The great debate

This is something that has been relevant in the past, and thanks to Barry Alvarez, has apparently come onto the table once more. Adding a 12th team to the big ten. From Alvarez -

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez says the Big Ten will soon make a more aggressive push toward adding a 12th member.

Speaking to Wisconsin's athletic board on Friday, Alvarez, the former longtime Badgers football coach, said the conference already has investigated possibilities for expansion "from all over the country." And though he places no timetable on the search, Alvarez thinks conference commissioner Jim Delany will respond to a group of athletic directors and coaches who want expansion.

Here's a map of the current big ten (11) schools.


Now I won't go into detail on who should the 12th team just yet; my biggest problem is how the conference will be sorted out if said team is added. Normally you could just split the conference in halves and have them play for a championship at the end of the season. But take a look at the map. If you divide the schools in half north/south, then Michigan, Penn State, and Ohio State all end up in the same division. Not fun.

If you try and split it across the middle, then you still end up with Iowa, Penn State, and Ohio State end up together again. I think the only way this will end up working out is if the big ten goes the route the ACC took, and basically just scattering teams in the different divisions. Ideally, I'd prefer to see something like this -

Division A:

• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Wisconsin
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Illinois
  

Division B:

• Ohio State
• Penn State
• Michigan State
• Purdue
• Northwestern
• Missouri

Ha! If you look close enough you've found my choice team for slot #12. Actually I don't have a real preference. If it came down to two schools I'd say Pittsburgh or Missouri. With this divisional format you're able to keep some of the rivalry games by having them between conferences, and also the balance is a little better than just slapping a line on the map and calling it a day.

Will it happen? Probably not this quickly. I think Missouri or Pittsburgh are both a solid choice, but I don't see Mizzou leaving the Big 12 unless the Big 10 and Commish Delany give them an offer they absolutely can't refuse. And with Brian Kelly out at Cincinatti, that makes Pittsburgh probably the most stable team going into the conference next year (sorry West Virginia).

Commish Delany: I'm gonna make Mizzou an offer they won't refuse. Okay? I want you to leave it all to me. Go on, go back to the party meeting.