It's official- Maryland to the Big Ten

[crissfan172]

Here's a Washington Times story laying out Maryland's record against Big 10 teams in football and basketball. As you can see, Maryland has held its own in basketball, but mostly gotten their butts kicked in football. I see no reason for that scenario to change.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/d1scourse/2012/nov/20/marylands-history-with-big-ten-football-basketball/

I pretty much agree with this. Maryland is going to be anywhere from a middling to a top quartile team in basketball, and anywhere from a last place team to a middling team in football. So...pretty much where they are in the ACC, though there will probably be a few more teams ahead of them in basketball on average just because I don't see Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan State, Michigan, or Wisconsin weakening anytime soon.

[Baltoravensrule]

I pretty much agree with this. Maryland is going to be anywhere from a middling to a top quartile team in basketball, and anywhere from a last place team to a middling team in football. So...pretty much where they are in the ACC, though there will probably be a few more teams ahead of them in basketball on average just because I don't see Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan State, Michigan, or Wisconsin weakening anytime soon.

I firmly believe we are on the way up in basketball. I think we can easily compete with Michigan and Wisconsin on a yearly basis and that with Bino, Dalonte and Spinelli we are going to keep improving on the recruiting front which is obviously the key in college basketball today. If we can do that I see no reason why we can't also compete with Indiana, Mich State and Ohio State in the long run.

[crissfan172]

I firmly believe we are on the way up in basketball. I think we can easily compete with Michigan and Wisconsin on a yearly basis and that with Bino, Dalonte and Spinelli we are going to keep improving on the recruiting front which is obviously the key in college basketball today. If we can do that I see no reason why we can't also compete with Indiana, Mich State and Ohio State in the long run.

You're right. They should be able to recruit with Michigan and Wisconsin. Actually...they'll probably recruit better than Wisconsin on a regular basis. The only reason Wisconsin is good every year is because Ryan is so great at getting his players to buy into his system. Maryland is never going to be able to recruit on the same level as Indiana, Michigan State, and Ohio State, though. It doesn't mean they won't be able to play with them, though.

[Dr. FLK]

You're right. They should be able to recruit with Michigan and Wisconsin. Actually...they'll probably recruit better than Wisconsin on a regular basis. The only reason Wisconsin is good every year is because Ryan is so great at getting his players to buy into his system. Maryland is never going to be able to recruit on the same level as Indiana, Michigan State, and Ohio State, though. It doesn't mean they won't be able to play with them, though.

Why can't MD recruit with those schools? Since MD is finally getting tapped into the local AAU scene - which is huge talent - they should be able to recruit with anyone.

[glenn__davis]

Why can't MD recruit with those schools? Since MD is finally getting tapped into the local AAU scene - which is huge talent - they should be able to recruit with anyone.

Right. And Indiana has just recently returned to prominence, MSU is only MSU because of Izzo, and OSU will soon be hit with violations (OK, that last one's just speculation ).

In seriousness, not at all worried about MD bball in the Big 10. We'll do just fine there.

[Baltoravensrule]

Why can't MD recruit with those schools? Since MD is finally getting tapped into the local AAU scene - which is huge talent - they should be able to recruit with anyone.

My thoughts as well. It isn't like Ohio State has some historic basketball program. They have been hot for 5 years but I don't see them being a team that we can't compete with on the recruiting front now that we are unleashing on the recruiting goldmine we're sitting on. Bino and Dalonte should be able to keep us in the running with a ton of big time DMV prospects. If we can do that we can recruit with anyone since the DMV is probably the most talent rich area in the country.

Izzo will probably always have a strong program at MSU and Indiana seems to have reclaimed their historic allure but I think Maryland is taking a big step to becoming a stronger, more sustained program.

[srock]

On the face of it, I don't like this move by my alma mater.

However, I understand this is probably a move they have to make. The ACC signed a bad TV deal with ESPN instead of forming its own network. The price of this bad business move is the destruction of ACC football and with it, one of the storied basketball programs, a founding member, and the school that integrated a once divided conference.

But this move comes with lots of risk. The projections for TV money look great; but when Maryland leaves the ACC any tie to tradition and loyalty are completely off the table. This is free agency for sports programs. This is such a de-stabilizing move for all the NCAA there is no way to predict what college sports looks like in 2017 or beyond. The Big 10 could be a disaster in 3 years; the ACC could do something totally unexpected!

Imagine if the ACC realizes its football is totally done so they just bail on it. Tell the NCAA they can shove it and the ACC forms its own collegiate sports league just for basketball. Pay the athletes and pull as many decent programs as they can this side of the Mississipi. This leads the Big 10 basketball programs to bail, thus the Big 10 becomes a football only conference...and start paying the players. The SEC does the same, followed by the Pac 10.

I realize this is pretty out there, but I think the future of college sports it totally up in the air right now.

[srock]

It had to happen. The ACC I grew up with died a long time ago. No more home and homes throughout the conference killed the basketball rivalries.

The conference is getting lapped by the other large conferences too. The ACC has no national network. I won't have to watch a MD game on my computer anymore. Heck, even the press conference is going to be televised nationally on the Big 10 network.

This is a massive academic windfall as well. The Big 10 shares research and grant money with the conference members. That's 10's of millions of dollars more for the university annually.

Football is the moneymaker athletically and the ACC is about to become the Big East. Florida St. and Clemson are going to bolt out of there next and then the ACC is going to be in rough shape. MD had no real choice. They are going to be able to dig out of their financial hole very quickly now that they are in a super conference.

As much as I wish it was still the ACC of my youth, it's not even close. MD made the best choice for the university and it's future.

Maryland is actually more aligned academically with the Big 10 then the ACC. Higher percentage of big public research universities less elitist private country clubs like duke and wake.

I could argue Maryland is more valuable to the Big 10 from an academic perspective then they other way around. They add a major urban market in DC/Baltimore and access to federal research money via the FDA, DOD, and the local defense industry.

Illinios and Michigan are very similar to Maryland, Illinios may be the MOST similar institution to College Park in the country: Land grant ag schools that have transitioned to major engineering schools. They differ in demographics and urban surroundings, but academically these institutions share quite a bit.

[Dr. FLK]

What could be the most interesting thing in all of this...is who are the 2 teams that get the Big 10 up to 16 teams? The commissioner of the Big 10 is a UNC alum...so, could the Big 10 steal a few more teams away from the ACC?

[Slappy]

What could be the most interesting thing in all of this...is who are the 2 teams that get the Big 10 up to 16 teams? The commissioner of the Big 10 is a UNC alum...so, could the Big 10 steal a few more teams away from the ACC?

They grabbed probably the 2 biggest contiguous TV markets in their contiguous footprint.

Some schools that might make sense:

> Temple - gets them into Philadelphia. Decent football program, storied basketball program. Only problem is they are moving to Big East next year.

> Louisville - strong in both football and basketball. Louisville is a top 50 TV market, and when you add Cincinnati in you're looking top 30. Good geographic fit too. Big East is crumbling.

> K-State - great football and basketball programs. Doesn't offer much in the way of TV markets though. Good geographic fit. Further batters Big 12.

> Kansas - storied basketball program, national following, good geographic fit.

> Virginia Tech - further consolidates DC for them. HUGE VT following around DC. Historic football program.

> Virginia - see VT but without the great football

Syracuse and especially Pitt would have been great fits, as would (obviously) Notre Dame. But given their impending conference moves, probably not realistic at this point.

I don't see UNC going to the Big 10. They are not in a contiguous state and I think the other schools are better fits.

[hoosiers]

They grabbed probably the 2 biggest contiguous TV markets in their contiguous footprint.

Some schools that might make sense:

> Temple - gets them into Philadelphia. Decent football program, storied basketball program. Only problem is they are moving to Big East next year.

> Louisville - strong in both football and basketball. Louisville is a top 50 TV market, and when you add Cincinnati in you're looking top 30. Good geographic fit too. Big East is crumbling.

> K-State - great football and basketball programs. Doesn't offer much in the way of TV markets though. Good geographic fit. Further batters Big 12.

> Kansas - storied basketball program, national following, good geographic fit.

> Virginia Tech - further consolidates DC for them. HUGE VT following around DC. Historic football program.

> Virginia - see VT but without the great football

Syracuse and especially Pitt would have been great fits, as would (obviously) Notre Dame. But given their impending conference moves, probably not realistic at this point.

I don't see UNC going to the Big 10. They are not in a contiguous state and I think the other schools are better fits.

The B1G expansion is all about big schools with big alumni bases, TV markets and football with some solid academic credentials thrown in. I really don't think Temple, Kansas, KState are in the picture (if the conference had wanted to add a school like Missouri it would have happened already). I could see one of Virginia/VaTech being offered.

FWIW, I have seen recent rumors that the conference might not stop at 16 teams.

[hoosiers]

Why can't MD recruit with those schools? Since MD is finally getting tapped into the local AAU scene - which is huge talent - they should be able to recruit with anyone.

I am glad that you are excited about possible top recruiting classes at Maryland, and there is nothing I would like better than for Maryland to join the upper echelon of B1G basketball, but let's see the execution of top recruiting classes before comparing Maryland's recruiting with the best in the Big10 (Michigan, Indiana, OSU, Mich State) and, with an above average coach - Illinois.

[AgentOrange]

I am glad that you are excited about possible top recruiting classes at Maryland, and there is nothing I would like better than for Maryland to join the upper echelon of B1G basketball, but let's see the execution of top recruiting classes before comparing Maryland's recruiting with the best in the Big10 (Michigan, Indiana, OSU, Mich State) and, with an above average coach - Illinois.

We have been down for a couple years but we have been at the top before and not long ago. They can compete with the best in the conference and they will be a top 15 program by the time they play their first game in the big 10. Indiana just recently started seeing success, so I am not sure why you don't think UMD can't do the same. Turgeon is a top tier coach and they have some of the best local recruiters which will be enough to give them opportunity to win titles.

[Baltoravensrule]

We have been down for a couple years but we have been at the top before and not long ago. They can compete with the best in the conference and they will be a top 15 program by the time they play their first game in the big 10. Indiana just recently started seeing success, so I am not sure why you don't think UMD can't do the same. Turgeon is a top tier coach and they have some of the best local recruiters which will be enough to give them opportunity to win titles.

Indiana does have more history but I'm unsure as to why he thinks we couldn't easily compete with Michigan and Illinois in the recruiting game. Michigan has just upped its recruiting the past few years. Indiana and Michigan State have more allure so I understand the idea behind that.

[AgentOrange]

Indiana does have more history but I'm unsure as to why he thinks we couldn't easily compete with Michigan and Illinois in the recruiting game. Michigan has just upped its recruiting the past few years. Indiana and Michigan State have more allure so I understand the idea behind that.

True, but IU was down for a pretty long time. It happens. Just like MD was down for a while. Given the local hotbed of talent, it's silly to think they can't compete.