The Big Ten made major news due to its restructuring of the conference. It was announced that USC and UCLA will leave the Pac-12 and be joining the Big Ten in 2024, which has been controversial among college football fans. One of the concerns is that the new conference alignment is much less geographically intact. It seems most figures in college football have differing opinions on the changes. Nebraska head coach Scott Frost gave his thoughts on why the travel concerns are largely overblown.
The answer was likely somewhat tongue in cheek but Frost brings up a valid point. The improved funding and technology to travel have made life much easier for teams to get to and from their destinations. It also is worth noting that this is not as large of an issue for Nebraska as they are essentially in the middle of the country. The travel is much more taxing for teams like Penn State or Maryland who would have to take a full cross-country flight.
While it may be more miles to travel, the ultimate goal of the growth of the Big Ten is for improved play on the field (and the money that comes with it). Sacrificing a little more time for travel is a small price to pay for the long-term benefits. It is nice to see an opposing coach seems to have an open-minded view on the Big Ten changes. There are sure to be more storylines to follow and clarity about the future of the Big Ten, but it is clear Scott Frost does not believe travel should be a cause for concern.