Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[buck1973]

I didn't go to a Big Ten school. So I don't know about this. But what does academics have to do with the conference? Sure - I know you want "fine, upstanding" universities in your conference, and that's fine. I agree with that. But I wouldn't have thought that those would be that hard to find. What am I missing?

All members of the Big Ten, along with the University of Chicago, are also members of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation.

CIC: Committee on Institutional Cooperation - About CIC

OUR MISSION
Our mission is to advance academic excellence by sharing resources and promoting and coordinating collaborative activities across the member universities.
WHAT WE DO
The CIC universities collaborate in such activities as sharing access to study abroad offerings, coordinating large scale purchases and electronic licenses, creating programs for professional development, coordinating access to library materials, and building shared data networks.

Our work is focused on three areas of dynamic, evolving collaboration: (1) national leadership for higher education; (2) combining, leveraging and expanding resources of member universities; and (3) expanding learning opportunities by sharing unique courses and programs.

 

[mb7015a]

Speaking of Texas... UT feels very out of place in the Big 12 and doesn't believe it's getting the benefits, academically or otherwise, that it knows it would get from the Big 10.

I'm not certain if UT succeeded in getting the management contract for the national labs in Los Alamos and the Lawrence Livermore from the UCalifornia system or not, but I imagine adding UT as the 13th member of the CIC would make a very appealing backing organization for any such future bid. The prestige and educational opportunities that go along with that affiliation would add tremendously to member schools' abilities to recruit faculty and grad students.

 

[VprHis]

The big ten universities are also all members of the AAU (assoc. of american universities), of which ND is not a member.

Mizzou, Pitt, and Iowa state, however, are.

AAU Members by Admission

 

[Steve19]

What we all need is about two more years of Notre Dame getting its arse kicked like this. The deals with media will sour, Domers and recruits will get a more accurate picture of where they truly fit in the food chain, and Rudy can finally get some rest.

Perhaps Charlie will turn things around, as some posts in this thread suggest. An alternative viewpoint is that this coach may be far too self-centered and opinionated to do that.

 

[Thump]

Drop NW and make it a 10 team conference again.

 

[MrsB]

Interesting note.
Since 2000, Nw has the 6th best record in the big ten. better than PSU and MSU

 

[Taosman]

We may see one team leave when Paterno steps down/dies.

 

[Dryden]

Drop NW and make it a 10 team conference again.

I still contend it is in the best interest of everyone for Penn State to withdraw and go over to the Big East. However, after seeing what happened this past Saturday, and lurking on NW's Scout board, it would probably be good for NW to step down a division too.

I say drop both of them, add Notre Dame, and start counting the TV revenue.

 

[matcar]

I'm not certain if UT succeeded in getting the management contract for the national labs in Los Alamos and the Lawrence Livermore from the UCalifornia system or not, but I imagine adding UT as the 13th member of the CIC would make a very appealing backing organization for any such future bid. The prestige and educational opportunities that go along with that affiliation would add tremendously to member schools' abilities to recruit faculty and grad students.

Yes, this is what almost every Texas alum and faculty member I spoke with talked about. They truly believe that UT will eventually make a push to get out of the B12 and into the Big Ten, for academic reasons. Perhaps they could be part of the academic Big Ten, like Chicago is, but not move their athletic programs. I don't know though...seems like the B12 might not like that. Bottom line for Texas is that they are not affiliated with top academic & research universities, and it's hurting them and they know they could do better.

 

[Best Buckeye]

Texas would probably think they could just come and dominate the Conference like everyone said PS was going to do. Talk about a comeupance. :tongue2:

 

[matcar]

Texas would probably think they could just come and dominate the Conference like everyone said PS was going to do. Talk about a comeupance. :tongue2:

No. They don't. But they would be a fine academic AND athletic addition. Now, I have a hard time seeing it happen, but I do know that many within UT academia wish it to happen and I don't get the impression that many of the fans care. They know they'll preserve their history with OU and that seems to be all they really care about.

As for all this talk of getting rid of Northwestern...I don't get it. They are a fine academic university and a strong member of what the Big Ten is all about. Yeah, their football team isn't always strong, but as others have pointed out, they're record over the past several years ranks them well above last in the Big Ten. I'm glad they are part of the system even if they struggle on the field and court sometimes.

 

[MaxBuck]

I think Texas would be a brilliant choice if the B11 were to expand. Their overall academic and athletic profile fits ours better than any other available choices except maybe Pitt. (I also think Pitt would be a good choice.) Adding UT would also expand the conference's viewing audience to a large new market in Texas and the southwest.

Domers can go pound sand. ND has no place in the Big Ten. Besides which it makes no financial sense for that university to join a football conference (remember, they're Big East in all other sports).

 

[ScriptOhio]

Could this be the real reason ND did not want to join the Big 10?

Big 10 Standing (as of 30 Sep 07) with ND:

Team....................Conference..............Overall

Michigan..................3-0...........................3-2
Ohio State...............2-0...........................5-0
Wisconsin................2-0...........................5-0
Illinois......................2-0...........................4-1
Purdue....................2-0............................5-0
Indiana....................1-1............................4-1
Michigan State.........1-1............................4-1
Penn State..............1-2............................3-2
Iowa.......................0-2............................2-3
Northwestern..........0-2............................2-3
Minnesota...............0-2............................1-4
Notre Dame..........0-4............................0-5

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Drop NW and make it a 10 team conference again.

Northwestern has 3 Big Ten titles since Penn State joined the conference, which is 2 more titles than Penn State has. Their record against Michigan (3-7) during that time is also better than Penn State's (3-9, including 8 losses in a row).

 

[Buckeye Nut]

Northwestern has 3 Big Ten titles since Penn State joined the conference, which is 2 more titles than Penn State has. Their record against Michigan (3-7) during that time is also better than Penn State's (3-9, including 8 losses in a row).

Penn State has two titles, 1994 and 2005.