Big Ten Expansion: Ranking the 10 Best Candidates for Potential Big Ten Spots

We can stop and take a deep breath now that we know the Pac-12 conference will not be expanding.

At least for now.

Conference commissioner Larry Scott announced last night that the Pac-12 has no imminent plans to expand, which means the highly debated Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech western migration will not happen as planned.

It looks like the prophecies of a college football Armageddon have proved false yet again, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that this whole big expansion dance is done just yet.

Will the SEC add a 14th team?

Will the ACC expand to 16 teams?

Will the Big 12 and Big East crumble?

If the answer is yes to all of those questions, what will happen to the Big Ten?

Here’s a look at a few teams the Big Ten could target if the conference decides to expand.

1. Texas Longhorns

The first choice for the Big Ten would obviously be Texas, once of the main programs at the center of all of this college football realignment chatter.

Texas was rumored to be interested in both the ACC and the Big Ten if the Big 12 crumbled, but it would probably be easier for Texas to fit the Longhorn Network into the ACC.

If the Big 12 does fall, the Longhorns will have three options: independence, the Big Ten or the ACC.

The Longhorn Network will be a major factor in the decision.

2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Another team that is rumored to be looking into joining either the ACC or the Big Ten is Notre Dame.

While the Irish have always celebrated their independence, in these tumultuous times of expansion, the school should try its hardest to find a football home.

Geographically, the Big Ten is a perfect fit and the conference has the academic standards that would be right in line with Notre Dame.

Convincing the school to give up a big revenue-generating TV deal with NBC won’t be easy, though.

3. Missouri Tigers

Missouri is one of those under-the-radar schools that could end up being a valuable piece to this whole expansion puzzle.

Even though the conference denies sending a formal invitation, the SEC is said to be interested in Missouri’s services, and it’s easy to see why.

The Kansas City market is prime real estate that any major conference would love to cultivate.

Coach Gary Pinkel guided the Tigers to 40 victories between 2007 and 2010 and he has his program trending upward.

4. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers has been linked with Connecticut as one of the final two Big East teams that are ready to jump ship to the ACC, but in my opinion, Rutgers would be better off in the Big Ten.

Some feel that the Scarlet Knights have the potential to be a force in the northeast region; it’s just that they’ve been dragging their feet for decades.

Rutgers fits into the Big Ten formula in a lot of different ways and this would be a marriage that would work.

5. Kansas Jayhawks

Since Turner Gill has taken over in Lawrence, Kansas has been an utter disaster on the football field. However, the basketball program still remains one of the best in the country under Bill Self.

I know that people like to say this whole realignment thing is simply about football, but when you’ve got a basketball program of that caliber just floating out there, someone is going to take notice.

6. West Virginia Mountaineers

There’s no getting around the fact that West Virginia is far from an academic powerhouse, but when you look at the type of consistency that the football and basketball teams have had recently, it’s hard not to come away impressed.

West Virginia-Penn State could blossom into a showcase rivalry.

7. Cincinnati Bearcats

Ohio State wouldn’t be too happy about it, but bringing in Cincinnati might not be a bad move for the Big Ten.

The only problem?

The facilities aren't anything to write home about, but they're getting better.

Fans certainly won’t confuse 35,000-seat Nippert Stadium with the Big House.

8. Louisville Cardinals

For a short time, Louisville was the dominant team in the Big East during the Bobby Petrino days.

Then the Cardinals fell into a black hole under Steve Kragthorpe, and now Charlie Strong has the team in recovery mode.

Geographically, Louisville is a decent fit for the Big Ten and they’ve got the facilities and resources to compete for the long haul.

Although their name doesn’t hold the same type of national cache as a Notre Dame or a Texas, Louisville would fit in well with the current conference structure.

9. Kansas State Wildcats

The only way it looks like Kansas State will get an invitation from another major conference besides the Big East is if the Wildcats piggy back off their sister school Kansas.

10. Mystery Team?

Maybe there’s a mystery team the Big Ten has its eye on.

We'll see.