College Sports (Football)
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Always Illini
- Central Illinois
If you have to play more conference games, you have to invite teams you can beat into the conference.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Apparently the B1G is willing to sacrifice academic standards in the next expansion. All of the previous expansions were geographically strategic (tv, etc.) while still maintaining academic standards in the schools that were selected.
You do know that UVA and UNC are both top 30 universities in US News ranking? Only Northwestern, Michigan, and UCLA are ranked ahead of them.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Well aware of the rankings, it is more tongue and cheek about UNC and their academic scandals in the athletic program (which is a popular talking point on this board). I think UVA would actually fit in very well in an expansion. If we were trying to steal one of the North Carolina schools, I would actually be more interested in attempting to poach Duke.
I understand a few may want this but it's not going to happen. Despite some success, Duke still can't get much interest in football.
for the longest time , UVa was the highest ranked public university in the country . I was unware they lost that title .
Michigan up there , but was always behind UVa. UNC & Ucla always ahead of us as well . maybe Cal too. we were always in the next tier with Wiscy & then PSU.
our Engineering & Business colleges were always top 5 public . but since we have Ag college & Education & Liberal Arts & ACES, that were a tier below top 5 level , it dropped the university clearly out of the top 5 in total .
all the Univs in the top 5 are not land grant schools
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
As are some of the legacy B1G programs (Purdue, Northwestern, and Illini before Coach B).
I still believe the B1G will eventually get enough of a push to land Notre Dame. I find it hard to believe that they will be able to stand independent in the long run with the mega two of B1G and SEC running the show.
The thing is all the premier football properties other than Clemson and perhaps FSU and Miami have already been acquired by either the Big Ten or SEC. So you're looking at second tier programs as far as maximizing football value. It's also a zero sum game. One team wins, the other loses. If you bring in, say, Clemson, well if they're going to come in and dominate then someone else in the conference is going to get knocked down the pecking order. So does it add value or cannibalize value that already is there? At a certain point of expansion it would be the latter, not sure if we're there yet.
But my point is that if expansion is going to continue then you're going to be expanding based on "is this program valuable when they have a good season." Because inevitably programs all rise and fall and rise again. So if you presume that one day UVA will luck into the right head coach and string together winning seasons, will they be popular? For me the answer is, I think so? UVA has a lot of alums, a lot of alums with money in fact, and has close geographic and cultural ties to a large metropolitan area (D.C.).
Also, as the whole NCAA thing and the rivalry between the Big Ten and SEC becomes more and more complicated and potentially subject government intervention, I have to imagine there is some value in having the UVA alumni network on your side.
For ND, I think it's going to depend on how the playoff ultimately shakes out, but I honestly think the changes in recent years have made it less likely they join a conference. I think there was a time when joining a conference seemed like an inevitability but with the recent playoff expansion they now have less incentive than ever. They are far more likely to make a playoff every year in the current status quo than if they joined either the Big Ten or SEC. The only thing that would change that is if they can't put a schedule together, but so far that hasn't been a problem.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Fair points. I was not explicit in my initial post, but I was looking through the lens of the power two conferences and the expensive network deals that they pursue(d).
I think Notre Dame's independence is more determined by NBCUniversal than anything CFP or schedule-related. ND has a long-term television deal with the network through 2029 (NBC and Peacock). For now, all is good, but it will be interesting to see how things shake out as the contract gets closer to expiration (from both Notre Dame's side and NBCUniversal's side). I think network pressures will eventually push them into the B1G, but that is JMO (a lot can change in two to three years).
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TentakilRex
- Land O Insects between Quincy-Macomb-Jacksonville
Rumor season begins
Absolutely no way ND joins the B1G unless the SEC and B1G absolutely box out all at large bids
I think ND wants to remain independent, but depending on what happens with the ACC, they may have to join a conference to ensure their SOS isn't totally shot. Especially with the B1G and SEC playing 9 conference games. I don't think ND wants to be the last one in either - they'll continue to lose leverage as more and more power is coalesced in the B1G and SEC.
Plus, the B1G may likely reimplement divisions at 20. If ND is 19, the league needs a west coast school to make 5 out west...
Plus, the B1G may likely reimplement divisions at 20. If ND is 19, the league needs a west coast school to make 5 out west...
agree about ND
but pretty much disagree about west coast importance
if ND wants in, the 20th school is
a. FSU
then
b. UNC
then
c. Miami or Clemson
there are no schools in Az , Utah or Colo worth taking
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Sure, but then Nebraska has to play in a division w Washington, Oregon, UCLA, and USC...
there is no reason for divisions
if you don’t need them at 18,
why do you need them at 20 ?
A school in Texas may be the closest we can get and would be my guess.
TentakilRex
- Land O Insects between Quincy-Macomb-Jacksonville
I 95% agree with you. but will add a couple of things
1. Add Arizona St to c. They are newbies to the AAU, but Phoenix has a ton of Midwest transplants and would be a perfect partner to the other West Coast schools. Thee only issue is that their president Crow is not so into athletics.
2. I would add Georgia Tech as a "break glass in case of emergency" school or a 24th school if expansion goes insanely right.
3. I buy the Loren Tate rumors about A&M, if they would want in they become the ultimate non-ND prize.
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I'd personally shoot for the research triangle if I was steering the conference.
UNC, DUKE, NC State (in order of precedence)
Stanford out West
Notre Dame/Clemson if they can be had.
Big Ten used to be academic contingent for entry. Think any of those would be great choices (I don't know about Clemson as a university in fairness)
I doubt we'll get UNC unless state politics make them a packaged deal with NC State and the SEC is unwilling to admit NC State. In that case, I don't see why the B1G would either. Other complications are both Duke and Wake Forest (mostly Duke). I think UNC boosters would be okay to leave NC State behind, but I think Duke particularly is a different story. That said, the SEC is all about FB and Duke is not a FB school.
It seems just as, if not more, plausible that Virginia and VT join the B1G. Plus UNC wants to be in the SEC.
I loved rejecting them at the time, but in hindsight I do wish the B1G took Mizzou.
Divisions would make conference play cleaner IMO. I loved the B1G East/West era. You can't have four divisions with 18, but you can at 20 and 24. TBH, the SEC should reimplement divisions at 16...
It seems just as, if not more, plausible that Virginia and VT join the B1G. Plus UNC wants to be in the SEC.
I loved rejecting them at the time, but in hindsight I do wish the B1G took Mizzou.
Divisions would make conference play cleaner IMO. I loved the B1G East/West era. You can't have four divisions with 18, but you can at 20 and 24. TBH, the SEC should reimplement divisions at 16...
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IF TRUE, it sounds like exactly the same thing Bruce Pearl did to us in 1989. And back then the NCAA didn't care that Pearl recorded Deon's conversation without his consent. Wonder if they'll apply their laws the same way this time?
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