Rutgers Football: 3 reasons Big Ten should part ways with Scarlet Knights
By John Scimeca
2. Think of potential new Big Ten members
Replacing Rutgers would addition by subtraction for the Big Ten, especially when considering who could contribute to the league from a competitive standpoint.
Want to give Nebraska and Minnesota a closer geographic rival in the Big Ten West, plus a team that is the best dynasty ever seen at the FCS level? Look no further than the North Dakota State Bison, who routinely beat FBS teams these days anyway. Of course, NDSU would first need to make the move to the FBS level.
Want to keep the New York area as a media market and add a national brand to your league? Want a more consistently competitive team? Try Army. Though it’s not a given that West Point would want a conference affiliation, the Black Knights would be an intriguing candidate.
Want a more competitive program that would bring in the Philadelphia media market and give Penn State an in-state rival? Try Temple.
Want an outside-the-box program that would give Maryland an instant neighboring rival? There’s always Liberty. The athletic funds are there, the school would jump immediately at the chance, and there’s a good chance that the football program will continue improving after its first two years competing at the FBS level.
The point is, the potential benefit of a new member in Rutgers’ place would be a positive for the Big Ten.