Illinois at Cincinnati this Friday at Noon

• believer

  

  With all the talk of adding another team to the Big 10 would this game be a gage on whether or not Cincinnati might be that addition?
  
  Personally I'd love to see another Big 10/11/12 team from Ohio.
  
  Call me out, call me crazy....that's OK but what's your take on it?
• Al Bundy

  believer wrote: With all the talk of adding another team to the Big 10 would this game be a gage on whether or not Cincinnati might be that addition?
  
  Personally I'd love to see another Big 10/11/12 team from Ohio.
  
  Call me out, call me crazy....that's OK but what's your take on it?

  I'd like to see Cincy considered for the Big 10 if they expand. However, I think 2 things could get in the way.
  1) Cincy doesn't have a large football stadium
  2) Cincy is a basketball school first. I don't see them leaving the Big East because of basketball.
• JoeA1010

  I haven't heard talk of UC being the next Big 10 team, but it would be great. Geographically UC seems to make sense, but they keep talking about going east, so I think it would end up being Pitt or maybe Syracuse. Iowa State would also make sense as far as location, but what a boring addition that would be.
• captvern

  I would like the Irish to join, and hopes that Charlie is still the coach. If not lets go bearcats
• Cleveland Buck

  

  Cincinnati is having a nice run, but they would be a bottom tier Big Ten team over the long run. They also probably don't meet the academic standards the conference requires. Notre Dame is the team.
• devil1197

  Cincy would have to get a much larger stadium to even be considered imo. But the process may have to speed up because there may be some good openings coming up at larger schools that Kelly will be interested in I would think.
• 3reppom

  

  Any school that wants Kelly is going to have to prove that they are in a better position to win at a high level now than UC is. The Bearcats have been very good the this year and the two years before that but the program is about to take off in a big way next year and beyond. There are only 14 seniors on the 44 man 2 deep. He has his QB of the future It has been said before but Kelly loves the Cincinnati area, his kids do to and his wife really likes the doctors and support staff that she has in Cincinnati. The new university president is very supportive of Kelly and the Football program as well. Kelly will move on a some point but it won't be for any school that will pay him more money, it will have to be the right situation.
• Swamp Fox

  I think that as long as Ohio State is a member of the Big Ten, it will be very difficult for Cincinnati to be admitted. I also believe that in the long run, It might not be the best move for the Bearcats. They are very good right now. From a historical perspective, one might say unusually good. What happens if they revert back to some of their less than stellar records of the past and have to play OSU, Penn State, Michigan State, Iowa and all the rest. Would they potentially become the doormat of the Conference in most years? I don't necessarily think that would happen...but what if? By the way, if "Juice" Williams has an All Star day against the Bearcats, this could be a trap game which could damage Bearcat opportunities for a good BCS Game.
• 3reppom

  

  Juice Williams has regressed completely this season. He is flat out not a good QB despite the presence of the transcendent Arrelious Benn. Reggie Ball, who was one of the worst 4 year starters ever, managed to do something while he had Calvin Johnson on his team but Williams can't do anything right on offense anymore. In fact he seems dead set on taking Ball's one and only distinction as a College Football player. Even if Juice lights it up against UC Illinois isn't going to stop UC, not even close.
• believer

  

  Cleveland Buck wrote: Cincinnati is having a nice run, but they would be a bottom tier Big Ten team over the long run. They also probably don't meet the academic standards the conference requires.Notre Dame is the team.

  Curious and with no disrespect intended: Why wouldn't the academic "standards" of UC meet the Big 10 tests? Is there some magical verifiable academic formula used as a litmus test? Are you saying that the Big Televen's "academic standards" are superior to those of the Big East or that Big East athletes (or athletes from any other Division 1 conference for that matter) are held to a lower standard than the Big 10?
  
  Bottom line: If and when the Big Televen manages to add another school (assuming the conference can entice another school to join) it will be based a lot more on whether that new school can generate more $$$$$$$$$ for the conference than it will be for allegedly higher "academic standards."
  
  It's ALWAYS about the money.
• bo shemmy3337

  believer wrote:

  Cleveland Buck wrote: Cincinnati is having a nice run, but they would be a bottom tier Big Ten team over the long run. They also probably don't meet the academic standards the conference requires.Notre Dame is the team.

  Curious and with no disrespect intended: Why wouldn't the academic "standards" of UC meet the Big 10 tests? Is there some magical verifiable academic formula used as a litmus test? Are you saying that the Big Televen's "academic standards" are superior to those of the Big East or that Big East athletes (or athletes from any other Division 1 conference for that matter) are held to a lower standard than the Big 10?
  
  Bottom line: If and when the Big Televen manages to add another school (assuming the conference can entice another school to join) it will be based a lot more on whether that new school can generate more $$$$$$$$$ for the conference than it will be for allegedly higher "academic standards."
  
  It's ALWAYS about the money.

  
  
  
  Every school in the Big ten is actually ranked rather high when it comes to academics. Cincy is not a good choice IMO. They are not going to bring in as much money as a Notre Damn or many other schools. Cincy can play at Paul Brown when ever they want to the stadium is not an issue but money is. Most ohio football fans are OSU fans and they are not going to change. Money is the number one reason why Cincy wont be the choice. ND is the best choice IMO.
• believer

  

  ^^^ND will never join so it'll most likely be a Big East team....Pitt or WV at least.
• bo shemmy3337

  believer wrote: ^^^ND will never join so it'll most likely be a Big East team....Pitt or WV at least.

  
  ND would be the best option from the big ten stand point but I agree with you. Cincy is not the team IMO but Pitt or WVU would be good choices. WVU is better than pitt IMO.
• believer

  

  I know Penn State desperately wants to see Pitt join.
• Little Danny

  

  Re: Academics, I think the issue has to do with being members of the AAU. UC is not a member. That being said, UC does have quality programs in it's university such as one of the best architectual design programs in the country, a top music school, a steller medical school, a strong engineering program with co-op opportunities, etc.
  
  As others have pointed out the issue is $$$ and more $$$$. I don't think the B10 cares about a team being unable to compete athletically, otherwise they would have kicked out Indiana and Northwestern a long time ago. One crucial issue for expansion for the B10 is gaining TV market share. For that reason, I have heard rumblings of Syrcause/Rutgers (to gain the NY TV market) and Missouri (for the St. Louis market). I don't see where Pitt/WVU/UC would help in those capacities.
• Little Danny

  

  As for the game, UC wins big. Tony Pike is back and has a lot to play for. He's got to show he is going to be "THE GUY" for the rest of the year. The much maligned UC defense will put lots of pressure on Juice and usual he will make a lot of mistakes, turning the ball over on numerous occasions. Since Illinois is now not bowl eligible, they have nothing but pride to play for.
• OneBuckeye

  

  Let me state that after doing some research I think Pitt should be the next to join the big 10. Mostly because of a rising football program and a consistet basketball program. Also in terms of research $ they spend more on research than Notre Dame, Cincinatti, Rutgers ect ect... That is where they fit into the big 10 mold.
• dwccrew

  

  Al Bundy wrote:

  believer wrote: With all the talk of adding another team to the Big 10 would this game be a gage on whether or not Cincinnati might be that addition?
  
  Personally I'd love to see another Big 10/11/12 team from Ohio.
  
  Call me out, call me crazy....that's OK but what's your take on it?

  I'd like to see Cincy considered for the Big 10 if they expand. However, I think 2 things could get in the way.
  1) Cincy doesn't have a large football stadium
  2) Cincy is a basketball school first. I don't see them leaving the Big East because of basketball.

  The Big Ten is no slouch in basketball. Michigan St. and Indiana are good teams year in and year out. Also, Ohio St. and Michigan are both good right now along with Purdue.
  

  JoeA1010 wrote: I haven't heard talk of UC being the next Big 10 team, but it would be great. Geographically UC seems to make sense, but they keep talking about going east, so I think it would end up being Pitt or maybe Syracuse. Iowa State would also make sense as far as location, but what a boring addition that would be.

  Iowa St. would be good for wrestling!
• OneBuckeye

  

  That's about all iowa state is good for.
• Thunder70

  

  My vote goes to Pitt. Plus maybe Mark May would take it easy on us...
• se-alum

  

  Anyone gonna be around to provide updates? I'll be stuck here @ work.
• tcby99

  should be a good one.
• dwccrew

  

  I rarely call for an upset, but I am calling the upset right now. Illinois wins this one!
• darbypitcher22

  

  Bearcats Big. Illini are absolutely putrid. Makes you wonder how long Zook will stay around Champaign.
• 3reppom

  

  Illinois doesn't do anything good consistently anymore, on offense or defense. UC will win this one.