The Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference is commenting on the constant speculation that his league is expanding even further. The league's top executive Tony Petitti said the Big Ten is trying to stay focused for now on doing what is right for their 18 current members. The league is adding UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington for competition this coming season.
“We're focused on 18. We had to do a lot of work (to add 4 schools). We're really comfortable where we are. We have to get this conference right. That's where our focus is,” league commissioner Petitti said, per Action Network.
The comments come at Big Ten media days for football on Tuesday. Recent speculation is that Florida State and Clemson could leave the ACC for the Big Ten, but no announcement has been made to that effect. There are rumors flying everywhere online about secret meetings and other things that fuel talk radio and podcasts about college sports. The SEC and Big 12 are reported to also have been in conversation with those two schools. Again, nothing substantial has been announced about further expansion from any conference as of time of writing.
The addition of the four newest schools is causing some excitement at Big Ten media days in Indianapolis. The Oregon Ducks used a special marketing tool to celebrate their first media day experience.
The Big Ten is loaded in football this coming season
The Big Ten Conference is considered one of the two most powerful college conferences in America, with the SEC. The last College Football Playoff champion, Michigan, is a member of the Big Ten. The league shocked the college football landscape when it announced recently that the four new schools were coming to the league.
USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington are all solid football schools historically. They have also had success in basketball in recent years. Washington was in the CFP final last year against Michigan in football. UCLA has more national championships than anyone else in college hoops. The additions of the new schools was seen as a positive, although the Big Ten's footprint now stretches the entire country from New Jersey to California. Teams will have to travel very far for road games.
The additions of USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington were also seen as the beginning of the end for the Pac-12 Conference. After those four schools announced they were leaving, the Pac-12 failed to keep almost all of its other members from doing the same. If Florida State and Clemson leave the ACC, that will likely play a similar role in possibly dissolving that league. For now, fans can only debate as the speculation train rages on.
Big Ten media days continues through Thursday. Ohio State football was picked to win the conference this year, in a preseason media poll.
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