NEW YORK – The Big Ten’s guideline for conference expansion is “inactive, but alert.”

The league unexpectedly transformed the landscape of major college sports again last month when it announced Rutgers and Maryland would be joining. As usual with conference realignment, the move triggered others and speculation more could be coming.

“I would describe our position as being inactive, but alert,” Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said Thursday after he appeared on a panel with Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive and Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco. The discussion at the IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum was sponsored by SportsBusiness Journal.