Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta spoke to the media moments before the announcement of Iowa’s 2010 Athletics Hall of Fame class Friday, repeatedly emphasizing that Nebraska fit the four “parameters” that the Big Ten conference was focused on.

Academically, athletically, culturally, and financially, Barta said the Big Ten found an institution in Nebraska that “fits all of those and makes sense.”

Barta said he thinks Nebraska is a “natural rival” for Iowa, athletically, adding that both school’s fans would be able to drive easily from Iowa City to Lincoln, and vice versa.

“I think it’s going to be a terrific rivalry,” Barta said. “We get sort of a win-win. Not only are they a great addition to the conference, but they’re a great rivalry automatically for our fans, and for our student-athletes.”

Barta also said he anticipates Iowa continuing to play Iowa State in a yearly non-conference football game unless something changed in the makeup of conference scheduling.

However, Barta added that he and Iowa State Athletics Director Jamie Pollard have a plan that would allow allow for the voiding of the contract between the two schools  if something interfered with the scheduling of the annual rivalry game.

“Both Jamie and I did put a contingency in the last contract that we put together that said if something occurs that doesn’t allow us to play it like this anymore, then there is a way we can deal with that,” Barta said. “We weren’t being prophetic. We were making a good business decision when we put a contract together.”

The Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors (COP/C) announced unanimous approval Friday for The University of Nebraska-Lincoln to join the conference, effective July 1, 2011.

Nebraska will compete in the Big Ten beginning with the 2011-12 academic year.

Look for additional coverage of Nebraska joining the Big Ten in the pages of next week’s Daily Iowan.

— by Jordan Garretson