The Latest on Big Ten Expansion
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The Big Ten appears to have paused its expansion plan after adding USC and UCLA for 2024, though that pause will last only so long. The conference certainly isn't finished reshaping the college football landscape, particularly with some big programs on the board.
So where does Big Ten expansion stand right now? Here's a look into the process.
Is the Big Ten finished expanding?
It's pausing for now, according to Iowa athletic director Gary Barta, who said last week that he doesn't think the Big Ten would extend any new offers in the near future.
"Will there be more?" Barta asked at a press conference in Iowa City. "I don't have a crystal ball, but at this point I can tell you the Big Ten is still not seeking members. I know the Big Ten has taken calls, and they inform us when they take calls just so we have a general idea, but if I were predicting, I'm not predicting that we would be adding any more in the near future. We'll see."
When Is Notre Dame Joining the Big Ten?
Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick told ESPN that the university "doesn't feel any particular urgency" about joining a conference for football. Notre Dame still has ties to the ACC for Olympic sports and is willing to let the "landscape settle" before making a decision, Swarbrick said.
Notably, though, Swarbrick defined three changes that would quicken Notre Dame's decision-making process: the loss of a media-rights partner, lack of access to the College Football Playoff or financial challenges. The Big Ten and SEC could hasten the second point by joining forces to determine the CFP's future expanded format — and whether that will include independent programs such as Notre Dame.
Barta did say that Notre Dame has come up in Big Ten meetings before but didn't expect it to be an issue this summer.
"I would tell you that Notre Dame — when we went through thatdiscussion, when Oklahoma and Texas were added to theSEC — we talked about, should we [expand]? If we do, why? And if wedo, with whom? Notre Dame was certainly on that list.
"I would reiterate we are not seeking applications. But as people come to the Big Ten, they're certainly being received, and then trying to make a decision. I know your direct question is would I support it. I would probably eventually support it. I don't anticipate that beinga decision that I'll be making this summer. But again, I don't have a crystal ball. But it's not before us right now."
What other programs might join the Big Ten?
Most speculation centers on a few Pac-12 schools (Oregon and Stanford primarily) along with North Carolina and Virginia in the ACC. The conference also might listen to Miami, which is one of the nation's 50 largest cities with a recruiting territory where the entire Big Ten would love to establish roots.
Meanwhile, The Athletic reported that the Big 12 is holding talks with Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State of the Pac-12.
How did the SEC respond to the Big Ten's expansion?
At SEC media days, commissioner Greg Sankey said he didn't know until the June 30 announcement that USC and UCLA would be joining the Big Ten. Though the announcement interrupted his vacation, it didn't prompt panic, Sankey said.
"We're poised to grow to 16 members on July 1st, 2025," Sankey said. This expansion keeps the SEC in contiguous states which supports reasonable geography among like-minded universities and keeps us confident that fan interest will continue to grow in our communities, in our region, in this country and literally across the globe.
"There's no sense of urgency in our league, no panic and reaction to others' decisions. We know who we are. We are confident in our collective strength, and we are uniquely positioned to continue to provide remarkable experiences, educationally and athletically, along with world-class support to student-athletes."
What do athletic directors think about adding USC and UCLA?
Barta said he was surprised at the timing but not the decision. He noted that the Big Ten had vetted other schools but shelved expansion ideas until USC and UCLA made contact.
"After my initial kind of surprise, then I didn't have a lot of time to emotionally think about it because we dug in immediately," Barta said, "and for four or five days on Zoom calls and just conversations, we were breaking down: Does it make sense? Does it meet the criteria? Should we say yes? And clearly, after those four or five days of discussions, we decided that the time was right, the schools were right, and so I'm excited about it because I do know what they bring to the table."
Meanwhile, former Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in an interview that she found the additions "challenging to comprehend."
"Because as much as I 100-percent get the financial model [and] the business piece of this, having spent 10 years in the Pac-12 [and 17 years in the Big Ten], this is — from a traditionalist viewpoint — really challenging to comprehend," Barbour said. "It’s easy to comprehend from a financial standpoint, and that’s why it happened. I do think it’s headed to probably three superconferences. I am a believer that whatever we — the Power Five [or] the Big Ten — want in terms of a governance structure, we think we currently don’t have can be created within the NCAA."
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
