Maryland to the Big Ten
November 19, 2012
G.D.O'Bradovich III
1
As a self described Great Occultist who delves onto the mysteries of the Universe, it might surprise my readers that I follow college sports. To paraphrase Max Ehrmann, “ College sports is the world in miniature.”
Many pundits are saying that Rutgers and Maryland will not benefit the Big 10 ,however, I do not believe that these commentators are looking clearly at the impact that these moves ultimately have on other conferences generally and Notre Dame specifically.
However, let us review who the Big 10 has added since Michigan State in 1950. Do these four schools, Nebraska, Penn State, Maryland and Rutgers, have, if anything, in common? The one common denominator that everyone knows- these schools were members of the prestigious (by invitation only) Association of American Universities (AAU). With this tidbit of information, commentators then run amok with fanciful scenarios and speculation.
These four institutions also have two more criteria that make thses schools special. They are the flagship schools for their states and except for Penn State, these states have no other Football Bowl Series (FBS) schools that are public. One could say that these schools have a monoploly on the higher division football in their states. With the criteria of being a flagship univeristy, AAU memberhsip and no other FBS school in the state, could we specualte on who may apply for Big 10 membership next?
Many pundits are saying that Rutgers and Maryland will not benefit the Big 10 ,however, I do not believe that these commentators are looking clearly at the impact that these moves ultimately have on other conferences generally and Notre Dame specifically.
However, let us review who the Big 10 has added since Michigan State in 1950. Do these four schools, Nebraska, Penn State, Maryland and Rutgers, have, if anything, in common? The one common denominator that everyone knows- these schools were members of the prestigious (by invitation only) Association of American Universities (AAU). With this tidbit of information, commentators then run amok with fanciful scenarios and speculation.
These four institutions also have two more criteria that make thses schools special. They are the flagship schools for their states and except for Penn State, these states have no other Football Bowl Series (FBS) schools that are public. One could say that these schools have a monoploly on the higher division football in their states. With the criteria of being a flagship univeristy, AAU memberhsip and no other FBS school in the state, could we specualte on who may apply for Big 10 membership next?
2
The AAU schools are in bold type, private and military schools are underlined, and other FBS schools are in regular type.
State
New York North Carolina Virginia Georgia Florida Missouri Kansas Texas Tennessee Colorado |
Institutions
Buffalo, Stony Brook, Army, Syracuse North Carolina, North Carolina State, Duke, Wake Forest Virgiania, Virgiania Tech Georgia Tech, Georgia Florida, Florida State, Miami Missouri Kansas, Kansas State Texas, Texas A & M, Texas Tech Vanderbilt, Tennesee Colorado, Colorado State, Air Force |
For a brief segue, we will discuss the Champions Bowl that was agreed to host the champions of the SEC and the Big 12. This bowl agreement came as a surprise as the SEC was expected to align itself with the ACC. The thinking was that the winner of the SEC/ACC bowl would play the winner of the PAC 12/BIG 10 and the winners of these bowls would meet in a National Championship game. However, the SEC aligned itself with the recently weakened Big 12, instead of the recently strengthened ACC. Why? Perhaps Mike Slive, commissioner of the SEC, is familiar with Machiavelli’s advice to always support the weaker against the stronger. The goal of this strategy is to in weaken a stronger adversary and gain the gratitude of the weaker.
With Maryland leaving the ACC, (and I am not speculating about Florida St. or Clemson leaving), the ACC is weaker. If Virginia and North Carolina go to the Big 10 and Virginia Tech and North Carolina State to the SEC, both conferences will have 16 teams, leaving the ACC with 9 schools (7 schools if Florida St. and Clemson leave).
With the ACC severely weakened, Notre Dame will be backed into a corner- either join the Big 10, join another conference or stay independent and irrelevant to college football. If Notre Dame joins the Big 10, it could do so with Missouri or Georgia Tech as the 17th and 18th members.
Regardless of the number of super conferences and whether their member schools have a combined total of 64 or 80 schools, the Big 10 is slowly and methodically tightening the noose of conference realignment around the neck of Notre Dame's football independence. Although the ACC is no slouch academically, they do not compare to the AAU membership of the Big 10. The Big 10 has something no other conference has- the Committee on Internal Cooperation (CIC). The CIC includes all Big 10 schools and the University of Chicago.
With Maryland leaving the ACC, (and I am not speculating about Florida St. or Clemson leaving), the ACC is weaker. If Virginia and North Carolina go to the Big 10 and Virginia Tech and North Carolina State to the SEC, both conferences will have 16 teams, leaving the ACC with 9 schools (7 schools if Florida St. and Clemson leave).
With the ACC severely weakened, Notre Dame will be backed into a corner- either join the Big 10, join another conference or stay independent and irrelevant to college football. If Notre Dame joins the Big 10, it could do so with Missouri or Georgia Tech as the 17th and 18th members.
Regardless of the number of super conferences and whether their member schools have a combined total of 64 or 80 schools, the Big 10 is slowly and methodically tightening the noose of conference realignment around the neck of Notre Dame's football independence. Although the ACC is no slouch academically, they do not compare to the AAU membership of the Big 10. The Big 10 has something no other conference has- the Committee on Internal Cooperation (CIC). The CIC includes all Big 10 schools and the University of Chicago.
3
The academic prestige of the Big 10, along with the money that Maryland is projected to make in 2014 ($32 million versus the ACC payout of $20 million) will be enough for Virginia and North Carolina to jump ship and destabilize the conference stronghold of Tobacco Road.
Year 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 |
Maryland's Projected
Conference Revenue (in millions) $32 $33 $34.5 $43 $44 $45 |
Jim Delany has been Big 10 Commissioner since 1989 and moved to get Penn State to join in 1991 and waited throughout the next two decades for Notre Dame to join. I suspect his patience came to an end when, in September, Notre Dame joined the ACC in all sports, except football. I predict he will use the Big 10’s unmatched academic reputation and the promise of increased revenue for future member schools to marginalize Notre Dame to the point that they are forced into the Big 10 for all sports, football included.
Is Delany’s end game to have Notre Dame join the Big 10 or become irrelevant?
That, Gentle Reader, is the $45 million question.
Is Delany’s end game to have Notre Dame join the Big 10 or become irrelevant?
That, Gentle Reader, is the $45 million question.