Kevin Warren Makes Blunt Comments On Further Big Ten Expansion

The Big Ten isn't in a rush to add more teams.

The B1G will expand to 16 teams in 2024 when USC and UCLA officially join the conference, and there's been a lot of speculation that several more teams could follow.

However, it now sounds like B1G commissioner Kevin Warren is tapping the brakes on any more expansion in the immediate future.

The Big Ten isn't rushing expansion.

The B1G commissioner told Michael DeCourcy the conference is not currently "aggressively" pursuing expansion, but that there could be a "natural evolution to 18 or 20 teams.

How long will it take? Warren claimed he doesn't know if it will happen in a year or in seven years.

These are the bluntest comments Warren has made about the conference's plans for more expansion. Just the other day, he indicated the Big Ten would look at all options, but didn't give a timeline.

Now, he's made it clear the B1G isn't "aggressively" searching for more programs to add to the team.

At the same time, Warren is still leaving the door open for expansion possibly happening within the next few years.

As Kevin Warren said, he simply doesn't know if it'll happen under a year or in seven years. All we know now is the conference isn't "aggressively" looking for more teams.

That's the important part. It doesn't mean expansion for the Big Ten won't happen. It's just not on the front burner in Warren's eyes.

Where will the Big Ten go once further expansion eventually does happen? The top candidates likely remain Oregon, Washington, Stanford and Cal. From there, it's anybody's best guess. The good news is the conference apparently has a few years to figure it out.

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David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.