We are in an era of expansion. Last summer, it was announced that the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns would be heading to the SEC. Rumors began to swirl regarding if and how the Big 12 would survive such a loss. The SEC’s move to add these schools sparked discussions of how competing conferences would counter the perennially contending conference. Would the Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, and Pac-12 respond? That answer came on June 30th, 2022.
The Big Ten’s Addition
News broke that the University of Southern California Trojans (USC), and the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins (UCLA) were in negotiations to join the Big Ten Conference in the 2024 academic year. Both schools bring with them iconic athletic programs that bring rich history to the Big Ten. The addition of USC and UCLA will bring the Big Ten to 16 members. More importantly, it will continue the conference’s decades-long tradition of being mathematically misnamed.
Who Does the Big Ten add next?
If rumors are to be believed, Oregon and Washington, two more Pac-12 teams, have contacted the Big Ten in regards to membership. Oregon and Washington leaving would very likely lead to the collapse of the Pac-12 conference entirely.
The addition viewed as far more likely, however, is the fiercely independent Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have flirted with the idea of joining a conference full-time, but never fully committed to it. Notre Dame’s historic rivalry with USC could mean so much more in an in-conference clash. Both additions would turn up the heat on Ohio State, which has consistently been the Big Ten’s representative in the College Football Playoff.
That makes 17, so what is the harm in one more?
My pick for the 18th member for the now woefully misnamed Big Ten Conference is……
The North Dakota State Bison. Since the school ascended from Division II to the FCS, the Bison have clinched at least a share of 10 Missouri Valley titles. The powerhouse has regularly punched well above its weight class, taking down multiple Power Five conference schools along the way. Sporting a 40-3 record in the FCS playoffs, including a 22-game winning streak, the Bison are 8-1 in 9 national championship appearances. The university said it would be fielding calls from conferences following the Sooners and Longhorns move. The time seems right for them to jump up the ranks again.
With realignment in the works, it feels like anything could happen. The Big Ten won’t be the only one making major moves, and I personally don’t believe they’re done. Hold on to your hats, because this could get wild.
