Delany: We're 'not turning our back on expansion'

by Adam Hoge on Aug 2, 2010 6:39 PM CDT in Wisconsin Badgers Football

CHICAGO - The expansion silence is finally over.

Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany revealed Monday that the conference has paused its conference expansion initiatives right now, but is "not necessarily turning our back on expansion."

Right now the focus is acclimating Nebraska into the conference, but he is still following the original 12-18 month expansion study period he implemented last winter.

One team you can cross off the expansion list is Notre Dame

"I don’t see them as a player really," he said. "I see them as an independent."

Delany also said he hopes to have divisions, a conference championship game and television deal for the championship decided in the next 30 to 45 days. He said the first championship game will happen in December of 2011 but the site is still unknown. It is possible they will announce the site of the first game this fall and then do a more thorough search for championship sites in the spring.

Also, don’t expect to see the conference change its name.

"The Big Ten is the Big Ten regardless of the number (of teams)," he said.

One thing you can expect in the coming years is a nine-game conference schedule. He said he has a consensus from the athletic directors and it could happen three to four years from now.

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TURN OUR BACKS ON EXPANSION NOW GUYZ

16 team superconferences aren’t necessary… Bball schedules are going to go to ****. When you have that big a conference, you might as well have two divisions that never play. Rivalries outside the divisions will die a painful death. Not worth it.

My kingdom for a spellchecker. Or Devin Harris. Hopefully both.

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Aug 2, 2010 7:32 PM CDT reply actions

Not necessarily the case

Rotating 4 sub-divisions with 4 teams each can have teams playing each other up to 1/2 the time in a 9 game conference schedule – the same or more frequently than current 12 team conferences meet non-division teams.

If you want to preserve rivalries as a priority, sub divisions with a preserved rivalry with 1 team from every other sub-division can be accomplished in a 9 game conference schedule while still rotating the sub-divisions to plat the other teams 2 out of 6 years (not much less than UF and the SEC west after you factor in their preserved cross-division rivalry).

This isn’t to promote or counter the conference going to 16 teams or 9 conference games, just to point out the frequency teams meet and preserving rivalries isn’t a major issue.

by ProveIt on Aug 9, 2010 2:08 AM CDT up reply actions

The Big 10 needs one more state

Then they will have ten states, and the number would fit again.

BCS Evolution -- Punctuating the Equilibrium - twitter

by utesfan100 on Aug 2, 2010 8:34 PM CDT reply actions

The Big 10 used to be...

…binary for The Big 2, but RR ruined all of that.

by ProveIt on Aug 9, 2010 2:10 AM CDT up reply actions

Ok... ok...

That was cheap.
I am sorry.
No, really, I am sorry.

I will skate over and put myself in the 5 minute penalty box.

by ProveIt on Aug 9, 2010 2:13 AM CDT up reply actions

I'm glad they're not changing the name.

It’s too historical to ditch.

The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. ~ Terence Mann

On, Wisconsin!

by John Veldhuis on Aug 2, 2010 9:53 PM CDT reply actions

Keep it at 12

Hey guys, new to the site, liked what I saw, figured I would chime in. Don’t get enough Badger news out here in Utah.

I agree with OB up top, 16 teams is too many for the conference. They made a great move by getting Nebraska, now they should just keep it at 12. There are a few ways to break up the division that make sense (even though some may cause Bucky to lose a guaranteed game against Iowa or the Gophers), and I am excited for the first game between the two Big Reds.

As for conference championship sites, I for one hope they play it outdoors (Lambeau, Soldier, or Cleveland). I have read on many sites people arguing that this will put the champ at a disadvantage for the bowl games played in warm weather. I don’t buy that, and, personally, the smashmouth games played on sloppy turf near the end of the year are my favorite games and one reason I love watching Big Ten football.

by Badger_in_Utah on Aug 3, 2010 10:31 AM CDT reply actions

Well said

12 is a good number. I don’t want things to become too diluted with lower-quality schools (academically speaking). We’re running out of AAU schools to add anyway. Plus we can still have a championship game.

Bucky's 5th Quarter The best site for Badger news on the web!

On, Wisconsin!

by John Veldhuis on Aug 3, 2010 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions

As a Maryland alum...

…I’m all for Big Ten expansion, and I hope my university will be part of it. I respect the Big Ten’s academic, athletic and research prowess, and believe College Park has the resources in all those categories to be a worthy conference member. And more and more Terrapin fans are coming around to this point of view. I’m crossing my fingers in hopes that come 2013, Maryland and Rutgers will be part of the Big Ten, giving the conference access to the wealthy New York/New Jersey and Washington/Baltimore markets. (Maryland could hold its own in Big Ten football — last year’s disaster was an aberration — and you folks know about our men’s and women’s basketball teams.)

by vp19 on Aug 5, 2010 9:00 PM CDT reply actions

Would Maryland be Interested?

Maryland has been a popular candidate, but I have not heard any news from the MD administration – it has all come from fans and blogger speculation originating primarily from their AAU affiliation.

At the 1st rumor, the MD president shot down speculation, providing a long list of reasons MD would have absolutely no interest. The response was clearly designed to shoot down interest.

I hope I am wrong, but I don’t see MD as an interested candidate.

by ProveIt on Aug 9, 2010 1:57 AM CDT reply actions

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Badgers Football Schedule

UNLV	Thu 09/01	W 51 - 17
Oregon St. Building The Dam	Sat 09/10	W 35 - 0
@ Northern Illinois Red And Black Attack	Sat 09/17	W 49 - 7
South Dakota Coyotes	Sat 09/24	W 59 - 10
Nebraska Corn Nation	Sat 10/01	W 48 - 17
Indiana The Crimson Quarry	Sat 10/15	W 59 - 7
@ Michigan St. The Only Colors	Sat 10/22	L 31 - 37
@ Ohio St. Along The Olentangy	Sat 10/29	L 29 - 33
Purdue Hammer and Rails	Sat 11/05	W 62 - 17
@ Minnesota The Daily Gopher	Sat 11/12	W 42 - 13
@ Illinois Hail to the Orange	Sat 11/19	W 28 - 17
Penn St. Black Shoe Diaries	Sat 11/26	W 45 - 7
@ Michigan St. The Only Colors	Sat 12/03	W 42 - 39
@ Oregon Addicted To Quack	Mon 01/02	L 38 - 45