Who would you want in the Big Ten (one team only)

Submitted by crg on
Half-sincere apologies for this only moderately relevant thread (working late tonight and bored). Anyway:

If there was an opening for ONE team to join the Big Ten, who would get your vote? This is irrespective of division (maybe Rutgers gives up on football, or the entire University of Iowa decides to skip town to avoid paying Kirk Ferentz another dime - doesn't matter who left or why). Geography/academics can be a factor in your decision, but are not critical. If you care to explain why you chose whichever school, that will make things more interesting (e.g. want to have a road game in Ypsi to take in the scenery).

Go! EDIT: This is not "who should join the Big Ten for real" but more "wouldn't it be great to have this team in the Big Ten - even though there's no way in hell it ever happens"

Bando Calrissian

September 21st, 2016 at 11:16 PM ^

I wouldn't mind jettisoning Maryland and Rutgers... Does that count?

I can't see any reason for expanding things further, honestly. Too big as it is, particularly when it comes to how schedules work for other sports.

Lie-Cheat-Steal

September 22nd, 2016 at 12:14 PM ^

but it should really be title "Who should we replace Penn State with...."

For all the Rutgers and Maryland hate, we all know it is Penn State that should be out of the B1G. It's a disgrace they still even have a football program.  

From the beginning I was a wait and see guy, with what the investigations would bring out and "Let's not punish an entire community for the actions of possibly one sick man."

After the evidence of years of institutional coverup by Pope Joe Pa, and then the disgusting reaction of the community, fanbase, and latest "recognition" of the molesting enabler in chief, it's time to boot them.  It's no longer hyperbole or  a leap to say that this sort of collegiate community just does not belong in our conference.

On a side note, if you haven't seen the movie "Spotlight" about the child molestation coverup by the Catholic church in Boston, it's a great watch...and gives some interesting insight into how these scandals can develop and be perpetuated when the community does nothing.

EGD

September 21st, 2016 at 11:20 PM ^

I realize the geography makes no sense. But road games in Berkley would kick ass. Plus it would help with West Coast recruiting, and Cal probably isn't going to become a powerhouse team that we'd have to deal with to win the B1G.

schreibee

September 22nd, 2016 at 2:32 PM ^

See, I go to Berkeley often, and if it's more "worldly" than Ann Arbor, then AA has just enough of the world for a college town. It is not missing Berkeley's problems!

Tell you one thing, though - Berkeley has some sweet views!!!

DrMantisToboggan

September 21st, 2016 at 11:21 PM ^

Pitt and WVU instead of Rutgers and Maryland.

Renews big time rivalry, both are better in football and combined better at basketball than RU and MD. I know WV is a shit school, but so is Rutgers. Pitt is a solid school and Pittsburgh is a great city. Morgantown is...a good time. They could take the spots of RU and MD in the east without the B1G having to rearrange divisions. It makes even more geographic sense than the current situation.




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DrMantisToboggan

September 21st, 2016 at 11:40 PM ^

Pitt (68th nationally) is ranked above a Minnesota, MSU, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, and Rutgers academically and has a few highly regarded grad programs. Rutgers is already our worst academic school by a long ways so replacing with WVU wouldn't be a real reputation hit.

Athletically Pitt just beat PSU, WVU beat UMD perennially and both are good enough to win the west division every year. Both schools are highly competitive in basketball and are in the tournament almost every year, as opposed to Penn State, Rutgers, Nebraska, Minnesota, Northwestern...




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Humanity’s Mos…

September 22nd, 2016 at 8:55 AM ^

According to the 2015 Academic Ranking of World Universities, the Big 14 unfolds like this, in order:

Michigan

Wisconsin

Northwestern

Illinois

Minnesota

Maryland

Penn State

Purdue

Rutgers

Ohio State

Michigan State

Indiana

Iowa

Nebraska

Rutgers is not "our worst academic school by a long ways." Stop being a bag of dicks.

bamf16

September 22nd, 2016 at 2:26 PM ^

I would have been if not for the stuff posted about UW after Gary Andersen fled the school presumably b/c of the academic difficulties in recruiting.  Apparently that's the reason Wisconsin hasn't had an undergrad QB worth much of anything recently.