Big 10 Expansion: The Key To Getting the Gophers Back To the Rose Bowl?

Reports surfaced late last week that Wisconsin A.D. Barry Alvarez was suggesting the Big 10 needs to actively explore expansion. Reputable journalists and wannabe sportswriters alike took this news and ran with it.

What would adding another team mean to the league and who would that team be?

The Big 10 is still months away from from actually making a move to expand, but it appears as though the wheels are in motion. Since it looks like this issue will be discussed and explored, Gopher fans need to ask themselves: "Is this a good move and should the University of Minnesota endorse it?"

I assume Notre Dame will be among the options explored.  Big East schools Pitt, Rutgers, and Syracuse will be in the mix. I also think the Big 10 will look at some Big 12 North schools, specifically Iowa State, Missouri, and Nebraska.

It doesn't matter what school is chosen; the University of Minnesota should favor expansion, specifically where it relates to the football program.  A conference championship game would provide a huge economic boost for the conference.

Should the Big 10 agree to expand and find a suitable partner, the first obstacle will be splitting the conference. Most armchair commissioners take the 11 current schools and prospective school X and split them into two six-team divisions. The idea of "quads" has also come about.  

The balance of power in the conference right now definitely lies out east as far as football is concerned. Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan are traditional powers. Notre Dame, despite their recent struggles, also ranks as one of the most successful programs of all time.

While Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin have all enjoyed success as of late on the field, they haven't been able to sustain that success as much as Ohio State and Penn State have.

I have no idea how the conference will decide to split up the teams, but if they split them strictly east/west or north/south, that kind of re-alignment seems to benefit the Gophers.

Part of Minnesota's problem in failing to get back to the Rose Bowl has been their inability to beat the "big boys".  Hypothetically, it will be easier to climb to the top of a six-team division than it would be to outlast ten other teams to earn the conference's automatic Rose Bowl bid. A 9-3 season might be good enough to win the "Big Ten North" or "Great Lakes West".

The Gophers would still have to beat OSU/PSU/whoever to get to the Rose Bowl, but I would feel better about a winner-take-all playoff game, on a neutral field in Indianapolis or Chicago, than I would about the Gophers' chances of going 11-1 in the current conference format.

The Big 10's plan to explore expansion may not result in any changes. It's entirely possible the Big 10 doesn't find a school that they feel fits in academically and athletically. The timetable is to actively explore these options over the next 12-18 months.

One thing is for sure: Expansion definitely gives fans something to think about. Just when you thought the football season was winding down, it looks like the fun is just beginning.