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Minnesota Gophers might sink in Bigger Ten
Nebraska's arrival, new divisional setup, could hurt Gophers
By Marcus R. Fuller
Glen Mason couldn't win a Big Ten title at the University of Minnesota. And he believes it will be even harder to achieve for the Gophers with the expected expansion of the Big Ten.
The University of Nebraska's board of regents reportedly will announce today they have accepted an invitation to join the conference. That won't help the Gophers' efforts to end the Big Ten's longest football title drought.
The Gophers haven't won a Big Ten title since sharing a championship with Indiana and Purdue in 1967. The last time Minnesota went to the Rose Bowl was after the 1961 season. And it hasn't beaten Nebraska since 1960, having gone 0-14 against the 'Huskers since.
"It sure doesn't help your chances," Mason said about expansion hurting the Gophers' hopes of winning a title under coach Tim Brewster.
Brewster declined to comment specifically about Nebraska, but he disagrees with the idea that expansion would have a negative impact.
"Overall, I think (Big Ten Commissioner) Jim Delany has the best interests of everybody at heart," he said. "And what Jim and the (university) presidents do in this conference I'm sure will make everybody's situation better. It's certainly not going to hurt anybody's situation. There's no guarantee that it's going to happen."
Gophers athletics director Joel Maturi said he didn't want to speculate on the Nebraska situation and wouldn't comment "until any announcements." ESPN.com reported Thursday that a source with knowledge of the situation said Nebraska would join the Big Ten by the end of the week or early next week.
But what's good for the Big Ten potentially could be bad for Gophers football.
The Big Ten is expected to split into two divisions, with a conference championship game added in December. Nebraska likely would be in the same division with Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Northwestern and Illinois. That means the Gophers, who have a 6-18 conference record in three seasons under Brewster, could be considered the worst team in a Big Ten West. They are 2-8 under Brewster against their potential division opponents.
The Big Ten East could include Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana and Purdue. Minnesota is 4-8 against those teams in the past three seasons. But the Gophers, who play eight conference games, likely would play only three teams from the East and five teams from the West in a 12-team league schedule.
Brewster wouldn't say whether he favored the Big Ten expanding with Nebraska. He also had no comment on what influence the 'Huskers potentially would have on the conference landscape.
"I think everybody understands the situation," he said. "I'm for what Delany and those guys decide to do."
It makes sense for the Big Ten to expand because Nebraska is among the five most successful college football programs in history (Ohio State and Michigan are also in that group). The 'Huskers might not be as dominant as they were in the 1970s, '80s and '90s when they were ranked No. 1 and winning national titles. In 1983, for example, they demolished the Gophers 84-13, the worst loss in school history.
But they still have a big name that would boost the Big Ten's football image. They wouldn't begin play in a new conference until 2011-12, but the 'Huskers could earn about $20 million a year in revenue from television rights.
Last season's 13-12 loss to Texas in the Big 12 title game proved that Nebraska probably would slide immediately into the Big Ten's top tier, which includes Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa and Penn State.
"Obviously, there has been a lot of speculation to this point, but once the movement starts taking place, when you look at the storied Nebraska program, it's been down for a few years. But it's on its way back," said Mason, a former Kansas coach who is a football analyst on the Big Ten Network.
Former Wisconsin athletics director Pat Richter said Nebraska joining the Big Ten possibly would be a challenge but that it could force Minnesota's program to grow.
"It raises the bar," he said. "It gives everybody incentives to be more respectable. I don't know necessarily if the rest of us needed to have Nebraska in the Big Ten when you have Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and everybody else. But from a geographic standpoint, it kind of puts Minnesota right in the middle of things.
"It's a big deal. Just like Penn State was a big deal years ago when it joined the Big Ten (in 1990). It wasn't as known widely as this situation. This has gotten a lot of publicity and attention, whereas when Penn State came in, it was quiet, hush, hush. I think people are probably more accepting of this, because it's the landscape of college sports today."
Brewster has strong ties to the Big 12 as a former Texas assistant under coach Mack Brown. His youngest son, Nolan, also plays for the Longhorns. But Brewster said he wasn't concerned that Nebraska was contributing to the dismantling of the Big 12. It was announced Thursday that Colorado joined the Pac-10. Texas, Texas AM, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State could soon follow.
"It's the way the college landscape is moving," Brewster said. "Change is sometimes a very positive thing in life. I think everybody hopes that if there's change in conference alignments across the country that it will be a positive thing."
If one thing could remain, though, it would be Minnesota's biggest rivalry games with Wisconsin and Iowa, Brewster said.
"Obviously, there's been a long-standing history with those rivalry games," he said. "Those are very important to not only us but to the conference itself."
NEW BIG TEN
A projection of what an expanded Big Ten Conference would look like in football:
BIG TEN WEST
Minnesota: Hasn't won a share of Big Ten title since 1967 and 0-14 against Nebraska since 1960.
Wisconsin: Among the top three teams in division. Could start rivalry with Nebraska.
Iowa: A down year for the Hawks could open door for future rival Nebraska to compete for a title.
Nebraska: Potential rivalry games with Iowa and Wisconsin would determine division race.
Northwestern: Fourth-best team in division, but move to top of the Big Ten becomes difficult.
Illinois: Beating Minnesota would keep the Illini out of the West division basement.
BIG TEN EAST
Ohio State: Playing Nebraska in first year of expansion would be huge draw, but raw deal for Buckeyes.
Michigan: Regaining prestige would be tougher with Ohio State and Penn State in the same division.
Michigan State: The Spartans probably would compete with Purdue to be the division's third-best team.
Penn State: Only true Eastern team, but traveling wouldn't be as much of a burden.
Purdue: Divisional opponents aren't going to want to face this rising program every season.
Indiana: Minnesota is likely the worst in the West. The Hoosiers easily get that distinction in the East.
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_15274184
Go Gophers!!
Nebraska's arrival, new divisional setup, could hurt Gophers
By Marcus R. Fuller
Glen Mason couldn't win a Big Ten title at the University of Minnesota. And he believes it will be even harder to achieve for the Gophers with the expected expansion of the Big Ten.
The University of Nebraska's board of regents reportedly will announce today they have accepted an invitation to join the conference. That won't help the Gophers' efforts to end the Big Ten's longest football title drought.
The Gophers haven't won a Big Ten title since sharing a championship with Indiana and Purdue in 1967. The last time Minnesota went to the Rose Bowl was after the 1961 season. And it hasn't beaten Nebraska since 1960, having gone 0-14 against the 'Huskers since.
"It sure doesn't help your chances," Mason said about expansion hurting the Gophers' hopes of winning a title under coach Tim Brewster.
Brewster declined to comment specifically about Nebraska, but he disagrees with the idea that expansion would have a negative impact.
"Overall, I think (Big Ten Commissioner) Jim Delany has the best interests of everybody at heart," he said. "And what Jim and the (university) presidents do in this conference I'm sure will make everybody's situation better. It's certainly not going to hurt anybody's situation. There's no guarantee that it's going to happen."
Gophers athletics director Joel Maturi said he didn't want to speculate on the Nebraska situation and wouldn't comment "until any announcements." ESPN.com reported Thursday that a source with knowledge of the situation said Nebraska would join the Big Ten by the end of the week or early next week.
But what's good for the Big Ten potentially could be bad for Gophers football.
The Big Ten is expected to split into two divisions, with a conference championship game added in December. Nebraska likely would be in the same division with Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Northwestern and Illinois. That means the Gophers, who have a 6-18 conference record in three seasons under Brewster, could be considered the worst team in a Big Ten West. They are 2-8 under Brewster against their potential division opponents.
The Big Ten East could include Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana and Purdue. Minnesota is 4-8 against those teams in the past three seasons. But the Gophers, who play eight conference games, likely would play only three teams from the East and five teams from the West in a 12-team league schedule.
Brewster wouldn't say whether he favored the Big Ten expanding with Nebraska. He also had no comment on what influence the 'Huskers potentially would have on the conference landscape.
"I think everybody understands the situation," he said. "I'm for what Delany and those guys decide to do."
It makes sense for the Big Ten to expand because Nebraska is among the five most successful college football programs in history (Ohio State and Michigan are also in that group). The 'Huskers might not be as dominant as they were in the 1970s, '80s and '90s when they were ranked No. 1 and winning national titles. In 1983, for example, they demolished the Gophers 84-13, the worst loss in school history.
But they still have a big name that would boost the Big Ten's football image. They wouldn't begin play in a new conference until 2011-12, but the 'Huskers could earn about $20 million a year in revenue from television rights.
Last season's 13-12 loss to Texas in the Big 12 title game proved that Nebraska probably would slide immediately into the Big Ten's top tier, which includes Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa and Penn State.
"Obviously, there has been a lot of speculation to this point, but once the movement starts taking place, when you look at the storied Nebraska program, it's been down for a few years. But it's on its way back," said Mason, a former Kansas coach who is a football analyst on the Big Ten Network.
Former Wisconsin athletics director Pat Richter said Nebraska joining the Big Ten possibly would be a challenge but that it could force Minnesota's program to grow.
"It raises the bar," he said. "It gives everybody incentives to be more respectable. I don't know necessarily if the rest of us needed to have Nebraska in the Big Ten when you have Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and everybody else. But from a geographic standpoint, it kind of puts Minnesota right in the middle of things.
"It's a big deal. Just like Penn State was a big deal years ago when it joined the Big Ten (in 1990). It wasn't as known widely as this situation. This has gotten a lot of publicity and attention, whereas when Penn State came in, it was quiet, hush, hush. I think people are probably more accepting of this, because it's the landscape of college sports today."
Brewster has strong ties to the Big 12 as a former Texas assistant under coach Mack Brown. His youngest son, Nolan, also plays for the Longhorns. But Brewster said he wasn't concerned that Nebraska was contributing to the dismantling of the Big 12. It was announced Thursday that Colorado joined the Pac-10. Texas, Texas AM, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State could soon follow.
"It's the way the college landscape is moving," Brewster said. "Change is sometimes a very positive thing in life. I think everybody hopes that if there's change in conference alignments across the country that it will be a positive thing."
If one thing could remain, though, it would be Minnesota's biggest rivalry games with Wisconsin and Iowa, Brewster said.
"Obviously, there's been a long-standing history with those rivalry games," he said. "Those are very important to not only us but to the conference itself."
NEW BIG TEN
A projection of what an expanded Big Ten Conference would look like in football:
BIG TEN WEST
Minnesota: Hasn't won a share of Big Ten title since 1967 and 0-14 against Nebraska since 1960.
Wisconsin: Among the top three teams in division. Could start rivalry with Nebraska.
Iowa: A down year for the Hawks could open door for future rival Nebraska to compete for a title.
Nebraska: Potential rivalry games with Iowa and Wisconsin would determine division race.
Northwestern: Fourth-best team in division, but move to top of the Big Ten becomes difficult.
Illinois: Beating Minnesota would keep the Illini out of the West division basement.
BIG TEN EAST
Ohio State: Playing Nebraska in first year of expansion would be huge draw, but raw deal for Buckeyes.
Michigan: Regaining prestige would be tougher with Ohio State and Penn State in the same division.
Michigan State: The Spartans probably would compete with Purdue to be the division's third-best team.
Penn State: Only true Eastern team, but traveling wouldn't be as much of a burden.
Purdue: Divisional opponents aren't going to want to face this rising program every season.
Indiana: Minnesota is likely the worst in the West. The Hoosiers easily get that distinction in the East.
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_15274184
Go Gophers!!
