Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

The more I think about it, the more I'm against Iowa State.

It's one thing to look at ISU's increase in enrollment, their football success, their fan appreciation, etc.

And if they get a seat at the big conference table, 20 years later we can look back and say "clearly they were power conference material".

But what happens if nobody picks them up? They end up joining a G5 conference, and then the recruiting falters because local Iowa kids want to play in the B1G on television instead of the G5. Iowa gets better because they're no longer splitting the state's top recruits, so they become more competitive in the B1G.

I don't think Iowa State really moves the needle in any way for the conference, and letting them fall to G5 oblivion arguably makes the conference stronger by making Iowa stronger.

I appreciate your thoughts on this, and I have somewhat different thoughts. I am not discrediting your well-reasoned thoughts, and mine may seem inconsistent with what else I have said about Iowa enabling Iowa State by scheduling them year-after-year (it was a mistake), and not keeping their thumb down on Iowa State. But, Iowa did what it did, and now we are where were are, with Iowa State's ascendancy. Maybe Oklahoma and Texas can torpedo Iowa State by moving to the SEC.

I prefer ND and Iowa State in the Big Ten for several reasons:

• Notre Dame used to be Iowa's rivalry week rival for years, i.e. last game of Iowa's season in the 50s and 60s, and maybe the 40s. Granted ND usually played S. Cal. in the extra week, but ND was Iowa's rivalry week game.
• Iowa is not descheduling Iowa State no matter what happens.
• With ND and Iowa State in the Big Ten, Purdue can be sent to the Eastern Division, and its annual crossover would be with Notre Dame, instead of with Indiana; quite a plus for the Big Ten.
• Iowa State in the Big Ten makes Iowa v. Iowa State an actual rivalry for both teams. Currently I view that game as, we have to play pesky Iowa State, again (when will it stop?), and I hope I don't have to listen to my wife gloat this year, because I don't gloat back the majority of college football seasons when ISU loses;
• ISU to the Big Ten opens up an opportunity for Iowa to schedule a more interesting and diverse P-4 (new vernacular) or other nonconference game each year.  I would like to see Iowa schedule the military academies, and FSU, Miami, Colorado, Arizona, ASU, UCLA, S. Cal., Oregon, Oregon St. . . you can see my point -- more interesting games. Instead Iowa schedules Iowa State, a MAC team, and a team below the MAC level - boring.
• For the Big Ten, Iowa State brings value because it has a history of playing Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska, and indeed Iowa State formerly considered Nebraska its rival -- it's just that Iowa State was not much of a rival to Nebraska.  Iowa State is close enough geographically to Nebraska, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Wisconsin that fans of each school can easily travel to games in the other's ballpark. Area games create greater regional fan interest.
• I understand TVs, but when you/I yell at our TVs, (and you won't be yelling at the TV for Iowa v. Kansas, North Carolina, or Missouri) we are irrelevant. During commercials we change the channel or pee in another room. Secret: the advertising is not that effective.
• We are entering a new era, i.e. the streaming era. ESPN and population do not decide everything. They are factors. Intensity of interest is a factor this chapter of realignment must consider.

Does anybody think that ND prefers the ACC?  The only reason I can think of is that ND knows it needs a recruiting foothold in FL and the ACC gives them that (like USC with CA recruiting).
Save the "ND recruits nationally" stuff, because while they do, they're not getting the top guys nationally.  Alabama is.  Ohio St is.  Clemson is.  
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I think ND realizes that without some FL kids, they're irrelevant.  

I meant the ACC over the B1G, not just the ACC in a vacuum.  

This is two recent rumors that I initially discounted that now appear to have substantial substance.

Huh.

Yeah, arguing about Notre Dame and the ACC with an SEC honk in a bright orange clown wig on a Big Ten board sounds EXTRA fun!

Ok, this was funny.

Yeah, arguing about Notre Dame and the ACC with an SEC honk in a bright orange clown wig on a Big Ten board sounds EXTRA fun!

I asked the question.
How dare I!

I have not yet see four conferences that make any sense, to me, but perhaps someone has something.  I suggested the AZ teams and CO could find common ground with the residue of the 12 and form perhaps the Pac 20 East or something like that.

WV could get left out somehow.