10 Potential Trophy Games in an Expanded Big Ten

Colorado has left the Big XII for the Pac-10. Nebraska has left the Big XII for the Big Ten.

The sky has not fallen yet. As of now, the college football world as we know it is still in tact. There have just been a few minor alterations. Theoretically, the Big XII can rebound from this.

However, there have been rumors of superconferences on the horizon. There is talk of the Big Ten grabbing another Big XII team or two, as well as a few Big East teams.

There have been rumors that the Pac-10 will swallow up the majority of the Big XII South en masse.

Will any of this truly come to pass? I certainly have no idea.

However, the following teams all regularly come up when Big Ten expansion talk occurs: Rutgers, Syracuse, Pitt, Missouri, Texas, Notre Dame.

Will any one of them wind up joining the Big Ten? Will any four of them wind up joining the Big Ten?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Either way, if any of them do join the Big Ten there are sure to be rivalry games and trophy games as that is what college football is all about.

The following is a list of potential rivalry games that could occur in the event of further Big Ten expansion.

Rutgers vs. Nebraska

Iowa vs. Missouri

Wisconsin vs. Nebraska

Syracuse vs. Minnesota

Rutgers vs. Syracuse

Iowa vs. Nebraska vs. Illinois

Penn State vs. Pitt

AKA PSU Finally Gets to Play A Genuine Big Ten Rivalry

Possible Trophy: Just use the Minnesota/Penn State Victory Bell. Who would know the difference?

In 1993, just three years after Penn State joined the Big Ten, they began "rivalries" with both Michigan State and Minnesota. Those "rivalries" even came with trophies.

When the Nittany Lions play the Golden Gophers they play for the Governor's Victory Bell. When they play the Spartans they play for the Land Grant Trophy.

Furthermore, the MSU game is a preserved "rivalry." It is always played at the end of each team's Big Ten season, a la the OSU-Michigan game.

I suspect not every reader knew about these "rivalries."

Why would they? They are contrived and haven't really developed into the competitions the Big Ten was hoping they would.

Well, if Pitt joins the conference, then Penn State would have a real rivalry that wouldn't need any prodding from Big Ten offices.

Certainly, when PSU joined the Big Ten and effectively ended the rivalry it wasn't as competitive as it once was. Over the final 31 years of the game, Penn State's record against Pitt was 23-7-1. However, the all-time record is much closer with the Nits holding a slight advantage at 50-42-4.

Despite its recent success, Pitt is not the juggernaut it once was, and the support for Pitt from alumni, students, and fans is nothing compared to PSU.

Still, Pitt-Penn State is much more genuine and inherently interesting than that contentious "rivalry" between Penn State and Minnesota.

Texas vs. Notre Dame

Indiana vs. Syracuse

Purdue vs. Rutgers