Big Ten Football: Top 5 expansion candidates for the conference

Missouri has always felt like an odd fit in the SEC. The Tigers left the Big 12 in 2012 to join what was then still the hegemonic college football conference in the country. They were immediately shoehorned into the East division in order not to disturb extant divisional rivalries. It was an odd situation for the school all around, even as they made the SEC Championship Game two years in a row.

From an academic standpoint, the University of Missouri matches up with the academic profile of other Big Ten members. Entry into the Big Ten would be far more prestigious from an academic standpoint, and the Tigers would not sacrifice any earning power by ditching the SEC.

Missouri would provide a contiguous series of television markets as well, helping the Big Ten lock down prime position in the St. Louis and Kansas City markets. Before its recent swoon, Missouri had grown into a solid college football program. Under Gary Pinkel, the Tigers competed for both Big 12 and SEC titles over the past decade.

It was never any secret that the invitation really coveted by Missouri was one not from the SEC but rather from the Big Ten. The Big Ten would gain an enthusiastic partner by including the Tigers in the mix, a key ingredient to any partnership.