ABC/ESPN broadcaster Brent Musburger is in Los Angeles, getting ready to call Thursday night’s BCS National Championship Game. We had a chance to talk about several topics, including the proposed Big Ten expansion:
The Big Ten is looking at the possibility of expanding sometime in the next 12 to 16 months. Should they?
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Musburger » I love the Big Ten and I graduated from Northwestern. I think they should expand and the only logical choice is Notre Dame. The Irish should have joined back in 1999 when they had the chance but they decided to continue to go their own way in football. Right now, I really think that Notre Dame would benefit from being in the Big Ten and they already have natural rivalries with Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue.
The names that keep coming up when you talk expansion are Pitt, Cincinnati, Rutgers and Missouri.
Musburger » True, but if any of those team were to join the Big Ten they would be at the expense of the Big East or the Big 12. That is why I think that Notre Dame makes the most sense. Yes, they are members of the Big East in every sport except for football, but since football is king in South Bend, moving to the Big Ten would have a great deal less effect on the Big East than would Pitt, Cincy or Rutgers, all of whom have dominate football programs in the conference.
So you think the Big Ten should expand to 12 teams?
Musburger » Without question. To compete with the SEC, ACC and Big 12 they need to play meaningful games in December. A Big Ten championship game would be great, say in the new dome in Indianapolis, or at Soldier Field in Chicago. Clearly, it is time for the Big Ten to make that leap and I think that Notre Dame should be right there with them.
What about the BCS national title game?
Musburger » Alabama has been the dominate force in college football this season. There is no doubt about that. But Texas feels that they are being disrespected by most of the national media and they have great talent on both sides of the ball. Nick Saban is likely going to use the same gameplan that he did against Florida, and that is have his defense do everything they can to disrupt Colt McCoy. There will be things that McCoy has never seen thrown at him. But the Texas QB seems to have been able to overcome every big test thrown at him thus far. I think we will see a great title game with Alabama winning a close game against Texas.
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this! on washingtonexaminer.com.
