Why conference expansion is good for Ohio State Football

The Big Ten is adding USC and UCLA starting in 2024 as members. This put a shock into the rest of college football and had other institutions scrambling to secure their own positions. Several other programs were on the phone to the Big Ten offices to try and join the Ohio State football program, Penn State, and Michigan.

While most people initially think this is a bad thing for the conference, it’s actually a good thing. It’s a good thing specifically for Ohio State football. That’s because adding USC and UCLA gives the conference two more premier brands that people care about across the country.

If people across the country care about them, that means more people will watch them on TV. More eyeballs on the games mean more money from the media companies. More money from the media companies means more money to spend on the athletes’ experience.

Ultimately, adding more members will give the Ohio State football program more funding to improve facilities, improve the stadium, and other things. It gives the program more opportunities to make things better. This can only make them better on the field too.

Adding USC and UCLA also helps the Buckeyes improve their resume on the field once they take the field. Both of these teams are usually pretty solid programs. While neither is at the top of the sport at the moment, a win over either helps Ohio State’s chances of making the CFP.

There will be more programs added to the conference before too long, that much is certain. How many other programs and who they are will determine the full amount of the soon-to-be-announced new TV deal that the Big Ten has been negotiating.

All I know is that money talks, and it’s certainly talking louder than ever before.