Nebraska

Adding Nebraska to the Big 10 needs to be the first-step of several major moves for the conference.

Stopping at adding ONLY Nebraska is not good enough.

Other than Texas or arguably Oklahoma, Nebraska was the best school for the Big 10 to add. If you're keeping in mind that Notre Dame is not coming and their football program is not currently as good as Nebraska, which also has more national titles than Notre Dame over the last 40 years.

However, as I said above, stopping at Nebraska for 12 schools is not enough.

The Big 10 needs to go EAST and, in my opinion, go very aggressively to the East. I'd try an add as many of the Eastern schools as I could.

I'd want to add ALL of these schools, in the following order of priority:

1) Maryland - Yes, Maryland is my first choice not because they are a football power, but because you get the Baltimore-Washington DC television market.

2) Boston College - BC brings the Boston television market and they play solid football. This is the greatest recruiting tool you can have to eventually lure Notre Dame into the Big 10. Add Notre Dame's main Catholic school rival and you get their attention.

3) Syracuse - You add the entire state of New York and Syracuse is an old rival for Penn State. Basketball program adds immensely to the Big 10.

4) UConn - You add another piece of metro New York City with UCONN and an instant-rival for Boston College.

5) Rutgers - Again, you add another piece of the Big Apple with the state of New Jersey.

6) Pitt - Love the Panthers football history and they have solid basketball. They are down on my list because you don't add many television sets with Pitt, as Penn State already has a dominant presence in Pittsburgh and Western PA. However, the Panthers do deserve to join.

7) West Virginia - Here's the main rival for Pitt and they bring solid football/basketball. A small TV market team, but they need to come.

Now you're sitting at 19 schools.....you hope Notre Dame caves and becomes your 20th team. But if they don't, add.....

8) Temple - OK, they are a complete JOKE but their football program is getting better, their basketball is historically strong and you add metro Philadelphia.

What do you do with 20 (or even 21) schools?

Make an East and West division with the winners to play in the league title game.

West: Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern, Indiana, Purdue, Michigan State, (Notre Dame), Michigan (Wolverines are mandated by league rules to play Ohio State every year no matter what)

East: Boston College, UConn, Rutgers, Syracuse, Maryland, Temple, West Virginia, Pitt, Penn State, Ohio State

Chances of this happening? None. This is too progressive for too many people and the old crab-apples in Cowlumbus would bi*ch about not having the Indianas and Purdues not on their yearly schedule. They'd complain about playing all of the Eastern teams, too.

You could also swap Michigan into the Eastern division if Notre Dame came in, but ND would love to be playing the east. All important rivalries would be protected by league rules. Possibly, Ohio State could play Michigan twice, too, if both schools won their division.

NOW BECAUSE A.J. WILL ASK OR COMMENT ABOUT THIS: Where does Cincinnati and Louisville go?

To the ACC, which also adds South Florida and Central Florida to become a 14-school conference.

WHAT DOES THE SEC DO? Try and raid the ACC and take Florida State and/or Miami. If the ACC loses those two schools, the league gets East Carolina and possibly a Memphis State. Not 'big names' but it keeps the league afloat.

THE BIG 12 HAS 10 SCHOOLS. WHAT DO THEY DO? Simple. Add TCU, Houston, and possibly SMU, Rice, Texas-El Paso, Colorado State, and BYU.

Eventually....you have 4 or 5 super conferences governed by the BCS with the national title still determined by 4 or 5 major bowl games leading to the BCS national title game. This would be a playoff without 'officially' having a playoff.

The NCAA goes away or sticks around to administer academic requirements, sporting safety, "Olympic" sports, and possibly implement a small financial stipend program for the players. They re-invent themselves.

Fact is....the advent of the football super conferences is also largely based on geography. With the tight economy, it's a lot more logical for Ohio State to send their gymnastics team to West Virginia or Pitt instead of Iowa or Minnesota.

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