The college expansion rumors are heating up again and it looks like the B1G and SEC have their eyes on the ACC. When Rutgers joined, I remember an article from Teddy Greenspan that the B1G modeled expansion scenarios for a 14, 16, 20 and 24 member league. I believe any B1G expansion is predicated on getting ND first and then Miami, FL. However, if we can’t get ND, do we still expand? And for the SEC, does any expansion increase their media contract?

Let me start by saying this is not what I want to happen but what could realistically be our future if, and only if, the right candidates prefer the BIG over the SEC (specifically North Carolina and to some degree FSU) and if Notre Dame decides to join (which is not likely but possible). I see realistic configurations of 20, 24 and 28.

At 20, the BIG likely misses out on UNC and FSU. Best case here is likely Miami and one of Stanford or Georgia Tech.

At 24 the BIG adds UNC, Virginia, Miami, Stanford and either Duke or Georgia Tech and maybe Arizona.

At 28 the Big adds UNC, Virginia, Duke, Miami, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Stanford, Arizona, Arizona State, and Kansas. They remain “divisionless” in football but have four, seven team divisions for all other sports.

One school I see that doesn't get a lot of consideration in these threads is Colorado. I'm just throwing them out there as a legit option. I do find myself agreeing with NotoriousOne quite often.

(07-18-2026 12:34 PM)cubucks Wrote:  One school I see that doesn't get a lot of consideration in these threads is Colorado. I'm just throwing them out there as a legit option. I do find myself agreeing with NotoriousOne quite often.

See everyone. A Wolverine and a Buckeye can get along and agree!

I agree with you about Colorado but just don’t see room. They are a viable option for sure. I consider them for inclusion in the “plains” division with Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Illinois. I take Kansas over Colorado to get to 7. If the BIG tried for 32 (my god) or Kansas goes SEC then sure. I also would prefer Stanford, Arizona and Arizona State out in our “pacific” division. Just one man’s opinion…

The opening offer the Big 10 will put out will look something like this:

Miami, Florida St, UNC, UVA, ND, & a 24th

The goal will to be to try and win over Florida St and UNC by presenting a plan to try and counter whatever offer the SEC makes.

If they lose out on one or both of those, then this plan becomes scalable—they might only end up with 20 or 22 depending on Miami and ND’s interest.

(07-18-2026 01:44 PM)NotoriousOne Wrote:  

(07-18-2026 12:34 PM)cubucks Wrote:  One school I see that doesn't get a lot of consideration in these threads is Colorado. I'm just throwing them out there as a legit option. I do find myself agreeing with NotoriousOne quite often.

See everyone. A Wolverine and a Buckeye can get along and agree!

I agree with you about Colorado but just don’t see room. They are a viable option for sure. I consider them for inclusion in the “plains” division with Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Illinois. I take Kansas over Colorado to get to 7. If the BIG tried for 32 (my god) or Kansas goes SEC then sure. I also would prefer Stanford, Arizona and Arizona State out in our “pacific” division. Just one man’s opinion…

Assuming no maximum limit is placed I suspect we'll peel off Stanford and UVA, followed shortly there-after by Cal and Miami.

Is 22 the finish? No, but beyond that you likely want to see what the landscape looks like. At this point the Big Ten would be mostly national. Would only, accepting that the SEC has eaten the south, need a team in the inland west, one in Texas or maybe one in New England to have a mostly completed national map at 24.

Get into Florida.