Yep. It was the university presidents. And it was ours who started the ball rolling.
I recall Bo Schembechler, who was also Michigan's AD, being particularly opposed to admitting Penn State in '93. What I didn't realize is that our president was the catalyst for the PSU invitation. PSU president Bryce Jordan initiated the entire matter by calling Stan Ikenberry, who was supportive and who then began to socialize the idea among the BT presidents. Apparently no ADs were consulted, and Jim Delany was brand new as the BT commish. In fact, apparently Delany's meeting with the presidents on the topic was the first meeting he had with them.
It was basically Stan v. Bo, and the beginning of a shift in power in college athletics from coaches/ADs to university presidents.
Good article in
The Athletic below, paywalled, on the 30th anniversary of PSU's ascension in '93:
Penn State began Big Ten football play 30 years ago after a disastrous invitation process. Here's how it happened from those who were there.
www.nytimes.com
Some spicy, prescient, quotes from Bo:
“This confirms the worst fears I have of the presidents getting too much control in athletics,” said Bo Schembechler, then Michigan’s athletic director and football coach. “Making decisions like that without ever studying it is terrible. Not one athletic director was consulted on this matter.”
“It illustrates what I’ve been saying about the mood of the presidents,” Schembechler said. “In the next five years, the presidents will completely confuse intercollegiate athletics. Then, they’ll dump it on the athletic directors.”
This quote from a sportswriter sums it up for me:
“I’ll admit more than anything, it’s the provincial side of me that resists the addition of Penn State to the Big Ten,” wrote Bill Benner of the Indianapolis Star. “The Big Ten belongs to the Midwest and Midwesterners. It is part of our fabric and heritage … let the Easterners fend for themselves.”