Texas or Nebraska: Which Makes More Sense for the Big Ten?

It appears there are two new front-runners in the Big Ten expansion talk.

A report last week from the Lawrence Journal-World in Kansas suggests that the Big Ten is in preliminary talks with the Texas Longhorns about expansion possibilities.

Shortly after that, Nebraska Athletics Director Tom Osborne suggested the Cornhuskers might be open to such discussions, as well. 

"We haven’t entered into any formal talks with anybody right now. We’re focusing on the Big 12. But I don’t think that means if somebody wanted to pick up the phone and call us, that we’d hang up on them. You listen," he said. 

Talk of adding Nebraska or Texas has sports writers and bloggers whispering of a major "seismic shift" on the horizon in college football. Either team leaving the Big 12 could lead to a domino effect.

A Big Ten expansion involving either of these two teams might spark the Pac-10 to ramp up expansion efforts, or set in motion a massive restructuring among other conferences.

It is merely speculation at this point on whether or not the Big Ten is even interested in Nebraska or Texas. Regardless of what any writer writes, or blogger blogs, or tweeter tweets, it is up to Big Ten officials to decide which team would be the best option for the conference.

They have to consider a wide variety of criteria in doing so, too.  Revenue potential, academic standing, overall athletic department health, community culture, history and tradition, all are important aspects to consider when trying to find the right fit for the conference.

So, taking all this into consideration, which team makes more sense for the Big Ten: Texas or Nebraska?

Consider first the "other" sports, the non-football sports. Both schools have great athletic departments and no shortage of competitive programs. Texas would offer a great competitor in men's and women's basketball, and Nebraska would be a great addition to the Big Ten's wrestling atmosphere.

On the academic front, Texas stands out as the better fit for the conference. Five Big Ten schools are ahead of or tied with Texas in terms of academic ranking, and all Big Ten members belong to the Association of American Universities, a consortium of the nation's 62 leading research institutions.

"It's significant that we have institutions that meet the academic standing and reputation of institutions now in the Big Ten," stated the president of Ohio State, E. Gordon Gee, in a recent interview with the New York Times. "I don’t want to coin a phrase here, but we are sort of the public equivalent of the Ivy League in our quality."

The Longhorns bring a ton of reputable research capabilities to the table, which would meet the Big Ten's requirements in the academic realm.

On the economic front, Texas might also be the better fit. Brand-wise, the teams are neck and neck. The burnt orange Hook 'em Horns is one of the most unique and distinguishable brands in college football. The same can be said of the scarlet and cream of the Cornhuskers.

But the television market for Texas greatly exceeds that of Nebraska, and its entire population seems to treat football like a religion. Adding the Texas market to the Big Ten Network would increase profitability almost exponentially.

Texas has to like this idea, too. The Big 12 divides its television revenue unequally based on television appearances. The Big Ten, on the other hand, divides revenue evenly among all schools regardless of success. 

In an uncertain economy, taking the steady income makes more sense, especially when the potential income is much higher.

The Big Ten also features more games on ESPN and ABC, something Texas also has to like as it means increased brand exposure.

On the historic front, Nebraska falls more into line with the Big Ten. Nebraska is one of the most storied programs in college football, and would bring with them five national championships. Their tradition, their stadium and their style of football are all perfect fits for the Big Ten conference. 

Nebraska fans love ground and pound football, and appreciate defense. That's the Big Ten in a nutshell.

The Cornhuskers also make more sense on the geographic front. Located in the Midwest, Nebraska is situated closer to several Big Ten schools, making the university much more accessible to teams and their traveling fan-bases. It is a car or bus ride, as opposed to a plane ride.

Both teams would bring their own unique assets to the conference. History and geography might not outweigh business and academics, but it's all about finding the right mix of criteria.

Logically speaking, the Big Ten wants Texas more than Nebraska, but if the Big Ten wants the best all-around fit for the conference, Nebraska might be the best bet.