The 21st century could've been quite different in the Big Ten.
Just prior to the start of the new millennium, commissioner Jim Delany approached the University of Notre Dame with an invitation to join his tradition-laden league, formalizing geographic rivalries with a number of the conference's member schools. The offer was the second in five years, but the Fighting Irish alumni and trustees took the offer seriously.
According to the New York Times, however, the decision to decline yet again was still an easy one:
Last year, when the Big Ten came calling again, Notre Dame said it would study the pluses and minuses.