Penn State Football: How Texas A&M Could Change Big Ten

By all accounts it appears that Texas A&M is on the brink of joining the SEC. Doing so would be expected to cause another set of dominoes to fall in college athletics realignment.

In the past year, we witnessed the Big 12 lose two members: Nebraska to the Big Ten and Colorado to the Pac 12. The Mountain West lose BYU (independent) and Utah (Pac 12). Boise State is joining the Mountain West Conference this season and TCU is leaving for the Big East in 2012.

So when Texas A&M moves to the SEC, which seems to be more realistic by the day, what other changes will be expected and how will it affect Penn State and the Big Ten?

Here are 10 hypothetical scenarios for what could happen in the Big Ten and around the nation.

1. Big Ten Looks to Big East

If the SEC expands, the Big Ten would not sit long before deciding to open up the expansion process once again. In the event that the Big Ten looks to add more schools, it would make the most sense for the conference to look east, where the big television markets in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. are located.

The Big East should be alarmed and ready to fight to keep their current members, because some of the options that were discussed a year ago will again surface as potential candidates for the Big Ten.

Syracuse, Connecticut and Rutgers would help give the Big Ten more access to the eastern markets, and Pittsburgh could have a decent chance at being invited as well. It would be more likely for the Big Ten to invite a school from a state outside of the current footprint though, so Pittsburgh may not be a high priority under this circumstance.

Syracuse would be ideal because of the New York audience they are tied to. The football program has played Big Ten schools before, including Penn State, Iowa and Northwestern in recent years, and the addition of Syracuse basketball to the Big Ten would be a tremendous victory for the conference.

Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim once said he had hoped that the Big Ten would aim for a smaller expansion, leaving the Big East alone (see the article on Syracuse.com). How would he feel though if his conference was threatened again, and his program was a leading candidate to join the Big Ten?

2. Big Ten Looks to ACC

There are some reports flying around that if the SEC brings in Texas A&M, then the 14th school may come from the ACC. Virginia Tech and Clemson have been mentioned, so for this scenario we will send the Hokies to the SEC, giving the conference an entrance into the Commonwealth of Virginia.

If you remember, when Virginia Tech moved from the Big East to the ACC, the governor got involved and persuaded the University of Virginia to approve the Hokies joining their conference. If Virginia Tech bolts, then the Big Ten should make a move to invite Virginia, which fits into the academic mold of the conference.

Any future expansions, though, would likely need to be made in even numbers for any conference, including the Big Ten. So while the Big Ten is inviting Virginia, it would make sense to pick up another program from the area, which would help connect the boundary of the conference. Adding Maryland to the mix would do just that.

The combination of Maryland and Virginia may not seem like the sexiest of options, but it would secure an influence in the region just south of where Penn State is located. This would also lead to Penn State having a pair of eastern rivals and could be easily done by moving one Leaders Division member to the Legends Division.

Illinois would probably be the best option, in order to keep some balance of power in the divisions, but moving Illinois and Wisconsin could open up the door to adding Michigan and Michigan State to the Leaders Division. Then, a move of either Indiana or Purdue to the Legends Division would keep the numbers even.

Legends Division

• - Illinois
• - Indiana
• - Iowa
• - Minnesota
• - Nebraska
• - Northwestern
• - Wisconsin

Leaders Division

• - Maryland
• - Michigan
• - Michigan State
• - Ohio State
• - Penn State
• - Purdue
• - Virginia

3. Big Ten Invites Notre Dame

Notre Dame enjoys life as a football independent and the opportunity to have the rest of their programs in the Big East.

In the event that the Big East's football members pull away and form their own conference, with TCU in the mix, they would certainly hope that Notre Dame decides to join. Doing so would make sense for the Fighting Irish in order to keep their programs aligned with the likes of Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Syracuse, Connecticut and Rutgers.

It would be a better situation than being aligned with Seton Hall, Providence, St. John's and other non-FBS football members. For the sake of the conversation, we'll even add Villanova to the new football-member conference.

But if this happens, the Big Ten would be likely to make one more phone call to the offices in South Bend to see if they would prefer to join their conference. It may be a stretch, especially since there is no indication that Notre Dame would be interested in joining a conference in football, but the changing landscape of college football is quickly leaving the Irish behind.

Will any feelings change at Notre Dame as conferences become super-conferences?

4. Big Ten Looks to the Big 12

Colorado went to the Pac 12. Nebraska went to the Big Ten. Texas A&M appears to be heading to the SEC. With the Big 12 falling apart at the seams it would seem as though free agency on the remainders will open before you know it, and the Big Ten will surely be keeping an eye on the situation. They may also have some viable candidates to choose from.

Imagine seeing the classic Big 8 rivalry between Nebraska and Oklahoma being restored in the Big Ten. Maybe Missouri would finally get the invitation they've been dying to receive. Kansas may not have the football power, but it would be a tremendous basketball addition.

If the Big Ten avoids an eastward expansion, then it would make sense to look back at the Big 12 rubble. If Texas is out of the question, then Oklahoma would be the best acquisition—even if it means taking Oklahoma State as well.

5. Pac 12 Looks to Big 12

Oklahoma may be a hot commodity if every school in the Big 12 becomes available. If the Big Ten would have interest in the Sooners, so would the Pac 12.

Last year there was talk that the Pac 10 would expend to 16 teams by adding Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Colorado. The Western Conference could still be ready to strike in the event that Big 12 members are looking for a new home.

As referenced earlier, Oklahoma does not appear to be in the conversation as far as the SEC is concerned, so the likely suitors for the Sooners would be the Big Ten and Pac 12, as well as the Big 12 of course.

6. Big Ten Expands to 16 Teams

If super-conferences are about to emerge, then it would seem logical to expect the Big Ten would expand to 16 teams, with two eight-school divisions.

Taking some of what we have already mentioned, let's take a look at what a 16-team Big Ten conference would look like, with a couple of different scenarios, and how Penn State would fit in. Let's start with a total eastward expansion. Getting to 16 members would mean needing to invite four teams. For now, we'll play with the idea that the Big Ten raids the Big East.

Throw Connecticut, Syracuse, Rutgers and Pittsburgh in the Big Ten. Here is how the divisions would likely be split, keeping the Legends and Leaders titles.

Leaders Division

• - Connecticut
• - Indiana
• - Ohio State
• - Penn State
• - Pittsburgh
• - Purdue
• - Rutgers
• - Syracuse

Legends Division

• - Illinois
• - Iowa
• - Northwestern
• - Nebraska
• - Michigan
• - Michigan State
• - Minnesota
• - Wisconsin

Eight-team divisions would allow for seven division games. Natural rivalries and traditional rivalries could still be managed, although guaranteed cross-over matchups would be in jeopardy. Say good bye to an annual game against Nebraska, but say hello to a renewed Pitt rivalry.

7. Big Ten Expands, East and West

While an eastward expansion may make the most sense for the Big Ten, a split expansion, in both directions, certainly has its benefits. It could allow the conference to reach the New York market and pick up a power program like Oklahoma.

Here is a look at the Big Ten with the additions of four schools, two from the east and two from the west. We'll add Syracuse and Rutgers, along with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Leaders Division

• - Illinois
• - Indiana
• - Northwestern
• - Ohio State
• - Penn State
• - Purdue
• - Rutgers
• - Syracuse

Legends Division

• - Iowa
• - Michigan
• - Michigan State
• - Minnesota
• - Nebraska
• - Oklahoma
• - Oklahoma State
• - Wisconsin

8. Big Ten Expands Within Footprint

What would happen if the Big Ten decided to expand within their own existing footprint? Could it be done, even though the general idea is to expand the media markets? It could, especially if the Big East starts to be a target.

One simple solution would be to expand to 14 members, adding Notre Dame (Indiana) and Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), even though the conference has three members in those states (Indiana, Purdue, Penn State). Notre Dame brings a national audience, and Pittsburgh is one of the top programs out of the Big East. Here is a look at how the divisions could look under that scenario.

Leaders Division

• - Indiana
• - Notre Dame
• - Ohio State
• - Penn State
• - Pittsburgh
• - Purdue
• - Wisconsin

Legends Division

• - Illinois
• - Iowa
• - Northwestern
• - Nebraska
• - Michigan
• - Michigan State
• - Minnesota

Each member could play six division games and two or three cross-over games. The guaranteed crossovers could remain mostly in place, although Illinois moving to the Legends Division would need some slight attention. The conference could flirt with the idea of having two guaranteed crossovers, though that would make it a long wait for other schools to pop up on the rotating schedule, but it could be done.

9. Big Ten Expands to 18

Okay, let's get crazy for a couple of seconds and try to piece together a superpower Big Ten conference with 18 members. We'll split it into two nine-team divisions, allowing for eight division games and just one cross-over matchup (unless the idea of a 10-game conference schedule tickles anybody's fancy).

The 18-team super-conference in the Big Ten could expand east and west, as well as within the conference. The six new members we will throw into the pot will be Oklahoma, Missouri, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Rutgers.

And your divisions would look something like this:

Leaders

• - Michigan
• - Michigan State
• - Notre Dame
• - Ohio State
• - Penn State
• - Pittsburgh
• - Rutgers
• - Syracuse
• - Wisconsin

Legends

• - Illinois
• - Indiana
• - Iowa
• - Minnesota
• - Missouri
• - Nebraska
• - Northwestern
• - Oklahoma
• - Purdue

10. Big Ten Stands Pat

If everybody else decides to make a move, the Big Ten would be likely to initiate a chance as well, but the Big Ten seems to be content with the conference they have put together after adding Nebraska as a 12th member.

So maybe the Big Ten would be fine just letting craziness happen everywhere else when the time comes for Texas A&M to make their move to the SEC. Not having to split any more revenue with prospective members could end up being the best decision for all current members anyway.

In this case, of course, the current division alignment would remain unchanged, with Penn State playing in the Leaders Division along with Ohio State and Wisconsin and the guaranteed cross-over game coming with Nebraska. For Penn State, that is a fine situation.

These are just some hypothetical scenarios, of course, but feel free to comment on which plans you like the most and which plans you like the least. You are also encouraged to share your own expansion plans if you have any that are different. Who would you like to see the conference go after, if anyone?

Kevin McGuire is the national college football writer for Examiner.com. Follow his college football discussion on Google+ and Twitter. Become a fan of him on Facebook.