Big Ten Football: Top 5 expansion candidates for the conference

Who would Big Ten football target if another round of realignment transpired? Here are five attractive candidates for the top-tier conference.

The Big Ten has been one of the proactive power conferences when it comes to realignment. Back in the 1990s, the conference convinced Penn State to give up its independence to join the league. They snagged Nebraska away from the Big 12 to form two divisions. Then the Big Ten bolstered their eastern flank with the addition of Rutgers and Maryland.

Now sitting at 14 teams, the Big Ten could easily add two more schools in a new round of realignment to further strengthen its position among the top conferences in the country. After signing their newest television deals last winter, the conference leads the Power Five in terms of revenue per school. They could easily absorb two new members into the fold and renegotiate an even bigger deal in the process.

Many teams would clamor for the opportunity to join the oldest existing conference in all of college football. But the Big Ten has always been discriminating in its choice of members, and any new member would need to hit a certain academic profile. So who might the conference target if and when a new round of expansion heats up? Here are five prime candidates that would fit the Big Ten mold.