Over the years, football coaches have voiced concerns about the Big Ten being at a disadvantage for having 11 teams and not being large enough to demand a Big Ten championship game. This week, Gophers head coach Tim Brewster addressed these concerns for a New York sports website, implying that Rutgers should join the Big Ten. Penn State head coach Joe Paterno said a 12th team would help create a level playing field and help ensure that voters do not forget the Big Ten when they make decisions for bowl games. Under the current system, some conferences have games two weeks after the Big Ten season ends, thus having a chance to impact voters by winning a big game. The article mentions other schools as candidates for a 12th team, including Pittsburgh and Syracuse, who the Gophers play Sep. 5. Brewster told the reporter he would prefer to see Rutgers join the Big Ten because it would help tap the New York area market. It may be difficult to see any Big East team make the jump because the conference only has eight football teams, which already forces teams to play a number of non-conference opponents. Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese said he isn’t worried about the possibility of Rutgers switching conferences, but Paterno, Brewster and other coaches are likely to continue to push for a 12th squad.