A coworker (Michigan grad) predicted this B1G realignment...

Posted on: June 21, 2017 at 16:58:21 CT

will happen in the next decade:

B1G adds Oklahoma and Missouri to the WEST, and moves Purdue to the EAST, resulting in:

• WEST: Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Northwestern, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota.

• EAST: Purdue, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan St., Ohio St., Penn St., Maryland, Rutgers.

He says it's the only expansion he thinks is (1) worth doing financially, and (2) realistic. More specifically, he thinks Mizzou would be willing to leave the SEC (and one of the reasons the B1G would want MU), and that OU would be willing/able to separate from OK State. He says Notre Dame is a pipe dream and will never happen, but would obviously be the best addition if it were possible. He also doesn't think any ACC school (the B1G is interested in, i.e UVA & UNC) would be willing to leave due to their geography and existing rivalries.

Anyway, interesting thoughts from a B1G/Michigan guy that I thought I'd share.

And if he's right, it would start another realignment chain of dominoes, with the Big12 at the epicenter of it all.

I imagine the SEC would replace Missouri with WVU.

Texas would probably go to the PAC with Texas Tech (and the PAC would probably have a stipulation that "binds" UT and TTU such that if UT leaves, then TTU goes with them, to avoid being stuck with TTU if UT should go Indy at some point in the future).

And I imagine KU and all the rest of the Big12 "orphans" would be relegated to the mid-major ranks. KU would finally have a rival again — UConn in the AAC.

______________________________________________

EDIT: To be clear, I'm happy with Mizzou in the SEC... I think it's a great fit and arguably the best conference (very close to B1G). I'm simply relaying what a B1G friend/coworker is predicting.






Edited by zounami at 17:11:43 on 06/21/17