USC, UCLA additions add more than just football prowess

The college football world was turned upside down Thursday with the announcement that Pac-12 stalwarts USC and UCLA would be joining the Big Ten in 2024.

Social media was immediately abuzz with reactions to the move, from think pieces about the future state of college football and how this will logistically work, to jokes about the west coast teams playing in snowy Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as the current Big Ten teams having to play in “empty” crowds in LA.

Most of the attention was immediately cast on the addition of USC to Big Ten football. The Trojans’ program was reinvigorated in one offseason with a bevy of transfer moves, including star quarterback Caleb Williams and Biletnikoff award winner Jordan Addison. Oh, by the way, this was all caused by Lincoln Riley, one of the top coaches in college football, jumping ship to sunny Southern California.

USC looks like a team ready to compete nationally now, and with their advantage in the NIL market and with one of the best states for high school recruits in their backyard, Riley will have his sights set on national titles with this Big Ten move.

It goes much further than just football, though. While football is king in America, this move will have a profound effect on other Big Ten sports. Look at a team like Rutgers for example. While they haven’t been able to really compete in football, they’ve consistently been a top 25 team in wrestling, one of the Big Ten’s trademark sports.

Rutgers men’s basketball has really improved in recent years, making the NCAA Tournament the past two years. Their women’s soccer team is amongst the nation’s elite, making it to the NCAA semifinals in their 10th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. While it isn’t going great for the Scarlet Knights on the gridiron, they 100% belong in the Big Ten in a good number of other sports.

The same will be said for UCLA. They may not be a national contender in football quite yet, and that transition in talent to the Big…