The PAC 10 expansion groundswell

[U-Ute]

So Hans Olson is reporting Utah is getting a Pac-10 invite today. If that happens the Pac-10 stops at 12 teams. Which means the Big 12 stays intact, and I would expect BYU to get an invite to replace either Colorado or Nebraska if they leave.

Then again, maybe the PAC-10 is letting this slip out to try and force Texas's hand ("get those guys in line, or you miss this opportunity").

Or maybe they only invite four B10 south teams (UT, Ok, Ok St, aTm or TTech).

This stuff is big time negotiating. Fun to watch. Who knows how it will turn out. It'll be kind of disappointing if, after all of the hystrionics, it is just CU+Utah to PAC-10, Nebraska + someone to the B10.

Well, disappointing except for the whole "Utah to the PAC-10" part.

[cowboy]

So Hans Olson is reporting Utah is getting a Pac-10 invite today. If that happens the Pac-10 stops at 12 teams. Which means the Big 12 stays intact, and I would expect BYU to get an invite to replace either Colorado or Nebraska if they leave.

Is BYU really the front runner to go to the Big 12, or are we all just hoping? What about Boise, TCU, or maybe CSU? Or what are the odds that the B-12 just stays at 10?

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Chip Brown's tweet this a.m.:

It looks like Chip is digging in. He was reporting this was a done deal on Wednesday. Now they're all sitting around and going to announce their intention next week? Why the wait?

The fact is, the longer this goes on, the more likely it is that Texas, aTm and OU stick together and keep the Big 12 going. It sounds like Texas is ready to cut all ties to aTm and the legislature may potentially step in and prohibit aTm from going to the SEC. Nevertheless, aTm has also made it clear that it really doesn't want to go to the Pac 10. What this means is you have at least one party involved with the three that matter (OU, Texas and aTm) that is probably vigorously fighting against the move to the Pac 10. Add in the fact that Mack Brown and the Texas AD would rather stay in the Big 12, and this thing is far from over. Oklahoma, if anything, would probably also prefer to just stay in the Big 12 South. So you have one party against the move to the Pac 10, one party divided with only its president for the move, and one party that is more or less ambivalent and is allied with Texas.

[Blueintheface]

Is BYU really the front runner to go to the Big 12, or are we all just hoping? What about Boise, TCU, or maybe CSU? Or what are the odds that the B-12 just stays at 10?

Most of the BYU to the Big XII info I've read has been on Big XII message boards with a smattering of national articles but I don't sense it's any more certaint than any of the other schools you've mentioned with the exception of CSU. I don't see how CSU even enters the discussion.

[Moliere]

Look, i could be wrong, but I JUST DON'T SEE Texas and A&M going to the Pac10 for two reasons:

1) A&M and UT are going to stay in the same league
2) A&M is NOT going to want to go to the Pac10. Those guys in College Station are about as like-minded with you west coast pansies as BYU is.

Texas is going to get rid of Nebraska, which is a huge victory for UT.

My money is on BYU at a minimum getting invited to the Big 12 to fill in for Colorado ("Utah who? Is that some kinda gawldamn community college?") and then it's just a matter if Utah gets a Pac 10 invite.

Another possibility is TCU & BYU to the Big 12. F$ck the Utes.

But bigger picture, we finally got rid of Colorado (sucks) and Nebraska is leaving. This is Texas' league now and they sure as hell ain't going to bolt for the grab-ass Pac10

Point #1 is hogwash. aTm is not at all tied to UT and if aTm got an SEC invite they would take it in a heartbeat even if UT was not invited.

Point #2 is so true. aTm is probably more conservative than BYU, if that is possible.

[Clark Addison]

Is BYU really the front runner to go to the Big 12, or are we all just hoping? What about Boise, TCU, or maybe CSU? Or what are the odds that the B-12 just stays at 10?

I think it would be real cool if by the end of all of this the Big 10 had 12 teams and the Big 12 had 10 teams.

[cowboy]

Most of the BYU to the Big XII info I've read has been on Big XII message boards with a smattering of national articles but I don't sense it's any more certaint than any of the other schools you've mentioned with the exception of CSU. I don't see how CSU even enters the discussion.

CSU, Air Force, any school that helps hold the Denver market. Another question is what happens if the PAC 10 takes KU over Utah? Does Utah then become the front-runner for the Big 12?

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Is BYU really the front runner to go to the Big 12, or are we all just hoping? What about Boise, TCU, or maybe CSU? Or what are the odds that the B-12 just stays at 10?

If Notre Dame implodes the whole thing and joins the Big 10, Nebraska will likely be forced to stay in the Big 12. With the Big 12 losing only CU, replacing CU with BYU would be an athletic and viewership upgrade. CU was drawing 43k fans last season to their games. The current state of their athletic program is more akin to something in the Mountain West, rather than the Big 12. The guys down in Texas and Oklahoma would probably be giving themselves modest high fives if they could come out of this keeping the Big 12 intact except having shed CU and gained BYU. I also think Utah would be an upgrade over CU.

Denver's a nice market, but I'm not sure how much CU dominates it anyway. BYU delivers most of Utah and a significant portion of the mormons throughout the US.

[SeattleUte]

It looks like Chip is digging in. He was reporting this was a done deal on Wednesday. Now they're all sitting around and going to announce their intention next week? Why the wait?

The fact is, the longer this goes on, the more likely it is that Texas, aTm and OU stick together and keep the Big 12 going. It sounds like Texas is ready to cut all ties to aTm and the legislature may potentially step in and prohibit aTm from going to the SEC. Nevertheless, aTm has also made it clear that it really doesn't want to go to the Pac 10. What this means is you have at least one party involved with the three that matter (OU, Texas and aTm) that is probably vigorously fighting against the move to the Pac 10. Add in the fact that Mack Brown and the Texas AD would rather stay in the Big 12, and this thing is far from over. Oklahoma, if anything, would probably also prefer to just stay in the Big 12 South. So you have one party against the move to the Pac 10, one party divided with only its president for the move, and one party that is more or less ambivalent and is allied with Texas.

This was all very foreseeable.

Isn't the root of the problem is the B12's buyer's remorse with ESPN and the like? The Pac's advantage is the contract is up for renegotiation. If the B12 can renegotiate their TV contract then the problem is fixed. Where does ESPN come down on the B12 blowing up? If ESPN would rather the B12 remain alive, I've got to think if they went to ESPN and said, "We're going to blow ourselves up unless you renegotiate our deal" that might get the network's attention.

[LA Ute]

If posted already I apologize - who can keep track anymore? From ESPN insider:

According to a report on the Waco Tribune's website, the much anticipated talks between officials of Texas and Texas A&M, which were supposed to get both sides on the same page moving forward, have stalled, with no agreement reached.

A source tells the Tribune that UT president William Powers wants to move to the Pac-10, while coach Mack Brown prefers to remain in the depleted Big 12. Meanwhile, Texas A&M's first choice is also to remain in the Big 12, with its second choice being the SEC.

Interesting. There is one school of thought floating around that joining the Big Ten would be a compromise choice for the two schools, and this disagreement plays right into that theory. However, it sounds as if a better alternative would be to stay in the Big 12, perhaps adding two schools out of the TCU-SMU-BYU-Air Force quartet.

Regardless, talk of the Pac-16 now appears to be quite premature.

Interesting, and possibly good news for the Cougars. It's notable that Utah isn't mentioned in the "quartet," perhaps because of the PA interest? Anyway, Utah in the PAC and BYU in the Big 12 would be pretty cool, IMO.

[WashingtonCoug]

It looks like Chip is digging in. He was reporting this was a done deal on Wednesday. Now they're all sitting around and going to announce their intention next week? Why the wait?

The fact is, the longer this goes on, the more likely it is that Texas, aTm and OU stick together and keep the Big 12 going. It sounds like Texas is ready to cut all ties to aTm and the legislature may potentially step in and prohibit aTm from going to the SEC. Nevertheless, aTm has also made it clear that it really doesn't want to go to the Pac 10. What this means is you have at least one party involved with the three that matter (OU, Texas and aTm) that is probably vigorously fighting against the move to the Pac 10. Add in the fact that Mack Brown and the Texas AD would rather stay in the Big 12, and this thing is far from over. Oklahoma, if anything, would probably also prefer to just stay in the Big 12 South. So you have one party against the move to the Pac 10, one party divided with only its president for the move, and one party that is more or less ambivalent and is allied with Texas.

I'm starting to think either Chip is being used by Texas and knows it or someone at Texas is using him without Chip knowing. Texas is trying to negotiate deal by putting out information about moving to the PAC-10. I don't think Texas is going to move anywhere. This is just a bunch of posturing to somehow get more money.

The best scenario for BYU at this point is that A&M moves to the SEC and Nebraska goes to the Big 10. BYU and TCU then take those two open spots. I think Utah is gone to the PAC-10.

[Viking]

If posted already I apologize - who can keep track anymore? From ESPN insider:



Interesting, and possibly good news for the Cougars. It's notable that Utah isn't mentioned in the "quartet," perhaps because of the PA interest? Anyway, Utah in the PAC and BYU in the Big 12 would be pretty cool, IMO.

LA, my perspective as a Texan is that the Texas schools and Texans in general have a very healthy amount of respect for BYU as an institution and as a football program.

Mormons, yes, but salt of the earth kind of people. Plus, BYU beat OU last year in Big D, has beaten Texas before and has gone 1-1 against the hillbillies in College Station.

No offense to Utah, but it just doesn't have the rep in Texas.

I still say that UT and A&M in the Pac 10 is a long shot. There are higher odds of the MWC unravelling than the big Pac 16 move...

Utah goes to Pac 10, BYU & TCU to Big 12. I thought Utah to Big 12 at first but the more i think about it, TCU is much more of an obvious choice. That would be a helluva conference

[Viking]

I'm starting to think either Chip is being used by Texas and knows it or someone at Texas is using him without Chip knowing. Texas is trying to negotiate deal by putting out information about moving to the PAC-10. I don't think Texas is going to move anywhere. This is just a bunch of posturing to somehow get more money.

The best scenario for BYU at this point is that A&M moves to the SEC and Nebraska goes to the Big 10. BYU and TCU then take those two open spots. I think Utah is gone to the PAC-10.

If Nebraska goes, which will happen, there are already two open slots.

RIP, MWC

[Hot Lunch]

This was all very foreseeable.

Isn't the root of the problem is the B12's buyer's remorse with ESPN and the like? The Pac's advantage is the contract is up for renegotiation. If the B12 can renegotiate their TV contract then the problem is fixed. Where does ESPN come down on the B12 blowing up? If ESPN would rather the B12 remain alive, I've got to think if they went to ESPN and said, "We're going to blow ourselves up unless you renegotiate our deal" that might get the network's attention.

The Big 12 t.v. Contract is with Fox isn't it?

[USUC]

If Texas is dead set on going to the PAC-10 but Texas A&M decides to go to the SEC, Baylor will get the 5th invite to take A&M's place. Baylor does have a fair amount of pull in this case. If not Baylor then Missouri hops on board to take A&Ms place. If Missouri falls through only then do I see Utah being a replacement for the A&M as the final team into the PAC-16. Utah's best chance is to hope the PAC-10 only goes to 12. I still think that scenario is pretty likely.