The Big 11
| 10
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by Dolph72
With the creation of the new Big 11 Network on many (and by many I mean none) of your local cable providers there is talk of expanding to 12 teams to help expand the desirability of the new network by adding more games along with a definative championship. This development brings up several interesting questions like will the new conference be called The Big 12 East or The Big 10 + 2. Another question that should be raised is what team would take such a leap into the forays of the rough and tumble world of "midwestern" football.
- Notre Dame. Everyone wants them. Nobody wants to be them. The Golden Domers love independence too much to join any football conference. Having an exclusive TV deal doesn't hurt either.
- Missouri. For a team that never wins the conference its already in you wouldn't assume they would be a hot commodity but there is some interest in adding a more "Southern" approach to the league. Rivalry with Kansas may keep them in the Big 12 West.
- Louisville. A powerhouse in the now depleted Big Least...er East. While it would be nice for the Cardinals to move up and face real competition it doesn't exactly make sense going from 1-2 challenging games to a BCS game to Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa...blah blah blah. A longshot at best.
- Colorado. A once mighty team ripe to be poached by another league. Biggest problem is Colorado may be a bit too far west for most athletic directors in the league.
- Baylor. Dregs of the real Big 12 for years, they do have one advantage to the Big 10. They are in Texas. Granted its Waco but Texas has plenty of talent and what better way to get your conference out to the best recruits in a huge state than to send teams like Ohio State and Michigan to Texas to beat up on the Bears?
- Iowa State. My personal favorite for the switch. They have a natural in state rival already in the conference. The downside of course is it wouldn't really be spreading the joys of the Big 10 Conference Network since Iowa already is covered.
- Pittsburgh. The darkhorse. A relatively major TV market with a relatively mediocre team in a relatively mediocre conference could spell success in luring them to become a middle of the road team in the new Big 10.
Any of this is speculation at this point but with no football going on at this time speculation is better than nothing.
