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.

University of Texas Football

The Entire Big 12 hinged on its decision.  What ever the University of Texas decided the other four teams that were being recruited by the Pac 10 would follow.  The University of Texas made its decision and the Big 12 will survive the siege from two other conferences. 

Texas Stays in the Big 12

The University of Texas made its decision after discussing options with the Big 12 commissioner. The Big 12 is promising all teams revenue from a Big 12 television network. To top it off, the University of Texas will be able to earn more from a network of its own. This is something that the Pac 10 could not offer.

Big 12 Championship

Now that the conference only has 10 teams, NCAA rules does not allow for a conference championship game. If you talk to the coaches of the remaining schools, they don't care. In fact they are happy that the championship game is gone. They all look at the game as a way to be excluded from the BCS Championship Game. If either team is ranked number one or two in the BCS rankings and lose, their shot for a National Championship is also lost, which is loss revenue for the team and university.

The Big 12 to Stay?

The past week has been crazy in the college conference landscape.  Colorado jumped from the Big 12 to the Pac 10 and Nebraska defected to the Big 10.  There were reports that another five universities from the Big 12 were ready to move, but that might not be true.

Texas Rescues the Big 12

Reports today are that the University of Texas is willing to sit down with the remaining 9 universities currently in the Big 12 and discuss the future. The Big 12 is offering a television deal that the Pac 10 isn't and would allow Texas to have their own network bringing in millions to the university. According to sources close to the other schools, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are going where ever Texas goes.

Texas A&M

The other wild horse in the Big 12 is Texas A&M. When reports came out that they were invited to join the Pac 10, A&M said they were considering a move to the SEC. Time will tell if this will change if the Big 12 doesn't dissolve.

Big 12 Conference Dissolving

There is has been much talk in recent months about conference expansion and how it will affect the college conference landscape.  The first casualty of expansion seems to be the Big 12.  As of today, they have lost two teams, and it is expected more will follow. 

Nebraska Cornhuskers

It was reported yesterday that the University of Nebraska will be moving to the Big 10, which would make them the 12th team in that conference. An unnamed coach in the Big 12 stated that this will mark the beginning of the end of the Big 12 and it will dissolve when Nebraska leaves. Official word of the defection is expected at a new conference Friday.

University of Colorado

The Big 12 is getting picked from the left and the right. It was reported this morning that the University of Colorado has accepted an invitation from the Pac-10 to join their conference as the 11th team. Official word is expected tomorrow at a press conference, but it could come as early as today. The Pac-10 is expected to try to grow to a super conference add 5 more Big 12 teams such as Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State.

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.

Pac 10 Expansion

There has been reports over the last few months about a couple college conferences expanding in the next couple years.  It seems that the NCAA conference landscape could change rather significantly.  Though most people would like to see a playoff system in collegiate football, having six or seven conferences of 16 teams would negate the disenfranchised feeling the non-BCS conference have in competing for the National Title.  It might not be the best plan, but it is definitely Plan B. 

PAC 10 Conference Expansion

The Pac 10 commissioner Larry Scott was granted full power to pursue expansion of the conference. It is believed that the Pac 10 is looking to add 6 teams. Reports have suggested that Colorado, Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and the University of Oklahoma will all be invited to join.

Big 10

The Big 10 hasn't had 10 teams since Penn State joined the conference to make it 11. The last couple of months have been filled with reports of the Big 10 looking to expanding and inviting Nebraska, Missouri, Rutgers and Notre Dame. The Big 12 has given Nebraska and Missouri until Friday, June 11 to tell them there intentions of leaving the conference.

The Big 10 has not officially announce whether they are expanding or what schools they are pursuing yet. They might not have made their official statement, but it sure seems official enough for the Big 12.