Big Ten gets more serious about expansion

While it comes as no surprise, the Big Ten has hired a firm to investigate the potential of possible expansion partners.

Spending big dollars to consultants seems to be the way of big-time athletics. But is it really necessary? Do Big Ten officials really need to spend millions for a consultant to tell them Rutgers has no football history (other than playing the first game ever), but it is near NYC?

A few interesting revelations that came out of the story are that Notre Dame remains an unlikely decision, that Texas isn't even mentioned among the initial 15 schools and that commissioner James Delaney may make a recommendation to the Big Ten presidents this summer.

Certainly the Pac-10 will follow suit soon. So where's the Big East and commissioner John Marinatto?