A Big Ten plus three scenario

What is Texas, Missouri and Pittsburgh would join league?

Perhaps we are under-thinking Big Ten expansion.  Perhaps the conference won’t simply be another “Big 12″ conference, but rather maybe it will expand to 14 schools.

Under this scenario:

Pool 1

Iowa

Michigan

Michigan State

Minnesota

Missouri

Northwestern

Texas

Pool 2

Illinois

Indiana

Ohio State

Penn State

Pittsburgh

Purdue

Wisconsin

Each conference team would play each of its six pool members plus two from the other pool that would be rotated every two years.  That would allow each team to maintain a 4-game non-conference schedule.   The winner of each pool would meet in a Big Ten championship game.

Here is a sample 2010 schedule using the actual schedule as a starting point:

Youngstown State @ Penn State (non-conference)
Penn State @ Alabama (non-conference)
Kent State @ Penn State (non-conference)
Temple @ Penn State (non-conference)
Penn State @ Iowa (non-pool)
Illinois @ Penn State
Penn State @ Minnesota (non-pool)
Wisconsin @ Penn State
Purdue @ Penn State
Penn State @ Ohio State
Penn State @ Indiana
Pittsburgh @ Penn State

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Tagged as: big ten expansion, Missouri, Pittsburgh, texas