The Wiz of Odds

The Final Days of the Big 12

Dan Beebe had his chance two years ago to save the Big 12 Conference, but the commissioner blew it by deciding to put his trust in Big Ten counterpart Jim Delany.

Instead, as many as eight Big 12 teams could get offers this week to join other conferences. Beebe, in a last-ditch effort to keep his league together, has given Nebraska and Missouri a deadline of Friday to commit to the Big 12.

Six other Big 12 teams are reportedly being targeted by the Pacific 10, which is looking to create a 16-team superconference.

All this could have been avoided if Beebe had decided in 2008 to support a proposal for a "Plus One" format to the Bowl Championship Series, writes Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports.

To Nebraska, Texas Is the Axis of Evil

It has been a rocky 2010 for the Big 12. Nebraska and Missouri have lobbied to become members of the Big Ten, and Colorado is ready to snuggle up with the Pacific 10. Commissioner Dan Beebe has suggested that he will draw a line in the sand, wanting to know who's in and who's out when league meetings begin Tuesday in Kansas City.

Division among league members has never been greater, and Beebe might best be served trying to be a uniter instead of a divider.

Money aside, the out-of-league flirtations of Missouri and Colorado are likely wrapped in fear. What would become of the Big 12 if Texas and Nebraska were to leave?

In Nebraska's case, its motivation to flee is more the result of a deep distrust of Texas. It started in 1996 with the formation of the Big 12.

Nebraska was king of college football back then, in the midst of a remarkable run that had Tom Osborne's Cornhuskers staking claims to national titles in 1994, 1995 and 1997. With victory came power and Nebraska, the marquee member of the Big 8, called the shots. That was until Texas got a seat at the new Big 12 table.

SEC Looking at Six Teams for Possible Expansion?

Another day, another round of expansion rumors.

Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive reportedly met with CBS executives and discussed what the league might do if it is forced to expand because of a major move by the Big Ten.

Jimmy Hyams of WNML-990 in Knoxville, citing an anonymous source close to CBS, reported that Slive's top-tier plan includes bringing Texas A&M, Texas, Florida State and Clemson into the SEC to create a 16-team league. If the Aggies and Longhorns say no, Georgia Tech and Miami would be targeted.

The report was shot down by SEC associate commissioner Charles Bloom, who told John Pennington of Mr. SEC that there "was never any meeting nor have their been any discussions between CBS and SEC commissioner Mike Slive about expansion."

Is Delany's Big Ten Expansion Talk a Lot About Nothing?

Big buildup. Big letdown.

But that's the Big Ten.

League commissioner Jim Delany had his 37 minutes in the spotlight Tuesday at the league meetings in Chicago, and when he wasn't babbling about beer and brats, he spoke about demographics in relation to the league's ongoing study of possible expansion.

"In the last 20 years there has been a clear shift of movement into the Sun Belt," he said. "The rates of growth in the Sun Belt are four times the rate in the East or the Midwest. That has demographic meaning long term for the economy, for jobs, for recruitment of students, for recruitment of athletes, for recruitment of faculty, for tax base."

Delany wouldn't name any possible expansion candidates, but his comments ignited speculation — again — that Texas remains a prime target. The problem is that the Longhorns — much like Notre Dame — have shown little or no interest in becoming a member of the Big Ten.

Delany said there will be no decision or vote by league presidents on expansion until this fall and there is a possibility the league — get this — will not expand.

But that's the Big Ten.

Other reactions:

Notre Dame's Kelly Remains an Independent Thinker

While Big Ten execs were enjoying their little get-together in Chicago, Brian Kelly was in Cedar Rapids to address Notre Dame alums in Eastern Iowa. Kelly was asked again about the Fighting Irish becoming members of the Big Ten.

His message remains the same: Winning conference championships is nice, but Notre Dame wants to play for national championships, something it can accomplish being an independent.

How Could Expansion Impact the WAC?

Karl Benson has seen them come and go. In his 16th season as Western Athletic Conference commissioner, Benson has steered the league through unsettled times. In 1996, the WAC added six teams to up its membership to 16. The league was split into two divisions and a league championship game was added in football. (Sound familiar?)

But travel costs — teams stretched from Tulsa to Honolulu — led to eight teams leaving to form the Mountain West Conference. Benson didn't flinch. He kept the league rolling, with Boise State becoming the key member of a new alignment.

Benson's steady hand has kept the WAC viable through other departures and additions, and there could be a new round of challenges ahead. Boise State is being eyed by the Mountain West, and Benson talked about the conference's future Thursday as a guest of Jack Cronin and Ted Mendenhall on XX 1090 Sports Radio in San Diego.