Sports

Rutgers could leave Big East, following Maryland to Big Ten: report

If the University of Maryland goes to the Big Ten, Rutgers could follow suit.

Maryland is in negotiations to jump ship from the ACC to the Big Ten, according to an ESPN.com report, and if the Terrapins make the move Rutgers will be right behind them, leaving the Big East. The Big Ten is heading toward new TV rights negotiations when its contract expires in 2017.

No date has been set for an announcement, though it could come Monday.

If both schools leave their conferences, it would open the door for Connecticut to move to the ACC, further depleting the ravaged Big East. Rutgers would be the ninth conference member to leave since 2004. Six of those have come in the last year: Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Notre Dame to the ACC; TCU and West Virginia to the Big 12 and now potentially Rutgers to the Big Ten.

The buyout to leave the Big East is $10 million if the school gives 27 months notice. But the conference has allowed West Virginia, Pitt and Syracuse to leave without honoring that stipulation because they paid a higher exit fee.