If the B1G is looking to move from 14 to 16 members between now and when their current media (not just TV anymore) contract expires, I would expect that UConn has been evaluated by the B1G. Not to do so would be a poor business decision and the one thing that the B1G is focused on is running their business.
Why
The B1G failed to further expand into the Southeast when the ACC put a GoR in place. The XII will stick together as long as Texas wants it to (I personally believe that Texas or WV will be the first to mount a legal challenge to the GoR). Thus, the only schools that the B1G can look at are from the American, the Mountain West, the SEC, or independents.
· American: Maybe – Connecticut; No – Cincinnati (not AAU, Ohio St), Houston & SMU (not AAU, B1G will go to TX for Texas, not anyone else), Memphis (Louisville is #160, Memphis isn’t even rated), USF & UCF (not AAU, B1G will go to FL for Florida St & maybe Miami, not anyone else), Temple (not AAU, Penn St), East Carolina (see TX & FL schools, B1G will go to NC for UNC and maybe Duke, no one else), Tulane (AAU, limited sports value, not contiguous), Tulsa (not AAU [but US news #83?] and private, small market), and Navy (athletics are not on the same age as P5).
· Mountain West – Non AAU schools only Colorado State borders a B1G state and it does not provide enough value to override the negatives. All others are in XII or PAC territory (and I do not believe that the B1G will poach from the PAC, too much history there)
· Independents: Maybe – ND, will only go B1G as a last resort, i.e. ACC implodes; No – BYU (smaller version of ND with the same issues and less value; Army & Air Force – Same as Navy above.
While I do not believe that AAU, contiguous states, and state flagship universities are not set in stone yes/no factors for the B1G; the value of potential member in the B1G must heavily outweigh if these two issues are negative. Of all of the schools who do not meet both standards, I only believe that ND, Oklahoma (especially if tied to Texas and not tied to Oklahoma State), and Florida State would get into the B1G ‘automatically.’ UConn is more of a borderline case; but, one that is bolstered by the fact that it is a state flagship, is a brand name basketball program, and has stated goal to get to AAU status and that while not contiguous with a B1G state, it’s only 175 miles between Rutgers and UConn and they both share the NYC DMA.
Of course, if UNC (B1G or SEC) or Texas (PAC, SEC, B1G) decide to bolt, all bets are off.