Just when you thought all the conference realignment and expansion would die down, we get another nugget from Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren that seems to leave the door wide open for further chaos. This after it was already thrown into the breeze with the news of adding USC and UCLA to the conference beginning in 2024.
Now, before we go there, quotes and comments don’t mean anything is impending or in-flight, but what it does mean is that the ideas are there and you can bet that the Big Ten offices are listening and observing when it comes to the changing landscape of college football.
So, what did Warren say that might have other conferences and teams with their head on a swivel? While appearing on HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” Warren was asked if he could see the Big Ten expanding further. It was a short answer, but a quick one that should give you some insight into where things stand in the future.
“You are at 16 teams now,” Gumbel stated. “Could you foresee 20 (teams)?”
“I could, yeah,” responded Warren. “I could see perpetual and future growth.”
Here is the exchange between Bryant Gumbel and Kevin Warren during the @RealSportsHBO interview. Full episode airs Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/NAWLvkAfTL
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 19, 2022
Now, remember, This is a number thrown out to Warren by Gumbel and not necessarily one that he came up with by himself. However, the way things are going with NIL, expanded playoffs, talks of the bigger schools breaking away from the NCAA, and the transfer rules becoming looser and looser, it only makes sense for the money to coalesce into bigger conferences. And if and when that happens, you can expect the Big Ten to be right at the front of initiating the change.
As you can see from the tweet from Ross Dellenger, there was more covered in the interview that shows you just where the state of the game is right now. The battle for supremacy with the almighty dollar looks like it might continue between the Big Ten and SEC down the road.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on Twitter.
Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.
