Maryland and Rutgers may join Big Ten conference says report

Pick a conference, any conference.  That seems to be the all too common practice in NCAA sports these days and it looks like another shakeup could move two more teams to the Big Ten — Maryland and Rutgers.

According to an ESPN report, Maryland is in "serious negotiations" to join the Big Ten conference.  If it does, then Rutgers would follow suit, says the report.

The announcement could come as soon as Monday.

The only hurdle would be is Maryland's $50 million exit fee from the ACC.  The exit price for Rutgers would be only $10 million to leave the Big East and a 27 month waiting period.  However, that waiting period has been waived for West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Syracuse after they paid higher fees.

The source told ESPN:

The Big Ten has been itchy about further expansion since Notre Dame made its official move to the ACC two months ago in all sports other than football.  The source said the Big Ten can justify Maryland and then possibly Rutgers since they are all contiguous states to the Big Ten footprint.

Rutgers — a charter member of the Big East — would be the sixth school to leave the conference in the past year.