2010-11 College Football

Nebraska coming to the Big 10?  


I think it would be a great choice.  Quality program that will bring more competition to a slumping Big 10.


But, for the record.  In 1994-95, Nebraska did not win a National Championship, Tom Osborne won Mr Congeniality 


This just in from the "It's About Time Department". http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/pac10/2010-06-10-ncaa-sanctions-southern-cal_N.htm

Joe----More trouble for PSU.  I understand that Rutgers will join the big 10 also to compensate.  Kinda even things up.  Maybe even my beloved Fighting Irish will join----gee, JoePa will have more great teams to contend with. 

The fighting Irish will not join a conference.  Maybe the MaC-10 where they would actually be competitive.  But joining a conference would ruin their sweetheart deal with NBC.

Nebraska would be a great addition to the Big 10.

The clash of the colorful, exciting uniforms when they play Penn State would be just dazzling.

Brad

GNeedles59


The fighting Irish will not join a conference.  Maybe the MaC-10 where they would actually be competitive.  But joining a conference would ruin their sweetheart deal with NBC.

From Bleacher Report:

According to SI's Stewart Mandel, the Big Ten splits about $212 million in television money among the conference members, or about $20 million per school. Other sources have Notre Dame's football contract at about $9 million, with an additional $1 million from its Big East basketball. The new contract goes up to $15 million, but still not near the Big Ten deal.

Thus Notre Dame has gone from first in the country to third...in the state of Indiana. 

Note: For a very in-depth discussion of how Big Ten television revenue works and how that affects its expansion decisions, see this article.

This is part of a very well written article, 10 Myths About Notre Dame and the Big 10, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/332397-10-myths-about-notre-dame-and-the-big-ten#page/1; it explodes a lot of mis-assumptions on both sides, including ND's "tradition" of not being in a conference; for years ND tried to join the Big 10. Rockne himself campaigned for it.

Actually, for 2009 the Big Ten Schools each got $22 million.

Notre Dame will join the Big Ten -- membership in the Association of American Universities will be waived in its case -- if the Big East goes the way of the Big 12. Now let's see whether Missouri decides to go to the Big Ten. And don't be surprised if Syracuse and Pitt go there, too. For that matter, it's possible that the University of Connecticut might jump to the conference, as well. And it could always go back to the name it used to use, Western Conference.

All the movement is interesting, but I just like to watch and be part of the game.  When is the first kickoff.  Someone blow the bloody whistle.

Brother Olsen you have hit the nose right on the head----it is the lovely class of color----the red, white & blue (a lovely deep shade of navy) that is thrilling.  And all those young muscular guys.  Exciting !

Thanks Mosca-----good info, good find.  News from the Mountain Top is always appreciated. 

Michael----we will know soon---Kelly is dead set against it, but it may be beyond him---ND may be forced to join, or play a weak schedule of independents and thereby be eliminated from bowl games.  

  

the ancient mariner


Joe----More trouble for PSU.  I understand that Rutgers will join the big 10 also to compensate.  Kinda even things up.  Maybe even my beloved Fighting Irish will join----gee, JoePa will have more great teams to contend with. 

Bringing Rutgers into the Big Ten has nothing to do with competition and everything to do with getting the Big Ten into the East Coast TV market.  None of these conference moves have anything to do with the spirit of competition and everything to do with money.  That said, I like the addition of Nebraska and Rutgers into the Big Ten, but I hate the implosion of the Big 12. 
 
Who knows how this is all going to shake out, but I still prefer the old non-BCS system. 

This will all likely lead to a 4 team playoff for the national championship with the winners of the ACC/Big10/Pac10/SEC getting a slot (whether it will be the regular season winner or the winner of the Championship game will need to be determined).  If this happens I am all for the changes, I hate the BCS and really want some sort of playoff format.

I hate the BCS and I hate the idea of a college playoff system as well.  They are killing off the pageantry of the sport and a playoff system would be the final blow- but we've pretty much crossed the point of no return, so this is where it is headed.  Even in determining playoff teams, there will be good teams left out.

The AD at ISU gave an interview with a local radio station where he claimed the Big Ten network was equivalent to state/public support of an Athletic Department. When the Big Ten expands, they add subscribers to the potential B16 Ten Network, when other conferences expand, they only shuffle around teams already in deals with ESPN.

Lets see ----ISU--could mean Indiana State, Illinois State, Iowa St,
Ithaca St------it would be just as easy to write Ill St, or Ind St, or
Ia St, or International Seamans Union---- I wonder which has an AD
-----Anno Domini or a BC ?

saps


I hate the BCS and I hate the idea of a college playoff system as well.  They are killing off the pageantry of the sport and a playoff system would be the final blow- but we've pretty much crossed the point of no return, so this is where it is headed.  Even in determining playoff teams, there will be good teams left out.

 


The old system gave Nebraska a National Championship they did not deserve in 94-95.  The voters felt sorry that Tom Osborne didn't have one yet and JoePa had two.  That is too much power in the hands of people with greasy hands.


I like the idea of using the Bowls in a playoff system.  Sometimes change is good.


Now let's get dem Irish in the Big 10 where they belong!

It's official. Nebraska is now in the Big 10 or Big Whatever now that the subliminal 11 is no longer relevant in the Big 10 name.

Looks like my Irish are staying home.  Just out there, like the Marines, looking for a few good men. 

Joseph, how come Penn St only has one 2011 verbal at this point.  I think Texas has 20 ----even SoCal (with all it's problems) has 11.  Has JoePa retired and no one found out yet ?

 

So much for Longtime Old School Traditions & Rivalries. Hail to the Almighty Dollar!

The whole state of oklahoma is going nuts over this!  Me--who cares! I just want to see the GAMES!!!

the ancient mariner


Looks like my Irish are staying home.  Just out there, like the Marines, looking for a few good men. 

Joseph, how come Penn St only has one 2011 verbal at this point.  I think Texas has 20 ----even SoCal (with all it's problems) has 11.  Has JoePa retired and no one found out yet ?

 

Don't be surprised to see ND go Big 10. The sentiment is turning. If they stay independent, they won't get 1) games, 2) recruits. What it really comes down to is what to the backers and alumni want. If they see the handwriting, ND goes conference. I personally would love to see them join up; it can only be good. Think "research money", like in the article above, then ND with a world class grad student program in science and medicine. The athletics serve the mission, not the other way around, after all.

Some good games are in the making.  


Although I believe both teams are doing this to hide from Penn State.

JoPa is not making any recruiting trips-----really hurting PSU----

I think they only have 3/4 kids committed for 2011.  Texas has

over 20, plus a long horned steer who passed the qualifying

requirements.  If the steer gets cut he ends up a star at Burger King.

the ancient mariner


Joe----More trouble for PSU.  I understand that Rutgers will join the big 10 also to compensate.  Kinda even things up.  Maybe even my beloved Fighting Irish will join----gee, JoePa will have more great teams to contend with. 

This bodes well for their Soccer programs! Thank Heavens!!

I understand the NCAA has just authorized a NEW BOWL GAME. It's called the PROBATION BOWL! Only teams on probation can qualify. It will be played in Levenworth KS. Potential sponsors include Taser Inc & the Association of Defensive Spray Manufacturers.

I Don't know how I missed this thread!

a couple notes:

Ithaca St.?  sorry, but Ithaca College is not a state school in NY. They are IC.

Big Ten will not be bringing UConn into the conference. And Syracuse is highly unlikely.

The Big East will, in large part, seem ripe to be merged with the ACC (who will need the help when the SEC expands), and we'd have the Big Atlantic Conference. Current ACC schools who would then probably end up in the expanded SEC include Florida State and Miami.

Syracuse will be better off in all sports in the BAC. It'll still be a solid football conference, a stellar basketball conference, and other sports like lacrosse, which would join Syracuse in a conference with UVa, MD, and UNC.

UConn would also benefit from this in all-sports

Schools on the outside of this include Georgetown and the other elite Big East basketball teams who do not have football. Some possibilities include enrollment into BAC as a non-football partner, or the expansion of the A-10.  And, Temple, thanks to having football and Villanova's refusal to jump up to 1A, might find itself in the new BAC - rejoining some old Big East foes.

West Viriginia has not been talked about for Big Ten. I think UMaryland would be a better buy in. It would renew PSU/Maryland football, that, for a time, was almost as regular as PSU Syr/WV/Rutgers, etc. Plus it puts the Big Ten in the DC area. Which is a huge Penn State area alrready (notice Indiana v. PSU game will be at FedEx field this fall). The ACC already has Virginia and VaTech, which has large amounts of alumni in the DC area.

4 more teams are needed for Big Ten. Here's my top 6 to fill the bill, in this order:
Pitt
Notre Dame
Rutgers
Mizzou 
Maryland
Iowa State

ND will not survive as an independent if the super conferences come to fruition.

Big 12 would need some SEC teams to defect to survive. But to won't hurt the SEC to lose some weaker teams, and so far, the Big 12 have held onto those powerful Texas schools and Okla. Maybe they could pick up TCU (who could also go to SEC).

SEC can raid the ACC. ACC raids the Big East which basically makes a merge. Syracuse, WVU rejoins BC and VaTech. Also moving into the new conference is USF.

Meanewhile, Louisville may turn to SEC (think basketball, baseball and other sports, too), and football powers Miami and Florida State join SEC.  Kansas will lobby hard for SEC or Big Ten, but they're looking outside for Big Ten.

One school who is screwed: Cincinatti. They'd have a crack at the SEC or even Big 12 if they survived, but Louisville is the bigger catch for either conference when the Big East merges with the ACC.

Oh, I've left off what will happen to DePaul, Marquette, etc of Big East Basketball. Good question. Certainly, because of the nature of basketball, it opens the door for some mid-major conferences to become major conferences. The A-10 is a perfect example if they could get G'town, Villanova, St. Johns and Providence from the Big East with their Championship game held in...wait for it...Madision Square Garden.

anyway, just some thoughts to while away the hours...

Brother Scorereader---You have been studing other scores than the ones with a G-Clef and funny little notes all over the place.

I try to be well-rounded.

ancient: where are you with ND and the Big 10 (16)?

I think they'd be nuts not to join. They already play several of those teams. The question would be who their end of year rival would be: Indiana? Purdue? Not that it matters. you know they'd swing it where they'd play Mich and Mich St every year. The quesiton is who they'd drop in their non-conference. USC? Or keep USC and drop a service school?

Navy could end up in a tough spot. Army suffered when the Eastern independent football teams joined the Big East. Army was left playing Colgate and Bucknell.

Navy had ND, and bouts with Maryland and others. It seemed a better deal than Air Force in their mid-major conference out West, but with the formation of these superconferences on the horizon, Navy may be out of position. That doesn't bode well for upholding the bowl deal they've signed onto.
 
Believe it or not, I think Navy would make a nice Big Atlantic team when you consider all sports, like swimming, lacrosse, soccer, etc. Football is weak, but they could make a bowl game almost as often when playing that schedule compared to now. But, there may not be room in that conference when you count the possible schools who'd go ahead of them. What's left? Maybe, being a service school, they can stay independent. But, home games in Navy-Marine Stadium will be hard to come by if they are BAC, SEC and Big 10(16) non-conference foes throughout the season. I mean, will those schools want to travel to Annopolis to play a break-game in their conference sschedule? (not to diminish the long tradition of Navy football/sports)

huh, another side step. Back on topic:
Notre Dame?

Seriously, I think this is the biggest issue as to how the Big 16 shook out.

Big Ten (16) without ND opens the door to two of the three: Mizzou, Iowa State, Maryland, after Pitt and Rutgers are wooed, rather than one of those three.

Scenario with no-ND in Big Ten:

Big Ten goes after two Big 12 schools? What happens to the Big 7 or 8 left in that conference? Who do they go after to survive? TCU? Doesn't SEC want TCU? There's a fight. And if those 7 or 8 Big-12 teams want to stay out of being absorbed into PAC-10, then there's a western fight brewing for Boise St., Utah, maybe even Fresno State and Nevada?

...OR, maybe the BigTen(16) goes with 1 ACC and 1 Big 12 team. Taking UMd would bolster the DC area with more than just Penn State grads. UMd would bring an intersting mix in other sports - possibly helping some other sports, including basketball - which IMO, UMd would not have to fight the new BAC conference, where G'town could go as a non-football addition. They'd ceretainly have a better record in Big Ten (16) play the BAC play.

If ND is off the table, then I think even schools like VaTech, UVa, Louisville come into the picture, even with Mizzou, Iowas State as clearer picks - heck, even Kansas could be in the conversation - even if only for a brief moment -which would really burn the remains of the Big 12.

BUT - if ND went to the Big Ten, with Pitt and Rutgers being the other clear front runners into the conference, the noose on who would be the 16th school tightens quickly.

I don't think Big Ten really wants Iowa State. Seriously. I think the Big Ten wants 1- Notre Dame, 2 - Pitt, 3 - Rutgers, and 4 - either Maryland or Missouri. and that 's the B-16.

So, here's my look at the two choices, should they want to be in the discussion:

Maryland hands BigTen a part of the DC market - which honestly, they sort of have - PSU alum are major numbers here - But, they really don't have. DC rarely gets Big Ten games that aren't nationally televised, ACC always bumps Big Ten. So there's that market - which is considerable. And clearly, the Big Ten wants the market. Indiana is playing Penn State for one of their home games at FedEx Stadium - home of the Redskins. 90,000 seats. (Penn State wouldn't make it a home game, because it's smaller than Beaver Stadium). Maryland is not completely unfamiliar with Penn State, Pitt or Rutgers traditionally. I remember PSU playing UMd.

Or Mizzou fills out the western side of the BigTen(16) with Iowa and Nebraska and takes in St. Louis market. But I don't know what happens on TV in St. Louis. I imagine they get SEC and Big 12 games preempting BigTen, but I don't know. They're only across the river from Illinois. Maybe someone there could shed some light on the St. Louis TV market. (we're talking network tv or main ESPN channel. most of us can get ESPN Game Plan.)  Plus maybe stealing some airtime in the Kansas City, MO market. Mizzou gives Nebraska a clear end of season rivalry game from Big 8 and Big 12 days. Right now, I don't know who is going to take that position. My guess, is Iowa, who currently is in a 3-way rivalry with Minnesota and Wisconsin. But Mizzou would be much juicier for Nebraska fans as its the 2nd oldest rivalry in the Big 12, playing 103 times since 1892. Like many Big Ten rivalries, these two teams even play for an interschool trophy: the Victory Bell. Nothing says Big Ten football like playing for Axes, Bells and Barrels!

 

I vote for Scorereader as Commissioner of The Really Big & Humongous Conference! The RB&HC!

Let's hope He coaches better than he sings

joerogo


Let's hope He coaches better than he sings

Interesting. When he took the mound all his mannerisms was that of a lefty but then he threw with his right. Later he signed autographs with his left hand and switch held the microphone. Could that entail confusion on the sidelines? That's my scouting report.

Scorereader


I try to be well-rounded.

Nothing says Big Ten football like playing for Axes, Bells and Barrels!

 

Clearly, you're not rounded well enough. You left out the Illibuck.