigan State in the north, leaving Pitt with Penn State, Ohio State, Purdue, Indiana, and Illinois in the south.

That's one I haven't heard yet.  If it were to happen, I think your alignment would make more sense.

[JoeB]

I think Pitt makes more sense than Missouri.  Hope it doesn't happen though.  Without Pitt, the Big East loses most of its football tradition. 

[SoFlaEer]

Pitt has the academic profile to be a good fit in the B10 (which is an important aspect of inclusion in this conference - all members belong to the prestigious AAU), and the geographic profile as well. However, I think as long as Paterno is at PSU, there will be no overtures from the conference to Pitt and PSU would be unsupportive of their membership (Pitt was instrumental in killing Paternos push to form an all sports conference in the northeast back in the 80's).  But if things change and the B10 determined it needed to go to 12 teams. and they are not successful in finally wooing ND into the pack, I would not be surprised to see Pitt get serious consideration.

'

are u kidding?

what is AAU?   cant be that prestigious.  i never heard of it

is usf a aau member?

The AAU is not prestigious at all.   :

Here is a list of AAU schools.  http://www.aau.edu/aau/members.html

sanjay - are you joking?  i sure hope so.  you may quibble about one or another of the members, but look at that list again - Carnegie-Mellon? Case Western Reserve?  MIT?  These are premier engineering schools etc, and virtually all of those schools are top tier in academic rankings. 

[Bull Martin]

Soflaear you missed the boat on that.  He was clearly being facetious as indicated by the  :

[SoFlaEer]

Soflaear you missed the boat on that.  He was clearly being facetious as indicated by the  :

blond moment - hey , it was 3 am and i had insomnia, wasnt thinking clearly.

[SANJAY]

Yeah I was clearly being facetious.  When a guy says "how can that be any good, I never heard of it" it is a good set up to show his ignorance.  We'll chalk your comment up to the late hour and refrain from any easy comments about you being a wvu fan.

[Kyle]

Who said the BigEast is constantly changing?