Ohio State Football: Which schools should Big Ten pursue for expansion?

The Ohio State football team may have to deal with some new members in the Big Ten soon. If so, who should the conference take a look at for expansion?

It looks like we’re heading for another seismic shift in college football. Next week, Oklahoma and Texas are reportedly going to inform the Big XII they are will to apply to join the SEC. Moves like this usually trigger a domino effect. If those two schools do leave the Big XII, I fully expect the Big Ten to pursue expansion. The question is, who will they invite to join?

Let’s get this out of the way right now: Notre Dame is off the table. They are firmly and happily entrenched in the ACC because that conference will allow them to remain independent in football. The Irish don’t care if they are in the middle of Big Ten country.

They care about keeping all of the money for themselves. They have their own tv contract and don’t have to share any money brought in from playoff appearances and bowl games. That won’t happen if they join the Big Ten. Notre Dame is not a consideration here.

So, who are some schools the Big Ten should look at? One suggestion I saw was TCU. This would allow the conference to have a presence in the large Dallas TV market. But, I think there is another that makes much more sense from a geographic and rivalry standpoint.

In my opinion, Iowa State is a perfect fit for the Big Ten. They sit squarely in the middle of the conference’s West division and they already have a standing rivalry with Iowa. They could easily develop one with Minnesota, Wisconsin, and rekindle pleasantries with former Big XII member Nebraska.

The Cyclones also have a head coach similar to Ryan Day. Matt Campbell is a young, up-and-coming coach who has built a quality program in a place I thought I’d never see. With a twelve-team playoff coming, Iowa State would give the Big Ten a legitimate yearly contender.

If you add a team more suited to the West, it makes sense to add one suited to the East. There is only one team in the Big XII that fits that description: WVU. Yes, I know they’re not exactly glamorous, but, like Iowa State, they make sense again from a geographic and rivalry standpoint.

Penn State and Maryland are longtime rivals of the Mountaineers. Wouldn’t it be much better for the conference to have Penn State end their season with WVU rather than Michigan State? Rutgers and the Mountaineers met for thirty consecutive years when both were either independents or members of the Big East.

Anyone who lives along the Ohio River between Ohio and West Virginia will tell you of the rivalry between the two states. An Ohio State football-WVU yearly meeting would generate a huge amount of interest and give each a rival within easy driving distance.

The two schools are only about 3 ½ hours apart (although Morgantown is the worst college town in the country to get into or out of on game day). WVU may not be a stylish choice, but they make a lot of sense.

In the end, we all know how this will play out if the Big Ten decides on expansion. The bean counters will count up the projected amount of beans the conference can make off of each school being considered and the powers-that-be will go with whoever they think can make them the most money. Geography, rivalries, and what can create the most fun and interest for fans won’t matter.

Money will be the deciding factor as it is in all decisions concerning collegiate athletics. As I said, if the SEC expands by taking in Oklahoma and Texas, I don’t think there is any question the Big Ten will look to add teams as well.