Now that Big Ten football has added USC and UCLA to the mix, what other programs could they bring along to complete their mega-conference?
The Big Ten grabbed some real estate out west on Thursday with the surprise addition of USC and UCLA from the Pac-12.
The major realignment move was the B1G’s answer to the SEC picking up Texas and Oklahoma. It might not be their last move either.
Immediately after the USC and UCLA news broke, it became clear that other programs could also be in the running to join up. Which ones make the most sense?
Big Ten: Notre Dame and 3 more ideal new additions to join USC, UCLA
Notre Dame
Of all the no-brainers surrounding conference realignment, this is the biggest.
Notre Dame is a huge brand with national appeal. Adding the Irish would be an instant boost to media rights negotiations without any of the tricky geographical considerations around USC, UCLA and future west coast options.
The Irish and their stubborn clinging to independence is the big barrier here but eventually, they’ll have to get in on the mega-conference trend and the Big Ten makes the most sense by far.