Potential 12th Members for the Big Ten

On Friday, Wisconsin Athletic Director, Barry Alvarez stated that the Big Ten will begin a more serious search for a 12th member so the conference can break into divisions and host a conference championship game similar to the SEC, Big 12, and ACC (Link). I for one can't wait for this to happen and don't really understand why this hasn't happened sooner other than Jim Delaney and the rest of the Conference is greedy and enjoy the money they get from having 2 teams into the BCS Bowls almost yearly. Let's take a look at the possible candidates who most Big Ten fans want, what is most logical and what would be a desperate move.

Let's start with the most ideal situation for most Big Ten fans and that would be Notre Dame joining the Big Ten. It benefits Notre Dame not so much from an athletic standpoint but more from an academic standpoint. As long as Notre Dame is receiving the BCS money and exemption, they have no reason to join the Big Ten for Football and other sports. They reportedly receive less money from NBC than Big Ten schools reportedly receive from the Big Ten Network, so the whole NBC contract argument isn't really worth much. This whole move is unlikely unless the Irish are for some reason held out of the BCS unless they join a conference.

Moving on to the more logical schools that fit both academically and athletically we have, Missouri, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Rutgers. All four of those schools have a fit academically which the Big Ten presidents will look for, and are all good enough in football and other sports to compete in the Big Ten. What else they bring to the table is expansion for the Big Ten Network which in turn would bring in more revenue, especially if the school is Rutgers or Syracuse with the New York market.

Now on to the desperate move that no one is talking about because it is hardly a fit at all. That would be Memphis and the only reason I am including them in this is because they have recently hired a company to find them a new conference to join. If the Big Ten wanted to take the greedy route and just add a team for the Conference Championship game and sponsorship money, then Memphis is the best choice. They don't fit academically nor would they compete well in football.

Overall, this is a move that needs to be made but making the right choice is one that is going to be very difficult and a very long time to figure out. The likely choice is Rutgers or Syracuse, and if they don't get either of those schools I don't see expansion happening until Notre Dame is told to find a conference and comes knocking on the Big Ten's door.