Since announcing the addition of USC and UCLA back in June, it seems like the Big Ten’s expansion efforts have slowed down a little bit in recent weeks. But apparently, the conference is still looking to add several new members, after all.
During a yet-to-be aired interview with HBO, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren reportedly revealed that he envisions the conference seeing “perpetual growth,” even reaching 20 teams.
Here is the exchange between Bryant Gumbel and Kevin Warren during the @RealSportsHBO interview. Full episode airs Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/NAWLvkAfTL
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 19, 2022
“I think during that period there’s going to be a lot of disruption,” Warren said of the current period of conference realignment. “And that’s okay. We need to embrace it if we want to make sure that we continually build college athletics in a position where it’s here 100 or 200 years from now.”
When asked if he could see the Big Ten growing to 20 teams in the future, Warren had a simple response.
“I could. Yeah,” Warren said. “I could see perpetual and future growth.”
Naturally, Warren’s surprising comments caught the attention of the college football world, who offered their thoughts on Twitter.
Pac 12 out here like… https://t.co/OZJ3aGzXDx pic.twitter.com/18Nm1jgWwG
— Ari Temkin (@arisports) August 19, 2022
Until there is a concrete timeline, it means nothing. Just nice headlines and fluff for now. https://t.co/YdkYlk3aap
— Katie Stats (@kpondiscio) August 19, 2022
I predict 20 in the @B1Gfootball , 20 in the @SEC that play "pro" college football. That leaves 91 FBS schools playing "junior varsity" college football. Sad. And amateur sports continue to erode. High schoolers in Texas & Georgia will have their hands out next. https://t.co/ku0vBpXccA
— Ben Hartsock (@BenHartsock) August 19, 2022
It's amazing to think that Kevin Warren was ridiculed for his handling of the Big Ten during the pandemic, but now finds himself at the forefront of major change in college athletics. https://t.co/sfkwKaP6e4
— Matt Murschel (@osmattmurschel) August 19, 2022
https://t.co/afaXm36hiY pic.twitter.com/PUk4yCQ5bF
— Andrew Hammond (@ahammALDC) August 19, 2022
Big Tenx2 https://t.co/pYuE1GV7kb
— Joey Kaufman (@joeyrkaufman) August 19, 2022
If the Big Ten is going to reach 20 teams, that would mean that the conference is looking to add four more teams with USC and UCLA bringing the Big Ten’s total to 16 teams. The conference continues to pursue Notre Dame, but there are no shortage of other teams that the conference could look to poach.
