If/when ND comes aboard (and I believe they eventually will) the school tied to this addition is Stanford. ND has bad blood with the B1G but it cares about Stanford and being in a conference with them matters. It’s a carrot the B1G can use to lure them in.

If ND says no not now then ND (and Stanford) are on hold. UO and UW are added. B1G takes that package to the negotiating table for their next TV contract. They kick the ND can down the road.

If ND says yes then Stanford, UO and UW are added. B1G takes that package to the negotiating table for their next TV contract. Their conference becomes and the B20 and stays there forever (or until the next round of expansion).

4 best schools in the west and Stanford make that 5-school pod workable for travel and allows the B1G to dominate CA recruiting. The genius of this move is now truly manifest

What does everyone else do?

SEC eventually picks off the best of the ACC and creates the best “football” conference. Likely FSU, Clemson, UNC, NC State. They continue to win all the national championships outside of Ohio State.

The B12 takes a modest foothold in the Mountain region taking ASU and Colorado. They take the best of the rest from the ACC with Miami, Louisville, VaTech and Pitt.

There are now 3 conferences left in college football, but it’s a P2+1. At the end of the day the B12 survives. It doesn’t make as much money as the B1G, but fans soon realize that doesn’t really matter to them. It’s filled with schools that love football and the new BigXX does it’s fair share of winning football in the new college football landscape.

The end.