Ten underrated things to be excited about with the additions of USC and UCLA to the Big Ten
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The Big Ten has officially staked its claim on the footprint of sea-to-shining sea with the news that USC and UCLA will be joining the conference for play beginning in August of 2024.
And while the news was a bombshell that launched a grenade of public uncertainty about the landscape of college football, folks in the Big Ten and the two L.A. schools are excited about what looks to be a pretty lucrative monetary marriage.
But there are some more underrated things besides the Benjamins that should get you excited about this move. It’s easy to criticize a move made for financial gain — and make no mistake, this is what it is — but don’t be afraid to look at what it all means.
While the traditionalists wring their hands and nash their teeth, we’re here to give you ten things (in no particular order) that you can look forward to with the addition of the Pac-12’s two most brand-recognizable athletic programs.
Travel
Jan. 1, 2010; Pasadena, CA, USA; General view of the Rose Bowl prior to the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks. Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Why you should be excited
It’s no secret that Buckeye fans love to travel, as do fans of other Big Ten teams. One of the destinations on many fans’ bucket lists is Pasadena. And while that might be coupled with a Rose Bowl visit for the postseason, it can now be done potentially in the regular season.
There are worse locations to go to than the Los Angeles area to take in Hollywood, beaches, Disneyland, and more — especially as the weather gets colder. Add that to a game in the famed Memorial Coliseum, or better yet, another opportunity to see a game at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains in Rose Bowl Stadium against UCLA in the regular season, and that’s a win in my book.
Trust me — I’ve been twice to SoCal, and if you haven’t experienced a game in Pasadena, it’s worth your time. Now, there are more opportunities to see Big Ten teams in that stadium.
New matchups
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Parris Campbell (21) runs the ball as USC Trojans cornerback Isaiah Langley (24) tackles during the third quarter of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the USC Trojans on Friday, December 29, 2017, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Joshua A. Bickel/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Why you should be excited
USC and Ohio State have a long history as a cross-sectional matchup in the Rose Bowl. Between the postseason and regular-season matchups, the Buckeyes and Trojans have met 24 times. But there are other matchups between the two L.A. schools and other Big Ten programs that just haven’t materialized.
With the addition of the two in the conference, there are going to be more compelling matchups and ones that we wouldn’t normally see. We’ll see some that have never happened, and I’m all for that. You should be too.
Don’t forget about basketball
Dec 22, 2018; Chicago, IL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes forward Kyle Young (25) goes up for a dunk against the UCLA Bruins during the second half at United Center. Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Why you should be excited
Lost in all the football talk is what getting UCLA and USC in Big Ten hoops means. Clearly, the Bruins are the biggest prize here as one of the bluebloods of the sport, but USC has had some pretty good years in recent memory as well.
Ohio State vs. UCLA, or Michigan State/Purdue vs. the Bruins is must-see television in my opinion. Getting the Bruins coming to Value City Arena as well as the matchups between USC and other teams within the Big Ten is going to kick off even more top-end battles in the years to come. It should raise the perception of an already good one for Big Ten basketball.
Heck, maybe it’ll help the rest of the league finally get another national title, something that hasn’t happened since the Spartans won it all in 2000 with Mateen Cleaves and company.
Longer football days
Dec 3, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; A view of the Big Ten logo on an end zone pylon prior to the game of the Penn State Nittany Lions against the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship college football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Why you should be excited
Beginning in August of 2024, the Big Ten will now have teams spanning three time zones. Clearly, the west coast games will probably have to start a little bit later, but you can bet we’ll still have Noon games to start the day, which is just 9 AM in the western time zone.
Everyone loves to see them some Pac-12 after dark, but now that can happen with the Big Ten. In reality, you can probably watch Big Ten games from Noon to 1 AM or later.
If you like football, more is better, right? Get the mowing done, plan the weddings and bar mitzvahs for other days besides college football Saturdays and make a whole day of it. Turn that honey-do list into a honey-done list, grab some copious amounts of beverages and meat products, thump the chest, and turn on the high-definition television.
Olympic sports
UCLA celebrates following the Women’s College World Series softball game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the UCLA Bruins at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Monday, June 6, 2022. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Why you should be excited
Olympic sports is a broad term for college athletics, but most consider any non-revenue sport into that equation. UCLA and USC tend to be better in other sports like softball, swimming, and track, and that could raise the level of Big Ten schools.
UCLA vs. Michigan in softball, in particular, sounds like an appealing matchup, but there are other sports with other schools that could take on more significant meaning in the future.
New rivalries
Mar 30, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Tyger Campbell (10) shoots the ball against Michigan Wolverines guard Franz Wagner (21) during the second half in the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Why you should be excited
In order to build a rivalry with another school, there has to be an opportunity for high-stakes games. For that to happen, teams have to play often to build a history and bad blood. With USC and UCLA now becoming a part of the Big Ten, there are going to be some new rivalries take hold.
USC and Ohio State sort of have one on the football field already, but you can easily see Michigan and USC in football, or Michigan State and UCLA playing some meaningful hardcourt games in the near future that could spark a new fire of competitiveness between the schools. And that’s not all, other teams will also get in on the act once the power of the league and schedules are established.
More prime time games
Fireworks go off as the Ohio State Buckeyes take the field before an NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: USA TODAY Sports Network
Why you should be excited
One of the things many Big Ten fans have been disappointed with when many of the football games went to FOX is the network’s desire to slate the biggest games into the Noon window. The best teams then have found themselves with fewer night games than before.
Seeing Ohio State in the ‘Shoe at night, or a whiteout at Penn State is just a lot more fun and exciting. To allow west coast viewers to slot into the right television timeframe, you have to think that the games will have to move to later on east coast time, and that should translate into more games in the dark of night, under the lights.
SoCal in Midwest winter
Sep 2, 2020; Los Angeles, CA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; A general overall view of the downtown Los Angeles skyline from Banc of California Stadium during the MLS game between the LAFC and the San Jose Earthquakes. LAFC defeated the Earthquakes 5-1. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Why you should be excited
This goes both ways. We mentioned travel already, but can you imagine escaping the Midwest in late, chilly fall to watch Ohio State or Michigan out in Southern California? Sign me up.
But what about seeing UCLA and/or USC pack the bags and come from the sunshine over to a cold, snowy field in the Midwest when a cold front comes through. It makes for great storylines and great theater with those colors against the snow, wind, gray, and cold at times.
More and different bowl games
Jan 1, 2022; Orlando, FL, USA; A detailed view of an endzone pylon with the 2022 Citrus Bowl logo on the field prior to the game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Kentucky Wildcats at Camping World Stadium. Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Why you should be excited
More teams mean more teams potentially eligible for bowl invites. That means there will most likely be reworked bowl contracts in the near future with different locations than what the Big Ten has seen in recent years.
There’s always some of that anyway, but with the expansion to the west coast, Big Ten fans will have more access and opportunities to travel to a bowl game location they may not have enjoyed in the past. I love seeing new places and taking in the scenery and culture of a new place, and there will be more chances for that going forward at some point.
A higher level of competition
Dec 4, 2021; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears tight end Elijah Mojarro (81) celebrates with USC Trojans wide receiver John Jackson III (80) after scoring a touchdown against the California Golden Bears during the second quarter at FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium. Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Why you should be excited
The addition of USC and UCLA means the Big Ten is getting a blueblood in each of the two main revenue sports. The Trojans are one of the best football programs of all time, and the Bruins are in the team picture as one of the most impressive basketball schools in history.
Big Ten football has been dominated by Ohio State in recent years, and the same teams seem to be contending for Big Ten basketball championships. Now, you have two really good programs to upset the apple cart a bit.
The haves might not like that all that much, but it’ll make for better competition at the top and more meaningful and exciting games.
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