WestWYOPoke said:
Interesting article. Possible but I don't know if I see it happening. In order to expand, all Pac-10 institutions must agree to the additions which makes it difficult enough. While Utah makes some sense, the addition of Colorado makes no sense to me. It would seem Boise State would be a better geographic add unless they are concerned about their bball squad, but the way the PAC-10 is looking on the court this year they don't have room to talk. Here's how I see the restructure to happen (if it does).
Big Ten adds Pitt to go to 12. Some discussion of adding 3 to get to 14 (Missouri, Rutgers, ???) I don't think so, doesn't make as much sense as 12.
Big East in order to keep 8 football schools adds Memphis (Good for Big East basketball, not so much for football). Without Pitt Big East should NOT be in the BCS.
IF PAC-10 adds, they add Utah and Boise State.
This leaves the Mountain West with 8, may stay at 8 or look at adding Nevada and/or Fresno State.
This is all just guess work, the only move I really see happening in the next year or two is Big Ten adding Pitt (and subsequent Big East reshuffle). Anyone else have any thoughts?
I had this coversation with U-Texas and A&M fans a few months ago...
I think that The Big 10 adds Mizzou. Mizzou is a perfect fit for that conference, in that Mizzou is the flagship school of the state, just like many other schools in the Big 10. Adding Pitt doesn't add any new markets, as Penn St. owns most of PA.
The big 12 is now looking for another member. According to the fans there, they don't want TCU. Another Texas school won't be voted in by the current Texas members because it would give the current texas schools more competition for players, and the non-texas schools don't want more power in that state. It'll be either, WYO, CSU, or UNM. Since I am a CSU fan, of course I think CSU makes the most sense, since we're natural travel partners with CU for all non-revenue sports.
As a result the Pac 10 feels pressure to add another two teams for a title game. They'll try for Colorado and Texas first, but won't get either. Colorado won't go because of the rivalries in the big 12, and that the Big 12 is a better football conference. This moves the look for the Pac-10 to some combination of BYU, Boise, Utah first and a remote chance of UNM, CSU, WYO, Nevada. I would bet that Utah and Boise go to the Pac-10.
This leaves The MWC with TCU, WYO, UNM, AFA, UNLV, and SDSU. I think that the MWC would add Fresno, Nevada, Houston, and SMU to go to a solid 10 team league. Of course this destroys the WAC and Conf. USA, but who cares.
