Following suit as expected, Rutgers officially announced on Tuesday it will become the 14th member of the Big Ten Conference.
The Scarlett Knights are planning to join the league in 2014, like Maryland, though Rutgers will have to negotiate an exit strategy to do so, as the Big East Conference requires 27 months’ notice for departing members.
“Penn State is very excited to welcome Rutgers University to the Big Ten Conference,” Penn State Acting Athletic Director Dave Joyner. “Rutgers is a tremendous addition to an already outstanding family of Big Ten institutions. Our two institutions have a lengthy history of friendships and athletic competition and we’re looking forward to future meetings as conference partners and this new era for the Big Ten.”
Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said there have been discussions about Rutgers possibly holding future football games at MetLife Stadium or Yankee Stadium.
Penn State is scheduled to play Syracuse at MetLife Stadium for the 2013 season opener.
Another intriguing factor with the conference’s latest expansion is how the two divisions will be realigned. Delany refuted an ESPN.com report that said Maryland and Rutgers would join the Leaders Division, with Illinois moving to the Legends Division. He told reporters that no discussions have been held regarding division realignment.
So, it’s official. Maryland and Rutgers are in.
The only question left is whether or not more dominoes will fall.
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