NCAA Basketball: Examining 10 potential moves in conference realignment

Kansas to Big Ten

A potential move for Kansas made a lot more sense a few weeks ago before those four new schools joined the Big 12. Back then, the rumors running around were that the Big 12 would evaporate, and the schools would mostly join the Big Ten, ACC, and Pac-12, forming an Alliance. Even if the Big 12 has a future once more, Kansas could still be a very attractive candidate to join the Big Ten somewhere down the line.

Obviously, the initial concern is that Kansas football is the worst P5 football program in the nation. The Jayhawks would not be contributing anything positive to their new conference, aside from increasing the win totals of more successful teams. The good would come from the basketball program, which Bill Self has continued to build into one of the nation’s best. Imagine having Kansas play conference games against schools like Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State on a regular basis.

You have to ask yourself if the Big 12 without Oklahoma and Texas is still an attractive conference for the Jayhawks. It appears as if the Big 12 is not on the verge of collapse, but at what cost? Defending basketball national champion Baylor remains in the league, but football remains fluid, even after those new additions. Kansas in the Big Ten would only add to one of the best basketball conferences in the nation, but you have to wonder if that football program is ever going to come around.