![]() Nebraska, a Big Ten program that has seen its influence shrink, could regain some of its West Coast reach that landed the Huskers greats such as Jarvis Redwine, Steve Taylor and Lawrence Phillips from California in past generations. “The exposure they’re going to get and the development they’re going to be able to see for NFL purposes is absolutely huge,” Gorney said. ![]() Like USC, the Ducks will get to play on some of the biggest stages in college football - Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State - when they join the conference in 2024. The move underscores the fact that USC will not be alone out West in enjoying the perks of Big Ten membership. Days after the announcement, USC commitment Dakoda Fields, a highly ranked cornerback, flipped to Oregon. Oregon immediately became a more attractive destination once it joined the Big Ten. “Once you solidify your future, it allows prospects to know what that road map looks like from their perspective.” “Recruiting is a game of inches, and you never know which inch is going to be the one to add up for you having a prospect go in your favor,” said Steve Wiltfong, director of recruiting for 247Sports. Realignment also has made conference stability a more critical recruiting piece as young men try to figure out exactly what they are getting into. “If you were a kid in Arizona and you were a little hesitant to go to Ohio State, well, you are going to come back and play in the West once or twice, three times a year now.” “For recruiting purposes, it sort of shrinks the idea of of going far away from home,” said Adam Gorney, the national recruiting director for Rivals. The only domestic time zone missing from the Big Ten will be Mountain. ![]() With Southern California, UCLA, Washington and Oregon leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten next year, the sprawling conference will boast programs from the West Coast all the way to New Jersey. The Big Ten has seen the most significant shift, at least in terms of geography. The dominoes continue to fall, with the SEC and Big Ten getting stronger, the Big 12 expanding, the Pac-12 left as a shell of its former self and the Atlantic Coast Conference facing angst from the likes of Florida State. Oklahoma and Texas accepted invitations to join the Southeastern Conference back in 2021 and programs have been adjusting ever since.
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