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.

Kevin Warren discusses the future of the Big Ten. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

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.

Will the Big Ten add more teams? (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

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.