16 Expansion Scenarios

[SMU89]

SI

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/w ... d=si_ncaaf

I like #2 with SMU vs TCU.


In honor of the proposed Pac-16, here are 16 scenarios for how the dominos from this week's decisions may fall, ascending from the most conservative to the most radically far-fetched.
1. Notre Dame stays put (for now), Nebraska and Missouri pledge loyalty to the Big 12 and the Big Ten and Pac-10 go back to the drawing board.
It cannot be stated enough that Texas and its fellow reported South Division defectors would prefer to keep the current Big 12 intact. Sources say the league will command plenty of increased television revenue (albeit still not split equally) the next time it renegotiates its contracts. If Nebraska and Missouri officials decide it either too risky to wait on a Big Ten invite (long assumed to be their preference) or plain have a change of heart, Texas and Co. stay put, too. We go back to waiting to see if the Pac-10 makes a more modest expansion (Colorado and Utah?) and/or the Big Ten turns its attention East (Rutgers? Syracuse?).
One immediate domino: The Mountain West -- currently waiting to see what happens with the Big 12 -- goes ahead and invites Boise State.

2. All of the above holds true, with one exception: Missouri holds out.
Great. The Big 12 plucks a team like TCU (insert SMU here) to replace the Tigers and life moves on. (And Missouri sits and prays it's not making a gigantic miscalculation as to the Big Ten's interest.)

[SMU89]

More from SI -- with SMU mentioned......


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/w ... d=si_ncaaf

It seems simple enough. Even if Missouri and Nebraska take a better, more lucrative deal in the Big Ten, it should be easy for Powers and the rest of the Pac-10 target CEOs to get together and salvage a respectable Big 12. Grab TCU and SMU, ship Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to the north division -- which they would love -- and Bob's your uncle, you've got yourself a viable BCS league