College Football is back! And, not to be overshadowed by the drama generated by the NFL lockout spring and summer events we're watching the consolidation, crumbling, maneuvering and posturing of what appears to be a significant realignment.
Last year the PAC 10, er 12, solicited big names to become possibly the PAC 16. The got some takers and the Big 12 with parallel six-team divisions and a series of significant rivalries began to crumble. Last year both Nebraska and Colorado walked out the door.
OK, a conference can make do with 10 good teams and we'll just look the other way when it comes to counting how many there are in the "12". Most of the players can't count that high anyway. But this week Texas A & M said bye-bye. The confrontation with the Texas Longhorns that had gone on for 112 years would end in 2012.
So, how do you work a nine-team Big 12? Logically they go shopping for a heavy-hitter to bring into the rotation. The logical choice, at least to me, seemed to be TCU; undefeated for 25 straight regular season games, Rose Bowl champs last year, and a Texas fixture as well.
But why would they want to leave the Mountain West to join a crumbling conference? Besides, they already accepted a bid to join the Big East for 2012. And that was before humble Baylor taught them a lesson in pass defense last night. The string is over, the king is dead, the Bears roared.
Then who is left? Would Notre Dame leave the embracing arms of Football Jesus to swelter in Texas heat? I don't think so. Maybe BYU? The glory days of Lavelle Edwards ended and BYU has become just another bunch of ersatz missionaries looking for redemption. I don't think Texas would like playing at BYU altitudes either.
Things got a whole lot worse this morning though. The Fishwrapper indicated that Oklahoma is looking to bail-out Sooner rather than later. And if the Sooners give up on the Red River Rivalry fest it appears that the OK State Cowboys are going to follow down the mooring line off the sinking ship. If the PAC-many conference still has an open door they've got a couple of folks knocking.
Who is left holding the bag of Longhorn droppings? Apparently ESPN with their nascent Longhorn Network which now apparently would have the cornerstone team with few conspicuously exciting opponents.
More to come on the breaking news soon.
2 comments:
As a hedge, they could just rename as The Big Several.
Could someone explain all this college football stuff to me, I dont understand Big-this and Pac-that and colleges quitting said groupings seems really odd to me, like Pittsbugh Steelers deciding they will be NFC this year instead of AFC... I really don't understand.
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