Around the Big Ten

[Dr. Strangelove]

There is a lunatic on Penn State's Scout board who is constantly touting Buffalo and Cornell as serious B1G prospects. Buffalo is set to rename itself the University of New York or some such thing.

[iam416]

I think my crossovers make sense and give more historical balance

Some of your crossovers aren't actually crossovers. M-MSU are in the same division, as are Purdue and Iowa.

Penn State-Nebraska is an ok crossover. So is OSU-Wisky.

IU-Purdue would be one.

M-Goofers would probably be one.

Then a grab bag for Illinois/Iowa/NW and Rutgers/Terps/MSU. None of those 3 would have any relevance.

I think the focus ought to be intra-divisional. I think UNL-Wisky is going to become a big game.

[iam416]

The Buffalo stuff is hilarious.

If I had to guess I'd say Virginia and a few B12 schools are in play.

[Mike]

Has there been much talk about Iowa State? Not that it would do much athletically but they are a great research institution and it gives Iowa an instant primary rival. Does absolutely nothing for TV audience so it's probably a non-starter but I imagine they would love to escape the death claws of Texas.

[Jeff Buchanan]

My reasons for wanting Sparty to lose:,,,,,

I think you are right, Mike.

You raise an important issue about losing a generation of youngsters who see Spartans with the rose between their teeth, among other important football images, instead of the likes of Charles Woodson.

You are also right about the "blueblood" problem. I see, as do you, the potential for Dave Brandon to squander the value of a brand developed over a century much like GM did by his stubborn arrogance.

However, are those concerns seen as significant enough, among those who decide such things, to make a change as complicated and fraught with problems that hiring a new HC would be? I think that is a risk/reward calculation that Controlling Boards have already made. We already know they aren't going to do it or force Hoke to replace Borges.

I don't like what I've seen through year three of the Brady Hoke era. I think there are several recent examples of coaches who have the capacity to take a mediocre football team and turn it into a power on the national scene in a season. Gus Malzahn at Auburn following the debacle of Gene Chizik there is a good one. There are others.

At this point, I'm more sanguine, perhaps resigned is a better word, about seeing if Hoke can turn M into the successful, pro-style, power football team he wants it to be. He already has a good DC who is more than capable of doing his part. Borges? When he's good, he's very good. Of course there is that downside thing.

But realistically, what options are there other than watchful waiting. I think M is definitely on the brink of a precipitous plunge and will lose the state and a generation of youngsters to a Dantonio coached MSU if Hoke doesn't produce a winner in 2014. The pieces are there, although their are legitimate player development and game management questions about the current staff, top to bottom. For lack of other options, I'm going to Hoke for the best.

[entropy]

Some of your crossovers aren't actually crossovers. M-MSU are in the same division, as are Purdue and Iowa.

Penn State-Nebraska is an ok crossover. So is OSU-Wisky.

IU-Purdue would be one.

M-Goofers would probably be one.

Then a grab bag for Illinois/Iowa/NW and Rutgers/Terps/MSU. None of those 3 would have any relevance.

I think the focus ought to be intra-divisional. I think UNL-Wisky is going to become a big game.

ummm.. I am suggesting msu should be moved into the west

[iam416]

Ah, I see. Well, that ain't happening! Under the setup going forward, I don't think crossovers are a good idea.

[entropy]

it is not.. that is why they should do things my way.... lol

[Dr. Strangelove]

My impression is that Sparty was pretty much asked point blank if they wanted to be in the West or the East and they chose East. I don't think Purdue cared as much either way so long as they could still play Indiana every year. And frankly, they probably stood a better chance at advancement playing in the West.

[Wild Hoss]

Huskerz haven't had a real rival since 1995.

Can Iowa be one? I know THEY think so.

They can be, at least for Husker fans who grew up in Omaha. Back in the day, when fan correspondence consisted of sending in letters to The Voice from the Grandstand in the Omaha World Herald, the shit-talk across the Missouri river between Husker and Hawkeye trolls was epic. Albeit, slow.

[entropy]

slow... because they're white...?

racist

[WM Wolverine]

No on crossovers, B10 decided against them other than Purdue & Indiana...

16 looks like a limit to me unless ND or Texas are interested, those two are game changers that allow you to break rules. I don't foresee expansion in the short-term, the Big XII's and ACC's Grant-of-Rights probably saves those conferences from being raided for 8-10 years…

B10 wants 'demographics', 'markets'; Pittsburgh would be in the B10 otherwise. Pitt is a perfect fit other than not helping the most important criteria; Iowa State is in the same boat. ND isn't an exception as they are pretty much the sole 'national' program in CFB…

Expansion is pretty far out by the targets are still the same: ND, Texas (could bring Oklahoma w/ them), Virginia then complimentary programs like GT, Kansas… North Carolina is very, very pro ACC and very pro SEC vs B10. North Carolina is still very much 'south' culturally and their fan base will be very opposed to anything other than a move to the SEC… I think the ACC is much stabler than the Big XII and see NC staying put...

We'll see if Missouri loses some of its love for the SEC if they start to struggle, they could become available but more likely is the SEC Network will create a GOR for the SEC and protect them from being raided...
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re: Sparty. They lose a TON on defense, I'm not expecting them to fall off a cliff in '14 but they won't win 9+ regular season games next season barring a very favorable schedule.

[Wild Hoss]

slow... because they're white...?

racist

What's racist is lumping their collective athletic ability in with your own, just because they look like you. Well, better than you, but with similar features.

Racial!

[WM Wolverine]

Buffalo is hilarious at this point but I do think they have some potential far, far down the line. They are supposedly considering renaming themselves the University of New York, they are AAU, they have a large enrollment (but not by B10 standards) and have plans to grow that enrollment...

As a B10 university, they aren't that far away. They just have miles to go athletically, building a fan base and building B10 caliber facilities.

[hack]

As well as being Not in Buffalo. That's going to be a challenge for them.