Is Oklahoma the key to the CFB expansion domino game ???
I have been saying for several weeks now the University of Texas is the key to the entire domino expansion theory.
Just maybe the Horns have a master … maybe …
What Texas decides to do will determine the pathes taken by the Big XII, the Pac-10, the SEC, the MWC, and to a lesser degree the BE, ACC, and Big Ten.
Gee … just about every one.
1A on the list is Notre Dame.
Let’s look at it. TWO major trial balloons were floated THIS WEEK.
1. The Big Ten is strongly looking at expansion to 16 teams in this move and those five teams would be Nebraska, Missouri, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Pitt or UConn, take your pick. This is essence them saying to ND we DO NOT believe you will EVER be serious about joining the Big Ten so we are moving on sans the Irish.
2. The Big East football coaches openingly said THEY WANT they Big East to give an ultimatum to ND to either play football in the BE and become a full-fledged member or get out all together. They do this as the near final act of a dying conference … trying to push ND (there would be orgasms a plenty if ND accepted the BE threat and joined fulltime) into the waiting arms of the Big Ten thinking the BTN folks who will divy up the moolah will show the Big Ten schools that 12 WITH ND divided up is greater than 16 divided up WITHOUT Notre Dame. If the BE loses three schools to the Big Ten the BE is on life support … and I firmly beleive TCU and Houston and a move west and south will be directly in its crosshairs. There is just NOT anyone left of stature in the east for the BE to carry on as an AQ conference.
So we will find out how cocky ND is.
Now, for Texas …
What UT decides to do is control most of the dominoes … the SEC brings MUCH better competition in a week to week basis PLUS a little different style of FB in the SEC … you see, they play DEFENSE in the SEC with average offenses … the Big XII has great offenses and average defenses …. sorta like the Pac-10. Texas would not rule the roost in the SEC-16 with schools such as Alabama, Florida, UGA, Tennessee, and LSU. Only USC would be on the level of UT in the Pac-16.
The Texas folks will obviously feel out the OU leadership to get their feeling on the matter. The last thing Texas wants is to decide to defend Big XII Country and have OU and OSU bolt for other pastures. If the Big XII loses CU, Neb, and Mizzou they need three schools … and those can easily be found between the MWC and CUSA.
Texas grossed 138 million dollars with its athletic programs in 2008-09. They GAVE 50 mil to the academic side. Losing Nebraska hurts the Big XII a bit … Mizzou and CU not so much. But if OU decides to go … well … you might say Boomer Sooner as Bevo by the cojones.
Can you say better split of TV revenues … AND membership in the Big 12 North ???
And we are just warming up ….
