College football in Division I continues its growth.
Change, at times, overcomes the game’s growth as the headline fixture.
There is growth in Division III schools, which includes defending national champion North Central College, Wheaton College, Benedictine University, and Aurora University, all with consistency, excellence, fun, practicality, however, the Division I schools, led by Big Ten Universities, offer the greatest growth and greatest amount of money involved.
Division I, led by the Big Ten Conference continues growth, from the recent collection of 14 schools to a behemoth 18 schools with the addition of four hardcore schools from the Pacific’s Pac-12, UCLA, USC, Oregon, and Washington. The Big Ten in 2024 will stretch from the West Coast to the East Coast, the latter most eastern point Rutgers University in New Jersey, an Atlantic Ocean-bordering school. The latest consensus was the Big Ten would not be in divisions in football and basketball, however, rather as an 18-team, single division. We must see how it works. We must observe the truly national scope. It could be terrific or it could be uncontrollable. Proof must be in the experiment. It may well be a bonanza from attendance growth and for financial television payments. The start of the 18-team conference will be with the 2024 season and will be greatly observed.
Perhaps as easily-observed will be what remains in the Pacific in 2024 with only four schools left following the eight-team Pac-12 exodus, including to the Big Ten: University of California, Stanford, Oregon State, Washington State. Or, has change just begun?
North Central has a record five selections to this year’s preseason D3football.com All America Teams, including Antwain Walker, Oswego East and Dan Lester, Indian Creek. Get out the microscope.
Geneva Construction captured the Aurora American Legion League championship. More next week.