The expansion story got ratcheted up a notch with more confirmed moves today. To show you just how far things have gone, Boise State, made a move to the Mountain West Conference. The second move of the day was much more expected - Nebraska announced it is going to the Big Ten.
"We are pleased and excited to welcome Boise State University to the Mountain West Conference," commissioner Craig Thompson said in the news release. "Since our inception just 11 short years ago, the Mountain West has experienced tremendous success, and the addition of Boise State will further enhance that strength. The MWC continues to strategize regarding potential membership scenarios and bringing Boise State into the Conference is an important part of that evolution."
I've got to be honest. If everything stayed as it currently is, the Mountain West should have a real good argument about getting an automatic BCS bid. A conference with TCU, Utah, BYU, and now Boise State could match up well many years against the Big East or the ACC. I think they're still a small step behind, but the gap is not significant. Next up, Nebraska became the second Big 12 school to exit in as many days:
The Big Ten's board of presidents and chancellors unanimously welcomed Nebraska to the club on Friday, just a few hours after the school formally disclosed its interest. The move takes effect July 1, 2011.
Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman said the Big Ten offers stability "that the Big 12 simply cannot offer."
This is likely just the beginning. The more I think about it, the more it will take some getting used to. I'm sure that some schools, such as Nebraska, will seek to keep some rivalry matchups as non-conference games. But honestly, how do you think a school such as Kansas, who may be left out in the cold, will receive an invitation to play Nebraska? Think Boston College Vs. Big East.
The question is, does the Big Ten stop here with 12 teams, or does it seek and destroy, opting for as many as 16? Only time will tell.
No comments:
Post a Comment