More on the Ulitmatium given by the big 12

[kansas husker]

The future of the national college athletics landscape may hinge on whether Nebraska acts within two weeks to stay in the Big 12, CBSSports.com has learned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Texas has indicated that if Nebraska doesn't declare its allegiance to the league by mid-month, it would take a reported offer to join the Pac-10. Nebraska was issued an ultimatum by the Big 12 during the league's spring meetings last week in Kansas City. It has, at most, less than two weeks to declare its allegiance to the Big 12 or the league could split apart, leading to conference realignment before the Big Ten even acts.

 

What is being underplayed nationally is that Texas feels it can move forward in an 11- or 12-team Big 12 that includes Nebraska. However, without the Huskers, Texas would have to look west to the Pac-10.

 

Two sources have now confirmed for CBSSports.com that Nebraska was issued the ultimatum. The Austin American-Statesman is reporting that Missouri has also received a deadline that expires at 5 p.m. Friday but could be extended by another week. However, the loss of Missouri is not considered a deal-breaker for Texas to remain in the Big 12.

 

The expansion timeline has moved up for everyone because of the Pac-10's supposed offer of six Big 12 schools -- Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Colorado and Texas A&M. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said Sunday that his conferences expansion timeline could be sped up depending on the Pac-10's actions. Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott also said Sunday he has been given authority by his league's presidents to pursue expansion options.

 

The snag in any movement is that the Big Ten has not made an offer to Nebraska and/or Missouri because it is likely Notre Dame is still in the mix to join the league. Notre Dame officials have repeatedly said their desire is to stay independent in football but have left the door open in case of seismic shifts in conference realignment. Until discussions between the league and Notre Dame are completely dead, it is probably that the Big Ten won't officially reach out to anyone -- Nebraska, Missouri, Rutgers or any of the other rumored expansion candidates.

 

Complicating matters is that if Notre Dame decides to go to the Big Ten, there are indications the league will stop at 12 teams. Orangebloods.com also reported what CBSSports.com learned Sunday -- that the Big Ten would be a 12-team league with Notre Dame.

 

If Notre Dame says yes, Nebraska and others would be left in limbo. The Big 12 leftovers after a Pac-10 raid -- Nebraska, Missouri, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State -- would be left to cobble together a new conference that could only hope to remain a BCS league.

 

This new development adds some definition to possible Big Ten expansion that threatens to alter the college athletics' landscape. It is clear Notre Dame remains the league's first choice. Texas is probably second because taking the Longhorns would most likely mean taking Texas Tech and Texas A&M, too.

 

Beyond the geographical limitations of such a move -- the closest Big Ten campus to Austin is Champaign, Ill. -- there are academic limitations. Texas Tech is not a member of the Association of American Universities. All 11 Big Ten schools are AAU schools, a designation given to 63 leading public and private research institutions.

 

That probably what was meant by Ohio State president Gordon Gee's e-mail to Delany that Texas had a "Tech problem."

 

Texas is probably out of the Big Ten mix if Texas Tech has become a deal killer for the league. If Notre Dame remains independent, then Nebraska seems to be the third option. Nebraska doesn't have the large population that would deliver TV viewers, but its national brand name seemingly makes up for that shortcoming. Nebraska probably wouldn't be taken alone, with the Big Ten deciding on an expansion from 11 to 14 or 16 schools. Missouri, as well as several Big East schools, have been mentioned.

 

What has emerged lately is that the Big Ten may have lost its leverage position in the expansion process. Texas seems like it holds the key not only to the Big 12's future, but also to the future of major-college sports. Assuming Notre Dame's independence, any Big Ten expansion that doesn't include Texas will indicate that the league has settled. Either way, Texas will have a home in a rich conference and remain the nation's richest athletic department with a reported annual budget of $138 million.

 

As part of expansion fallout, a side battle now could be raging in the Texas statehouse. A group of Texas legislators is reportedly pushing for Baylor's inclusion in the Pac-10 offer, instead of Colorado. When the Big 12 was formed in the mid-1990s, then-Texas governor Ann Richards, a Baylor grad, got Baylor into the new league with her political clout.

 

Baylor has one of the lowest athletic budgets in the Big 12 and hasn't been to a bowl game since 1994, but could get the Pac-10 call. It is classified as having "high research activity", the second-highest designation given by the Carnegie Foundation. Seven of the 10 current Pac-10 schools are either AAU or Carnegie institutions.

 

Texas Tech and Oklahoma State are also rated "high" by Carnegie but are not AAU members. Colorado is an AAU member and rated "very high" by Carnegie. Baylor's advantage over CU might its proximity to the other Texas schools and the fact that it is a private institution.

 

If it comes to picking either Baylor or Colorado for Scott, that is one of the few easy decisions the Pac-10 commissioner has left. As long as his league gets Texas, it doesn't matter.

 

cbs sportsline

 

I did not know it what texas driven, I just asumed that it was given by the Big 12 to show some sense of stability. This is jsut more evidence to show that the whole confrence is just being controlled by the Lame Horns

[huKSer]

This all reminds me of the beginning of WWI (no not personally) Secret alliances, Serbia pissed off that Austria-Hungary was running the show, countries worried about how much time is needed to mobilize, Italy being wishy-washy, everybody hoping England to join their cause, America wanting to be independent, er, neutral.

[mturn087]

Luck favors the prepared. The Big 12 is dominated by Texas but they also know Nebraska is a member of the old guard and a mainstay of College Football. We are probably one of the more overachieving programs in the country. Look at Texas for example 4 national titles with all that talent....talentless state of Nebraska has produced 5 national titles. I'd rather be in the Big 12 cause outside of money its the best conference for us. Big 10 would be nice with the money but Nebraska is soundly 2nd best program in the big 12 overall. We will never have the talent texas has in all sports but we make our chances count why give something like that up?

[Ringer02]

Well sh#t...I don't know what to think about all this...

[zoogs]

If true, Nebraska is in a pretty tough situation. Texas will be fine in a 11-team Big 12 with Nebraska and equally fine in an 11-team Pac 10. Nebraska would not be fine in a 11-team Big 12 without Texas. Since Nebraska, not Texas, is the one that is waffling with the league, it's reasonable that Texas would do this as a response to what we are doing.

 

It sucks, though. But it isn't a sign of Texas calling the shots. We're making the noise first, threatening or saying we can go to the Big 10, and Texas is just saying, "Really? Well, make a decision or we'll make one first."

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

October 16th is shaping up to be one HELLUVA showdown in Lincoln this year

[irafreak]

I'd argue that Oklahoma is really the best football school in our conference. They have been in the title game more and won more big12 crowns than Texas or Nebraska.

 

And as far as I'm concerned WE hold the cards not texass because ultimately they want their conference to survive so they can continue to be the big bully and out in the pac10 they'll get fight from plenty of other schools.

[In the Deed the Glory]

Luck favors the prepared. The Big 12 is dominated by Texas but they also know Nebraska is a member of the old guard and a mainstay of College Football. We are probably one of the more overachieving programs in the country. Look at Texas for example 4 national titles with all that talent....talentless state of Nebraska has produced 5 national titles. I'd rather be in the Big 12 cause outside of money its the best conference for us. Big 10 would be nice with the money but Nebraska is soundly 2nd best program in the big 12 overall. We will never have the talent texas has in all sports but we make our chances count why give something like that up?

 

I don't know about that, Oklahoma is probably the greatest College Football Program of all time and Texas is no slouch. We are soundly in the top 3 and in the discussion for second but it is a short lived one right now.

[In the Deed the Glory]

I'd argue that Oklahoma is really the best football school in our conference. They have been in the title game more and won more big12 crowns than Texas or Nebraska.

 

And as far as I'm concerned WE hold the cards not texass because ultimately they want their conference to survive so they can continue to be the big bully and out in the pac10 they'll get fight from plenty of other schools.

 

Oops, should have read the entire thread...

[RockyMountainOySker]

Anyone else want to drag this out until Missouri leaves for the Big Ten, then sign whatever legal document to stay in the Big 12 and replace Missouri with <insert team here>???

[In the Deed the Glory]

Anyone else want to drag this out until Missouri leaves for the Big Ten, then sign whatever legal document to stay in the Big 12 and replace Missouri with <insert team here>???

 

Nope, I absolutely do not. I am so sick of UT flexing its damn muscle and then telling everybody about it. I am done. I will support us if we stay but will be excited if we go.

[knapplc]

Not only am I tired of Texas' ways, I'm not interested in staying in a conference headed by Dan Beebe. According to the Rivals article posted in another thread, it's looking more and more like Beebe is either getting completely played by Delaney from the Big 10 or he's complicit in this whole situation. That means he's either not playing straight or he's incompetent.