NCAA Conference Landscape

During the last few weeks, we thought the landscape of college sports, especially NCAA football, was changing bigger than ever before right before our eyes.  But all the speculation of super-conferences is over now - for now. 

The Big 12

The Big 12 lost two universities in the last few week when Colorado jumped ship to the Pac 10 and Nebraska defected to the Big 10. The only thing that held the Big 12 together was the University of Texas. There decision to stay convinced the other teams being recruited (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Texas A&M) to stay as well.

Conference Names

So, as of now, the Big 12 has 10 teams and the Big 10 has twelve teams. Its a little confusing, but the Big 10 has been playing with 11 teams since Penn State joined in what seems like ages ago.

The Pac 10 currently has 11 teams, but is looking to add Utah as the 12th team. It is hard to believe that Utah will turn the invitation down since they have been snubbed by the BCS quite a few times this past decade. Moving to a BCS conference will only give more creditability to one of the most powerful and successful non-BCS teams since the BCS was formed.

College Football Playoff

Well before the inception of the BCS, the talk about a playoff system in the NCAA Football has run rampant. Those screaming in the past have only raised the volume since the BCS started and teams that have had perfect seasons in non-BCS conferences such as Utah and Boise State have been passed over to play for the National Title. But we might be seeing the beginning of the end of the unscrupulous college football championship game. If a couple of senators could have their way, it would be in a form of a playoff system. But money is the real culprit of the lack of a playoff system, and it seems that is driving college football into a new era.

College Football Playoffs

There is an bipartisan march against the BCS in the Senate these days. Senators Max Baucus (D-Montana) and Orin Hatch (R-Utah) have been leading a crusade against the BSC and sent a letter to BCS Executive Directory Bill Hancock in March expressing their concerns with the BCS system.

Hancock replied that it is none of their concern and that "decisions about college football should be made by university presidents, athletic directors, coaches and conference commissioners rather than by members of Congress."

Baucus and Hatch were not satisfied with the rhetoric contained in the reply and fired back. Congress might not be the appropriate place to decide the playoff system, but not answering questions and metaphorically flipping the bird to Senators will rarely appease them to stop pursuing their agenda.

Mega Conferences

The Pac 10 has given Commissioner Larry Scott approval to pursue expansion. Reports are that he is looking at six teams from the Big 12. Reports also state that the Big 10 is looking at two teams from the Big 12.

Expansion is mainly due to money and television networks. The Big 10 has their own network and illustrated the profitability of it. Now other conferences want in. Money is the only motivator for college football conferences. This greed could lead to the formation of mega BCS conferences by dissolving and swallowing up lesser conference. Though I would have expected non-BSC conferences to have been the first to be swallowed up, it seems the Big 12 will be instead.

Mega conferences could be a second plan to appease everyone bu making all of the teams part of BSC conferences. Though it isn't a playoff system, it will be a less bias system and level the playing field a little bit.