My rankings for Big Ten expansion

I'm in the "believe it when I see it" category.

I really thought it was going to happen the last time with Notre Dame, in the late '90s. It felt right. The Big Ten would get the Notre Dame TV audience; Notre Dame would get a 11 other teams to play in tennis. Alas, Notre Dame stuck to independence.

Makes sense, for Notre Dame. It has its own national TV contract with NBC. That's a mighty big bat to be swinging. It was a swing and a miss for the Big Ten.

The Big Ten has moved on. It'd be a monumental upset if Notre Dame ended up Big Ten. We're talking Iowa basketball over North Carolina.

University of Wisconsin athletics director Barry Alvarez opened the door last week when he mentioned in a meeting at the UW that the Big Ten planned to focus its search for the Big Ten's 12th member.

Reasons for No. 12 include two divisions and a title game and visibility.

Divisions would cut down on travel costs, something that perks up the ears of any athletics director these days. A title game could bring in as much as $5 million, according to this Chicago Tribune story.

While the Southeastern Conference, the Big 12 and the ACC played national TV -- and financially lucrative conference title games on the first weekend in December -- Big Ten teams generally are finished playing in November. Against last weekend's Big 12 title game, the Big Ten countered with Wisconsin at Hawaii and Fresno State at Illinois.

“We're irrelevant for the last three weeks of the football season because we're not playing,” Alvarez told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

That's a biting statement and most likely the impetus behind this latest wave.

1) Pitt

Football -- The Panthers have won national titles, but the last one came in 1976. The Panthers have been a competitive team in the Big East. They beat Iowa just last season, 21-20, at Heinz Field. Realistically, Pitt wouldn't threaten the bluebloods on an annual basis, but it could be Iowa-like.

Basketball -- Ben Howland built it, but Jamie Dixon has maintained Pitt as one of the best hoops programs in the country. Pitt hoops would be a huge plus for Big Ten basketball.

Academics -- Pitt ranks 56th on the U.S. News & World Report's list of best colleges for 2010. Purdue, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan State and Iowa are ranked lower.

Association of American Universities -- Yes. (The Big Ten supposedly won't admit a school that's not included on this list of 62.)

Could it happen? -- I think yes. Revenues in the Big Ten rout Big East football revenue. Nortwestern brought in $41 million in 2007-08. That was last in the Big Ten. Pitt made $39 million. Would Pitt bring enough for the Big Ten? Maybe I'm basing too much on academics with Pitt.

2) Missouri

Football -- Gary Pinkel is one of the few coaches in recent years who's made the jump from a mid-conference (Toledo in the MAC) to a BCS conference with success. Missouri made a serious run at the national title game last season and, in what was considered a rebuild this year, is 8-4 this season. It's a program on the upswing.

Basketball -- Missouri would fit nicely in the Big Ten. It's a consistently decent to good and sometimes excellent program. "The Antlers" would be an interesting addition. I'd want to party with those guys, just not as late as a certain former ISU basketball coach.

Academics -- Missouri is ranked No. 102 on the U.S. News list. Iowa, Michigan State and Indiana are the Big Ten's lowest-ranked schools all at No. 71.

AAU -- Yes.

Could it happen? -- I think heck yes. Missouri would jump at an opportunity to get out from under Texas and into a conference with some sort of revenue sharing. I think Missouri would make the move and that's got to be a factor in this.

3) Rutgers

Football -- Yes, Greg Schiano has built an excellent program. But it's an excellent program in the Big East. Rutgers doesn't have to stand up to Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa and Wisconsin (notice, no Michigan). Historically, this is not a good program. It's an all-time .500. But a stadium expansion and a fat TV market might overcome.

Basketball -- Rutgers plays its home games in Louis Brown Athletic Center, which seats 8,000. It hasn't been to the NCAA tournament since 1991 and only six times in its history.

Academics -- Rutgers is 66th on the U.S. News list, comfortably in the Big Ten's range.

AAU -- Yes.

Could it happen? -- Rutgers would have to consider it, for sports and academics. I can see why the Big Ten would want Rutgers. It'd bring a taste of New York. Would Rutgers want to make the move? The Big East is a fun football conference, but the Big Ten would be a giant step up.

4) Nebraska

Football -- Nebraska is a traditionally elite football program, but that tradition has faded. The Big Ten is lacking in coaches with -- what's the word? -- an edge to their personality. Bo Pelini would fill that bleeping void and then some. He guided the Huskers to a 9-4 record this season. Built-in rivalry with Iowa, but maybe too far west.

Basketball -- Nothing to see here.

Academics -- Nebraska is 96th on the U.S. News list, slightly below the Big Ten's lowest.

AAU -- Yes.

Could it happen? -- Probably not. A move like this would be bucking a ton of Big Eight/Big 12 tradition at Nebraska. The TV bump for the Big Ten would be negligible. Pelini isn't very far from owning the Big 12 North and securing a shot at national relevance every season. A move to the Big Ten would unplug that.

5) Maryland

Football -- The Terps are a middling Atlantic Coast Conference program. They have a BCS appearance in the last 10 years, but finished just 2-10 this season. On football alone, this is not a good fit.

Basketball -- The Big Ten might be a step down for Maryland hoops. Maryland is a basketball school in a basketball conference. The Big Ten will never be considered a basketball conference.

Academics -- Maryland is 53rd on the U.S. News & World Report's 2010 list of colleges. That's about the middle of the Big Ten.

Could it happen? -- Probably not. My guess is that basketball would squelch any movement. The Washington D.C. market would be a good get for the Big Ten, but Maryland plays Duke in basketball and won't let that go.

6) Syracuse

Football -- It's a historical gem, but lately it's been a blank. Coach Doug Marrone finished 4-8 in his first season. He seems like a good fit, but who knows.

Basketball -- Jim Boeheim has built an excellent national basketball program, with an NCAA title in 2003 and two runners-up finishes. Syracuse basketball helped make the Big East what it is today. The Big Ten would be lucky to have the 'Cuse in hoops.

Academics -- Syracuse is 58th on U.S. News, which is comparable to other Big Ten ranks.

AAU -- Yes.

Could it happen? -- No. Syracuse football has a better chance to rebuild in the Big East than it does in the Big Ten. Boeheim has got to be the king out there. Would he welcome a major change to his program? No, he wouldn't. Financially, though, it's a fit. Syracuse is a smaller (19,366) private school, but academics wouldn't be a problem.