UW and Oregon will be treated like Utah and be asked to accept half for some time. Illinois, Rutgers, and the BIG bottom dwellers won the jackpot.
In what world is there a “super conference” with fucking Rutgers and Illinois and no Stanford? The Furd has more football history in the last 20 years than those two turds do all-time, brings in Bay Area TVs, has more money than any school in that conference by a significant degree and would be the academic giant of the conference (if that matters).
This makes slightly more sense if the Big boots Rutgers and Illinois. What do they have that the Zonas, Utah, and even Cal don’t have? I realize the Mid-Atlantic TV market, but does anyone watch Rutgers? I’ve spent a lot of time in northeast the last 7 - 8 years. Nobody there gives a fuck about college football. And Illinois is hot garbage other than strong (but spotty) academis.
You are underselling Illinois considerably. Yes the football program hasn’t been good the last 30 years; however do have 5 national championships, 2 of the 10 best college football players of all time (Red Grange and Dick Butkus) and more importantly Chicago. Yes Northwestern is located in the city but IL have significantly more alumni in the city and follow the team way closer than NW. There is a reason, despite the crap football lately, Chicago turns passionate when IL is competitive. They rank middle of the pack in revenues in the conference.
They finally have competent leadership in their AD who has shown a commitment to fielding competitive teams (think the anti Jen).