What if Pitt joined the Big Ten in 1949?

[HailToPitt725]

When the University of Chicago dropped out of the Big Ten in 1949, Pitt was one of a few schools considered to replace them. Most thought they would receive the invitation, especially since we had placed our athletics under the conference’s supervision in 1939 and MSU faced opposition from Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. In the end, it was Ohio State who pushed for them the hardest and eventually got them accepted.

What does Pitt football look like today had we joined the Big Ten? Do we take football more serious or the same?

 

[Pitt_Boss]

We are somewhere between Northwestern and Purdue

 

[HailtoPitt]

We are somewhere between Northwestern and Purdue

And set to make coin. We could fund a gold plated pool for the water polo team.

 

[Upg bobcat]

In contrast, what if we joined the Ivy League? Didn't Posvar or Bozik or someone want that at some point? Pitt would fit in with urban schools like Columbia, Harvard, and Penn. Olympic sports would probably be a lot better. We'd probably have more olympic sports. Football and basketball, on the other hand, wouldn't be much.

 

[pittdan77]

Olympic sports would probably be a lot better. We'd probably have more olympic sports.

Regatta's on the Mon? Equestrian on the site of an old steel mill? Perhaps fencing in the main area of the Cathedral?

 

[HailToPitt725]

Regatta's on the Mon? Equestrian on the site of an old steel mill? Perhaps fencing in the main area of the Cathedral?

T&F complex at Schenley!

 

[Las Panteras]

We are somewhere between Northwestern and Purdue

I will respectfully disagree.

If Pitt were in the Big 10 during our glory years, what does the program look like?

I would argue Sherrill would have been paid to stay, and that bonehead decisions regarding football would have been dismissed. They likely would have gone to multiple rose bowls and i think attendance would be better if for no other reason than Big 10 Schools travel better than Boston College and Army.

All that said, we likely wouldnt be Ohio State.....but we wouldnt be Purdue.

 

[Seneca_Valley]

I will respectfully disagree.

If Pitt were in the Big 10 during our glory years, what does the program look like?

I would argue Sherrill would have been paid to stay, and that bonehead decisions regarding football would have been dismissed. They likely would have gone to multiple rose bowls and i think attendance would be better if for no other reason than Big 10 Schools travel better than Boston College and Army.

All that said, we likely wouldnt be Ohio State.....but we wouldnt be Purdue.

Maybe, maybe not............ Middle of the road sounds right.
What is clear is that we would be in a much better place than the ACC. "Better fit" be damned.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

In contrast, what if we joined the Ivy League? Didn't Posvar or Bozik or someone want that at some point? Pitt would fit in with urban schools like Columbia, Harvard, and Penn. Olympic sports would probably be a lot better. We'd probably have more olympic sports. Football and basketball, on the other hand, wouldn't be much.

Well damn. I wouldn’t be a Pitt grad if that were the case. Lol. I’d probably be a Nitter.

 

[CrazyPaco]

In contrast, what if we joined the Ivy League? Didn't Posvar or Bozik or someone want that at some point? Pitt would fit in with urban schools like Columbia, Harvard, and Penn. Olympic sports would probably be a lot better. We'd probably have more olympic sports. Football and basketball, on the other hand, wouldn't be much.

Not Posvar.

You have to go back to Litchfield, when Pitt was still private, who was trying to significantly upgrade Pitt's standing, but bankrupted the university in the process. Not that the Ivy was taking inquiries or anything, so there wasn't ever any actual attempt at entering the Ivy League.

I don't think Olympic sports would have been that much better. The Big 10 wasn't doling out huge money until very recently. Mostly, its schools relied on gate revenue, which has always been Pitt's problem. Just like 10-15 years ago, the ACC's media contracts were more lucrative than the Big10's. Things change quickly.

Pitt would be the second smallest school in the B10 next to Northwestern, so it would have been at an inherent disadvantage; and its prior natural advantage of being in the middle of the Western PA prep football scene deteriorated for unrelated reasons. And the challenges with land and facilities don't change either; Pitt is, by far, the smallest school in all of the power conference by acreage of its main campus.

The only thing for sure is we'd be looking at conference realignment through a lens much more towards entertainment than stress.

 

[pittdan77]

Would Pitt have have had its own embarrassing scandal by now?

 

[ThePanthers]

I think middle of the road. Hell, maybe we don't have the glory years of the 70s. Who knows.

 

[Pitt2009]

Where does Penn State end up? The ACC?

 

[ThePanthers]

Where does Penn State end up? The ACC?

I still think the Big 10.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Where does Penn State end up? The ACC?

This is where things get interesting:

This scenario assumes Pitt gets invited instead of MSU. Assuming the conference stays unchanged up until the 90s like what actually happened, would the B1G even need Sparty at that point? If not, perhaps them and Penn State go to the ACC or even the Big East?

 

[Gep Dawg]

It would have been terrible. Never would have won a national championship and played in all the big bowl games of the 70s/80s. It was much better being an independent than being in the B10 up until they allowed conferences to negotiate their own TV contracts in the mid to late 80s.

How many B10 teams actually won national championships between when we would have joined and the BCS. Look it up, it will shock you.

 

[OH Pete]

We are somewhere between Northwestern and Purdue

Yes. We are today. But the whole premise of the post is what would we have been? How would history be different.

 

[Pitt_Boss]

Yes. We are today. But the whole premise of the post is what would we have been? How would history be different.

We are probably a small notch above Purdue now. So being in the B10 probably would have hurt us over the last 70 years or so in total, we’d be a notch below Purdue most likely. Though now in 2024 we might be better off and going forward.

 

[LeftCoastPanther]

With all the local talent produced from 1950-1999, Pitt would’ve been really good at football. Basketball, too, with the talent in Western PA from 1951-74.

The problem is the leadership to be good in athletics just wasn’t there and would’ve been de-emphasized greatly after the polio vaccine was rolled out.

 

[Pitt79]

Would Pitt have have had its own embarrassing scandal by now?

A scandal is worth it if you win big! I'd love a vacated final 4 or NC! I'd still count it and proudly wear the T shirt and rewatch the video as I flip people off

 

[Pitt79]

With all the local talent produced from 1950-1999, Pitt would’ve been really good at football. Basketball, too, with the talent in Western PA from 1951-74.

The problem is the leadership to be good in athletics just wasn’t there and would’ve been de-emphasized greatly after the polio vaccine was rolled out.

What does the polio vaccine have to do with it? Is it because the egg heads are ashamed to be seen as caring about sports?

 

[WillyDavis33]

What if Jesus fought back?

 

[pittdan77]

What if Jesus fought back?

Whoa

 

[pittdan77]

A scandal is worth it if you win big! I'd love a vacated final 4 or NC! I'd still count it and proudly wear the T shirt and rewatch the video as I flip people off

You're kind of a scumbag if you're cool with any sort of sex abuse if it means your school would win a few more football games. I mean, what the hell?

 

[Pitt79]

You're kind of a scumbag if you're cool with any sort of sex abuse if it means your school would win a few more football games. I mean, what the hell?

I thought you were talking about illegally paying players or faking test scores and grades

 

[forbesfield]

This stuff is pointless. What if Neville Chamberlain had a backbone? What if Dewey had beaten Truman? What if Crosby was never concussed?

 

[Pitt_Boss]

This stuff is pointless. What if Neville Chamberlain had a backbone? What if Dewey had beaten Truman? What if Crosby was never concussed?

What if you never read this thread?

 

[HailToPitt725]

This stuff is pointless. What if Neville Chamberlain had a backbone? What if Dewey had beaten Truman? What if Crosby was never concussed?

It’s the offseason and it’s a Pitt thread. What does it hurt?

 

[forbesfield]

What if you never read this thread?

I'd probably be smarter for it.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

This stuff is pointless. What if Neville Chamberlain had a backbone? What if Dewey had beaten Truman? What if Crosby was never concussed?

Isn't there a science fiction or Marvel show about this concept you describe?

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

I will respectfully disagree.

If Pitt were in the Big 10 during our glory years, what does the program look like?

I would argue Sherrill would have been paid to stay, and that bonehead decisions regarding football would have been dismissed. They likely would have gone to multiple rose bowls and i think attendance would be better if for no other reason than Big 10 Schools travel better than Boston College and Army.

All that said, we likely wouldnt be Ohio State.....but we wouldnt be Purdue.

Well, if we take the what if game one step further....what if Art Rooney's family settled in Pickerington instead of the North Side? The Columbus Steelers would have been a thing, and O$U would have been the middle of the road program and Pitt might have been top dog in the Big 10 without a pro team in the city for competition

 

[Pitt79]

Isn't there a science fiction or Marvel show about this concept you describe?

Have you seen "The Man in the High Castle" it was pretty fun.

 

[Pitt79]

Well, if we take the what if game one step further....what if Art Rooney's family settled in Pickerington instead of the North Side? The Columbus Steelers would have been a thing, and O$U would have been the middle of the road program and Pitt might have been top dog in the Big 10 without a pro team in the city for competition

Well Thank God we got the Steelers and 6 Super Bowls in Pittsburgh!

 

[Pitt_Boss]

What if Pitt kept its campus at Point State Park and then we build our own stadium on the North Shore?

We'd now be 100 years into a tradition of students marching across the bridge to the field on game day!

 

[HailToPitt725]

What if Pitt kept its campus at Point State Park and then we build our own stadium on the North Shore?

We would’ve torn it down and moved off-campus with the Steelers to Oakland.

 

[CrazyPaco]

What if Pitt kept its campus at Point State Park and then we build our own stadium on the North Shore?

We'd now be 100 years into a tradition of students marching across the bridge to the field on game day!

Or Pitt's campus on the North Side which it left in 1908.

Pitt originally played football in Exposition Park, starting in 1890 through 1908. Really, Pitt is back where it started.

Pitt vs WVU, Nov 7, 1908. Pitt won 11-0. Notice the actual gridiron.

 

[Pitt_Boss]

Or Pitt's campus on the North Side which it left in 1908.

Tragic....

 

[Mikefln]

Adding another what if to this. What if Pitt hired Woody Hayes in the 40s? I remember reading about that before.

Being in the Big 10 with the most legendary coach from that conference, with the local talent from back then, I bet there are 2 or 3 NC trophies in the case.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Really the biggest what-if wasn't that far-fetched. What if Sherrill & Myslinski stayed in 1982. At the same time, Pitt spurns Big East and Myslinski negotiates a deal with PSU to get the all-eastern conference formed.

Pitt wins at least two MNC's in the 80's (1982 & 1984). Pitt-PSU game is biggest rivalry game in country, bigger than OSU-Michigan. And the Eastern conference may have been the one raiding the Big 10.

 

[upj87]

When the University of Chicago dropped out of the Big Ten in 1949, Pitt was one of a few schools considered to replace them. Most thought they would receive the invitation, especially since we had placed our athletics under the conference’s supervision in 1939 and MSU faced opposition from Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. In the end, it was Ohio State who pushed for them the hardest and eventually got them accepted.

What does Pitt football look like today had we joined the Big Ten? Do we take football more serious or the same?

gotta think had that happened the North Koreans would have not invaded their Southern brothers and M*A*S*H would have never existed. Pitt's BIG 10 entry not worth it if it meant losing a great Movie/TV series (at least for the first three years) imo....