My UMich sports source tells me that the Fall UMich teams have been told not to come into the athletic facilities for now. 
Rutgers and Maryland are not even full B1G members yet, at least in terms of money. Their conference payouts are less than the other 12 members. Most B1G alums that I speak with would like them out of the conference.
The B1G will likely someday be 16 teams. There have been rumors over the years about Oklahoma and Kansas, Colorado or even a GT being poached and joining the B1G. Prior to the pandemic, Kansas was considering spending $300 Million to upgrade their football operations/facilities.
Speaking of ND fans, I attended the UMich-ND game last season in the pouring rain. I was actually very surprised by the lack of ND fans inside and outside the Big House.
When I attend the Stanford-ND games every other year, the ND fans fill up a big chunk of the Northwest corner (I think) of Stanford stadium and also large “smatterings” elsewhere in the stadium.
Alums don’t get to vote on conference members. FWIW (not much really), as a two time Big 10 alum living in Big 10 country, I don’t know many people who want Rutgers and Maryland out of the conference.
In addition to getting into big east coast markets, Maryland and Rutgers align well with Big 10 in terms of academics (I know its an athletic conference but I think it still matters). That wouldn’t be true with Kansas, Oklahoma or Colorado.
I would guess that there are more alums living in the San Fran area (and California in general) than live in Ann Arbor or Michigan in general. And those who live in and around South Bend/Chicago have more opportunities to see ND play than people living in California (who get to see them play Stanford and USC (every other year)).
I just read the college football news, blogs, comments sections, etc. Also, while not a B1G alum myself, several of my friends locally here in Silicon Valley are. Again, not much love for the additions of Maryland and Rutgers. Even @Knowsstuff wants to kick Rutgers out. :lol: Personally, I don’t care.
In terms of adding members with lofty academic standings, the B1G threw that out the window in 2011 (I think, too lazy to google it) when Nebraska was added to the B1G. Ultimately, it’s about money. Kansas has a storied b-ball program and Oklahoma has Lincoln Riley. 
Of course, just rumors.
BTW, as you know as a college football fan, Colorado and Nebraska have had a huge long standing rivalry. And academically, Colorado (USNWR #104) is ranked higher than Nebraska (USNWR # 139).
ND fans are everywhere. And I was sitting in a section of ND alums at the Big House, who were super friendly and from Chicago. As I said, i expected more of the stadium to be filled with ND fans.
@sushiritto the ND and UMich color schemes are similar so visiting fans don’t stick out as much as a tOSU or Wisconsin fan. Rain makes it even more difficult.
So, that would account for the lack of any applause/cheers/enthusiasm for ND during the game? I’ve been to one or two football games in my life. 
Also, green and gold are colors that ND fans wear as well.
You went to the 2019 Notre Dame–Michigan game, right? ND was down 17-0 at half and lost 45-14. How much cheering was there for ND fans?
Which may explain Notre Dame’s attraction to the ACC.
I’m glad you googled the results of the game. :lol:
Yes, I did go that game. I also walked up to the stadium to get to the game, through ALL the tailgate parties, along South Main Street. I sat through all the pre-game festivities. And ND actually played a full 60-minute game.
And if you’ve attended an ND football game, I’ve watched many in-person, even a couple at ND stadium, you know that ND and their fans don’t give up very easily. In fact, the ND fans we sat with, who were from Chicago, stayed the entire game.
Have you heard of Knute Rockne, the Four Horsemen, Joe Theismann, Joe Montana, etc?
My ND bonafides. I’ve been an ND fan since I was a little kid. This is from memory, so no googling for me. I remember watching the USC-ND game in 1974, with ND up 24-0, and USC winning 55-24.
I remember the “Chicken Soup Game,” when Joe Montana (I’m a 49ers fan too) lead ND back, down 34-12 in the 4th Q, to a come-from-behind 35-34 win in the 1979 Cotton Bowl.
And I actually have that t-shirt that I still wear to this day (in the gym mostly). 
By the way, Penn State brought a WAY larger fan base to UMich, the previous year in 2018. Yes, they’re a big public, but ND is well ND.
For the record, D18 attends UMich now.
I’m not going to argue any further about my opinion of the 2019 ND-UMich game, since I’m the only one here who attended it. I made my point and I’m going to let the thread get back on topic, so I/we don’t get moderated. 
No FSU/UF game this year.
SEC only playing conference games.
Boo hoo!!! (Granted I still don’t think any games can be played safely…but no one asked this Gator fan.)
My opinion is that if the Power 5 can get in ANY games this fall, I will be happy. No ND/USC or FSU/UF game this season, that will be ?.
I’m just worried that there will be no NCAA football this year, by any teams the way things are progressing on college campuses and their surrounding communities. Not looking good. If any conference can complete the season this fall it will be a miracle. I put it at less than 10% chance. Hope I’m wrong…
College football money is great for unis. I’m sure they’ll find a compromise much like other sports are doing. Worst case scenario is a delay.
Some great early/mid season games were canceled like Oregon-Ohio State, ND-Wisconsin, UMich-UDub and Alabama-USC.
I did google the final result. But I remember the game well. Daughter has a high school friend who is a ND cheerleader so we watch some of their games when we can. I also remember giving a ND alum/fan a bottle of Tide detergent and a roll of toilet paper after the BCS title game against Alabama (don’t remember the exact score but know it was a butt kicking – took him a couple minutes to figure it out but eventually he did). And I remember the blowout loss to Clemson in the only playoff appearance for the Irish (again not the score but the result).
Always interesting about Notre Dame fans in that they always seem to dwell in the distant past for some reason. Not as bad a Michigan tho who outside a split title from '97, talks about titles won with players wearing leather helmets. LOL
In terms of playing like a champion, ND got beat by 4+ TDs by a team that lost 4 games last year. And that lost to its rival by 4 TDs on that same field. And its bowl game by 3 TDs.
I think conference only schedules make a lot of sense. Limt the number of teams you can be exposed to. And reduced travel. Talk in Big 10 is possibly started out the season with division games to limit travel. Make it more likely the later part of the schedule happens. Though an Ohio State-Michigan game in September will be bizzare. Other long time rivalry games will be lost but better that than the entire season. And if the entire season is lost, the rivalry games would have been too.
I am still not convinced that they pull it off. But I hope they find a way to make a season of it.
So just for the record we have 9 Norte Dame bars just in my area like a 2 mile radius. People in Chicago love Norte Dame. Every game is on National broadcast not even cable it seems.
When I think of the Big Ten I think of the Midwest. Don’t like the idea of others coming in. Plus not sure what Rutgers adds to the conference. Norte Dame in the Big Ten would be very interesting. But personally I would take Iowa State over Rutgers and Norte Dame. They are at least competitive in multiple sports. Plus they grind. That to be is the Midwest mentality. Rutgers… Not so much.
@Knowsstuff: I, too, think that ND is messing with God’s plan.
Rutgers was added to the Big 10 for the NYC / Northern New Jersey television market. Plus, Rutgers qualifies from an academic research university point of view.
Maryland was invited in due to the Wash DC / Baltimore, Md. / NOVA TV market.
Both were also viewed as a way to expand recruiting into what has been Penn State’s recruiting area. Odd, but true.
Again, totally understand the why. I am old school. Big Ten means Ten schools. Crazy idea ?.
“If someone has to go because the name is Big 10 but there are 14 teams, how does kicking one school out help?”
No one is talking about kicking teams out, if anything, they expand into super conferences and add teams that others have mentioned.