UCLA and USC Joining the Big Ten

[nerdvana]

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-06-30/usc-ucla-are-negotiating-to-leave-the-pac-12-for-the-big-ten

"The schools are aiming to leave as early as 2024 and the migration is expected to include all sports except beach volleyball"

[JSHoosier]

I'd prefer not because California schools in a largely Midwest conference doesn't make sense; for that matter neither does Rutgers or Maryland.  I know it's not about sense or geography, it's about money.

That would turn into a lot of travel time though.

[LamarCheeks]

10 minutes ago, nerdvana said:

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-06-30/usc-ucla-are-negotiating-to-leave-the-pac-12-for-the-big-ten

"The schools are aiming to leave as early as 2024 and the migration is expected to include all sports except beach volleyball"

Certainly there are places on Lake Monroe for a little beach volleyball, aren't there? 

[Dave from Dayton]

Press conference to be scheduled very soon.  Heard it was a done deal, final vote to be taken possibly today.  

Just think: late night games (ugh); redeye travel for the basketball players becomes routine (ugh); conference finals possibly in sunny California; NCAA loses control; SEC and B1G expand and takes over top 50 universities and leave the NCAA; Maze Runner becomes a varsity sport; Northwestern joins ACC because B1G no longer is an academics-oriented University first.

 

[HoosierHoopster]

Spill-over from the UT / Okla split. 

I don't know, it's weird, but then the idea of regularly playing UCLA and USC in bball is kind of cool

[LamarCheeks]

Those trips from Piscataway, N.J., to Los Angeles will be fun. 

[AKHoosier]

14 minutes ago, nerdvana said:

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-06-30/usc-ucla-are-negotiating-to-leave-the-pac-12-for-the-big-ten

"The schools are aiming to leave as early as 2024 and the migration is expected to include all sports except beach volleyball"

So we don't even get Pac12 beach volleyball girls? 

Then what's this all for?

[Stromboli]

Dolla dolla bills y’all…

 

SEC made their move, B1G is responding. With occasional threats of teams leaving the NCAA, I guess this could help bring balance? 
 

I don’t know. It’s dumb. And no I don’t love that UCLA would take our position of most titles (by far) in our conference. I think UCLA has more or equal to the rest of the conference combined. 

[Hoosierfan2017]

I don’t really like it. UCLA and USC are both quality athletic programs, of course, but having them in the Big 10 is just weird. They don’t fit the vibe of the conference.

But, I suppose it’s either get with the times or get left behind. Better than becoming a Big 12 or a PAC 12 where the quality programs leave.

[Lebowski]

My only complaint with this move is any IU road game in Los Angeles is gonna suck for Eastern and Central time zone folk like myself. But overall, this is a really good move for the conference. 

[RaceToTheTop]

Not a fan of it...however, in football if they realign, I would hope that they would move Purdue over to the East and put USC and UCLA in the West.  It would at least make a better split in terms of level of play.

East

Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue

West:

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern, Nebraska, USC, UCLA

I would also hope they would end any protected cross-division games.

[Southside]

I expected this, but not this soon. Not specifically USC and UCLA, but some type of migration or merge. 

Guess things are just moving at lightning speed. 

Easy decision though for the B10 given the Cali market. 

 

PS.... can we just not skip to 4 super conferences and get it out of the way... 

 

And damn, really wanted the girls beach vball... 

[MyDRockHard]

As bball fans, conference re-alignment gives no craps about us. It's all about how much money football will bring in. Luckily, these two schools actually have great bball programs along with the football money. It's probably the best schools we could have added.

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich]

30 minutes ago, RaceToTheTop said:

Not a fan of it...however, in football if they realign, I would hope that they would move Purdue over to the East and put USC and UCLA in the West.  It would at least make a better split in terms of level of play.

East

Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue

West:

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern, Nebraska, USC, UCLA

I would also hope they would end any protected cross-division games.

They'll just get rid of divisions completely. Which should have already been done. 

[Brass Cannon]

I think we will go down to 4 divisions. With divisions paired. You play 7 teams every year and the two teams who placed the same position as the previous year in football. 
 

Basketball you play your division twice. Every other team once with a slow rotation of playing 2 of the other 12 twice each year. 

[ziggyiu]

59 minutes ago, Dave from Dayton said:

Press conference to be scheduled very soon.  Heard it was a done deal, final vote to be taken possibly today.  

Just think: late night games (ugh); redeye travel for the basketball players becomes routine (ugh); conference finals possibly in sunny California; NCAA loses control; SEC and B1G expand and takes over top 50 universities and leave the NCAA; Maze Runner becomes a varsity sport; Northwestern joins ACC because B1G no longer is an academics-oriented University first.

 

Travel is an issue, but more so for the LA schools. With only two teams on the West Coast regular red-eyes for IU won't be a thing. 

USC and UCLA are both great academic schools. The ACC is not a better conference of schools for scholarly endeavors. 

[Magnanimous]

Wouldn’t be surprised if Oregon and several others join as well. If it was my call, I’d also take Oregon, Stanford and Washington, then give Notre Dame 72 hours to decide before offering Colorado. 20 teams with four pods of 5 teams. 

[ziggyiu]

38 minutes ago, RaceToTheTop said:

Not a fan of it...however, in football if they realign, I would hope that they would move Purdue over to the East and put USC and UCLA in the West.  It would at least make a better split in terms of level of play.

East

Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue

West:

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern, Nebraska, USC, UCLA

I would also hope they would end any protected cross-division games.

Football has recently discussed going without divisions, which IU really likes for football reasons. 

[Brass Cannon]

Just now, Magnanimous said:

Wouldn’t be surprised if Oregon and several others join as well. If it was my call, I’d also take Oregon, Stanford and Washington, then give Notre Dame 72 hours to decide before offering Colorado. 20 teams with four pods of 5 teams. 

Honestly I’d offer Colorado before Notre Dame. Denver is a huge media market 

[ziggyiu]

1 minute ago, Magnanimous said:

Wouldn’t be surprised if Oregon and several others join as well. If it was my call, I’d also take Oregon, Stanford and Washington, then give Notre Dame 72 hours to decide before offering Colorado. 20 teams with four pods of 5 teams. 

Screw ND. Leave them in the cold with no one to play.