[NU Sports] Three things the Big Ten needs

[Jim Leonard]

Fellow Wildcat Faithful,

We have a few more quiet days before we're sentenced to San Antonio, so here's a topic for discussion. I think there are three things that the Big Ten needs to do in order to elevate its football status. 

1) Add Notre Dame. I hate them more than anyone on this list (trust me), but geographically and academically they are a fit. They need us and we a 12th team. John Cooper said this a while back - if you want Notre Dame to join the conference, stop playing them. If Jim Delaney announced that the Big Ten would no longer sign non-conference contracts with ND, NBC would lose interest and Notre Dame would warm up to it. 

2) Split into two divisions and add a conference championship game. 

3) Admittedly, I'm not as serious about this one. Have each school give up one home game every two years for a neutral site game. This is actually what built ND into a national power. Rockne would play anyone anywhere (and before airline travel existed). There'd be griping, but imagine if you could get Ohio State vs. Wisconsin in Las Vegas or Northwestern vs. Michigan in Washington, DC - or heck, even Iowa vs. Purdue in London.  

Victory & Honor,
Jim