Conference Expansion Update

The scene above pretty much captures the current climate in college football. Jim Delandy is Josey Wales and Mike Slive is the Chief Lone Watie. The problem is Larry Scott, DeLoss Dodd and John Swofford are all under the misconception that they can win this gun fight.

Delany fired first last year, and Slive fired second. Now, we're waiting.

Lone Watie: "How did you know which one was goin' to shoot first?"

Josey Wales: Well, that one in the center: he had a flap holster and he was in no itchin' hurry. And the one second from the left: he had scared eyes, he wasn't gonna do nothin'. But that one on the far left: he had crazy eyes. Figured him to make the first move.

Now we wait and the end game is still for Delany and the Big Ten to smoke out Notre Dame, but that's going to require obliterating the Big 12 and the Big East as we know it today.

So...here's the latest as of yesterday / this morning:

• FSU - The Palm Beach Post is reporting that the Noles have created a committee to evaluate the situation regardless of whether or not they join the SEC or the ACC expands, they want to be ready to draw down. They are the guy with the flap holster in no itching hurry.
  
  
• Oklahoma - They're leaving. No they aren't. Yes, they are. Blah, blah, blah. They are the guy with crazy eyes. The Oklahoma press is already looking at what their schedule would be like in the PAC-SIZETBD.
  
  
• Oklahoma State - They are the guy with with scared eyes. They're going where OU goes and have zero control over their own fate.
  
  
• Missouri - I have to imagine that Arkansas is behind all the Missouri rumors. Arkansas would be so well positioned if we added neighbor/rivals in TAMU and Mizzou. It would open the St. Louis recruiting market for the Hawgs, and fuel ticket sales and contributions to new heights. Still Mizzou wants the B10 invite more than the SEC, but they will take what they can get. Their regents met earlier this week to talk realignment.
  
  
• Texas - The Horns have lots of options, but none are perfect. They can stick in the Big 12 by replacing OU and OkSU with some combination of Louisville, Cincy, Pitt, Houston and Memphis should the Big East collapse. Or they can move to the Pac 12 or Big 10 and relinquish the Longhorn Network. Or they can move to the ACC, keep the Longhorn Network and have zero natural rivalries. Being independent isn't a real option.
  
  
• Kansas - and out in Kansas, they live in a world without gravity or clear thought as the KC Star reports that Notre Dame would be a great addition to the Big 12 as they have a great fan following, but the success on the field of an Iowa State.

Like everyone else, I really don't know what Slive is cooking up for the 14th team. If it were me, I would go balls to the wall for Va Tech. They expand the conference footprint and put everything else in play. Their departure forces the ACC to expand at the expense of the Big 12 or Big East and put the whole board into motion. That type of movement could unlock opportunities for Teams 15 and 16 in the SEC to include FSU, Clemson or even UVA.

The big thing that's becoming apparent to me is that teams are going to be added to leagues 1 or 2 at a time. This means the 15th and 16th members of some of these leagues will be very, very odd bed fellows.

PWD

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