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B1G reportedly looking at certain criteria for potential expansion
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Big news involving the future of college athletics broke on Monday morning, with Texas and Oklahoma issuing a joint statement to the Big 12 that it will leave the conference after 2025.
While that joint statement didn’t mention anything about joining the SEC, there have been serious conversations about that conference being the destination for the Longhorns and Sooners. It would force other leagues to start considering other schools to add in an effort to keep up, as well.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reported on Monday that the B1G is actually considering a specific criteria if it begins expansion conversations. The league is interesting in adding schools that belong to the AAU (Association of American Universities).
“Heard today from several people that B1G only would be interested in adding schools from the AAU (Nebraska no longer, but was when it joined the league),” Rittenberg wrote on Twitter. “Texas is AAU member, along with Pac-12 schools like Cal, Washington, Colorado, USC, UCLA, Oregon, Stanford. Oklahoma is not AAU.”
Heard today from several people that B1G only would be interested in adding schools from the AAU (Nebraska no longer, but was when it joined league). Texas is AAU member, along with Pac-12 schools like Cal, Washington, Colorado, USC, UCLA, Oregon, Stanford. Oklahoma is not AAU.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) July 26, 2021
There’s been no real indication of what schools the B1G might be interested in adding — or expanding at all. But with the SEC poaching two of the bigger brands in college athletics, it’s hard to think the conference would just sit by idly.
Get ready, because the realignment rumors and speculation will only heat up from here.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB