The Rest of College Football

[Dr. Strangelove]

Rice band spells out "$EC" during their halftime show in Texas' stadium...love it

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2011/rice-band-spells-sec-texas/

[lineygoblue]

the Big Ten has probably got to respond. What would be the best move? Add Pitt and ND?

I think ND will be among the last to finally drop into a conference. And, they won't go to a conference where they have to go eyeball-to-eyeball with the competition, unless some special favors are extended their way. Otherwise, they'll drop into a conference that they feel they can dominate. Not sure which one that will be. Maybe if the ACC or Big East survive ...

As far as Big 10 expansion, I'd like to see the Big Ten go after Mizzou and Pitt, if only for geographic purposes. Pitt brings a couple natural rivalries with OLieO and Paterno State, and Mizzou would bring a bit of a carryover rivalry with Nebraska, and would probably build a rivalry with teams like Illinois and Iowa.

I still hold out hope that one day the Big Ten will go to geographic divisions of East and West.

[iam416]

Will Oregon ever get the "can't win the big one" tag? I mean, we all know Ohio State had it after a mere two losses (and lots of other BCS Bowl WINS!). But Oregon has even won a BCS Bowl since Harrington? Their "high powered" offense has been owned by Boise, Ohio State, Auburn and LSU in the past 2+ seasons. Will they ever lose the glitz, glamour and love of the media? I have 10 shares of Nike stock that says no chance in hell.

[WM Wolverine]

You won't ever see the 3 biggest draws (Mich, OSU & PSU) all in one division.

[entropy]

The latest from Izvestiya for DeLoss Dodds.

Chip Brown
Orangebloods.com Columnist

Legislators and statewide office holders have swung into high-pressure mode to get Texas president Bill Powers and athletic director DeLoss Dodds to slow down any decision that might involve the Longhorns joining the Pac-12, multiple sources said Sunday.

With reports surfacing that Oklahoma is all but ready to commit to the Pac-12, Texas lawmakers are so concerned about the Longhorns possibly following suit that a full-court press is being made to slow things down by elected officials and corporate CEOs with influence, sources said.

"We don't want any hasty decision being made that hasn't been well thought out," one lawmaker told Orangebloods.com on Sunday.

Sources said the reason lawmakers are hot is that they received assurances from the Big 12, including Powers, that the Big 12 would survive without Texas A&M.

And because of those assurances, lawmakers did not take an aggressive stand against Texas A&M withdrawing from the Big 12. But that may be changing.

Sources said members of the Legislature are or will be reaching out to Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin to tell him the Aggies may no longer have the blessing of lawmakers to leave the Big 12, especially if it looks like the Big 12 will collapse.

According to sources close to Texas A&M, there is expected to be more movement involving the Aggies and the Southeastern Conference Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.

Sources say statewide office holders such as lieutenant governor David Dewhurst and Texas House Speaker Joe Straus haven't been active on realignment up to this point but now are getting involved.

A source in the Big 12 says there is also an increasing likelihood of litigation against the Southeastern Conference as well as the Pac-12 if the Big 12 comes apart.

In other words, it's about to get messy.

Orangebloods.com reported Friday night that Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe held an emergency conference call Friday afternoon with Big 12 presidents - excluding OU's David Boren, UT's Bill Powers and A&M's Bowen Loftin. The purpose of the call, sources said, was to get the rest of the Big 12 to "work on Texas" and keep the Longhorns in the league.

It's Beebe's belief that Oklahoma wouldn't be accepted into the Pac-12 without Texas, sources said. But sources have told Orangebloods.com Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott would take OU and Oklahoma State with or without Texas.

The question then becomes would OU go to the Pac-12 without Texas?

There is wide belief among those involved in this situation that OU needs the Texas rivalry and the ability to keep playing games in the state of Texas for recruiting purposes so much that it would forego the Pac-12 if Texas decided to stay in the Big 12.

But reports out of Oklahoma the past two days have said OU is totally focused on the Pac-12 and may be ready to commit.

A source close to Texas told Orangebloods.com Friday night that Texas is "leaning" toward the Pac-12 if Oklahoma would make such a move.

That source said Sunday the percentages of Texas joining OU in a move to the Pac-12 "are increasing. But a lot can change in seven or eight days."

Those things that could influence Texas' thought process are the pressure from lawmakers to hold the Big 12 together; ESPN's influence on the situation as the Tier 1 rights holder in the Big 12 and as the owner/operator of the Longhorn Network; and perhaps the appeal of another conference, the Texas source said.

A Texas source and an industry source say the Longhorn Network can be reworked to accommodate the Pac-12 and is not an obstacle for Texas to join that league. But sources say Texas has not indicated to ESPN that it plans to change conferences.

Legislative sources say Texas is telling them if Oklahoma leaves for the Pac-12, the Big 12 is dead and the Longhorns' best option would be to go with OU and join the Pac-12. Those legislative forces, however, are telling Texas to tell Oklahoma to slow down.

The pressure is mounting everywhere in this latest round of college realignment.

Stay tuned.

[entropy]

that article tells me the Aggies better leave quickly

[entropy]

http://sports.omaha.com/2011/09/05/bevo-bailout-why-texas-and-espn-should-run-to-the-pac-16/


another great article by Sam out of the OWH

[iam416]

Missouri is about to be begging for an SEC invite.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Anything Chip Brown reports is suspect. He's little more than a University of Texas propaganda mouthpiece.

The Texas legislature isn't even in session right now and won't be again until 2013. The Governor is allowed to call for a special session but Perry is an A&M grad. Is he going to call a session to prevent A&M from leaving? Doubt it

[Dr. Strangelove]

BTW, another new rumor I heard today from some guy with Big12 connections: The B1G is looking at Pitt and West Virginia. I find that a stretch to say the least but hey, if the Pac12 is seriously considering the likes of Texas Tech...why not?

[amaizenblue]

Oregon loved by the media? You've got to be effing kidding me.

[WM Wolverine]

Any rumor about WV joining the B10 is bogus. They are miles away from meeting academic standards...

A rumor with some legs is that OU & OSU have pretty much agreed to join the Pac 12 together and will announce it only a couple days after A&M is invited to the SEC.

[entropy]

I think Texas is encouraging OU to leave and then they'll have the political ability to leave as well. I think the BE is about to find a few new teams in their conference.

[WM Wolverine]

Missouri & Kansas schools (both) will end up okay (Big East); that conference might need a new name...

Baylor, Iowa State; they look like MW/C-USA material. Texas Tech needs to cling to Texas.

[entropy]

I think KSU goes to the BE as well