A change of subject for now. Football. American football.
I said it before that Maryland and Rutgers were mainly added to for financial reasons - to expand a majority Midwest market to the East Coast, delving into the Boston-DC corridor. So far the fruition of more money has sorta kinds paid off but not to the effect that the powers that be would hope so. This expansion to 14 universities was done around the 2010-2011 seasons.
People will point out that the state of Pennsylvania as a non-Midwest. Okay, they have a point. But there's Penn St. and Penn St. has the "feel" of a Big Ten university that Maryland and Rutgers do not who are too far east to have any meaning sports wise to those in the Midwest. Nebraska, from its first day as a conference member, felt like it truly belonged (more so than Northwestern).
Realignments of sports conferences happen though not frequently. If I were the Big Ten Commissioner I'd send a hard push to get University of Pittsburgh and the University of Missouri. University of Kansas could be a back up. Geographically Pitt and Missouri makes sense. If we let go of the "not enough marketing money" talking point I believe these two universities make the most sense. They're also strong academically.
I'll be the first one to say it in public: Rutgers and Maryland are just cash cows for the Big Ten. There really hasn't been any meaningful rivalries that have grown from the Rutgers and Maryland basketball-football additions. Nebraska brings volleyball and football; sure their basketball team isn't strong but so what. Penn St. is equally as horrific. The same goes for Northwestern sports save for football. Nebraska football is plain awesome and to have that be part of the Big Ten makes the conference even more amazing.
Missouri would be a safe pick and that's okay. I can see the rivalry between Missouri and Illinois basketball become even more heated and tense. Missouri's football team is rock solid and would also add to the Midwest Big Ten football vibe.
Pitt's football, like Missouri, has also been solid. Volleyball they're okay and basketball I can see them getting better at recruiting. The rivalry between Pitt football and Penn St. football would be great to broadcast on the Big Ten. Out of the two, Pitt is the most well-rounded school to add to the conference.
Academically Pitt is stronger than Missouri, but Missouri is currently ranked at #124 on the national university list by US News (if we use them as the standard). It's fine by me. What's the real difference between the undergraduates at Michigan St. (ranked around the 80ish mark) and Penn St. (ranked around the 60ish mark)? Not much. Missouri's undergraduate academics are not of a concern (they have a Phi Beta Kappa society) since they still bring in solid medical and law schools at the graduate school level. When people bring up the talking point that Missouri isn't "strong enough" academically, I'll point to Nebraska who's currently ranked at #133 as far as public universities goes.
Let's say the Big Ten stays at 14, with no newly added universities leaving, I'd still want Pitt and Missouri to be considered heavily given talks to expanding to 16 members was on the table when 14 was on the table.
I'd also like to see the Big Ten divisions to be scrapped. It's not entirely needed.
Big Ten Conference Members Wish List
Dismiss: Rutgers and Maryland
Invite: Missouri and Pitt
Illinois
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa
Indiana
Purdue
Michigan
Michigan St.
Ohio St.
Penn St.
Nebraska
Pittsburgh
Missouri
Keep it at 14 members. There's no true need to be bloated like Big East or, even, the ACC. The Big Ten creates better rivalries and keeps a strong academic profile as a whole (thank you Northwestern being ranked in the top ten).
Of course there's Notre Dame to consider, but they're too in love with themselves and their Independent status for football. It would be great though.
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