Hold Tight!

College football might not be done shifting, sliding and shaking- rumors are starting to take shape that the SEC has it's eyes on Texas A&M and either one or two ACC schools (the likely candidates there are VaTech and FSU.)

Listen, I know Texas is big, bad, Leroy Brown on the Big 12 block now, but a Longhorn Network? Seriously...? Did they learn nothing from losing Colorado and Nebraska? Apparently not. The Big 12 is even more out of balance than it was a year ago and I think the final dissolution of the Big 12 might be imminent.

The question is... then what?

Iowa State
Missouri
Kansas
Kansas State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas
Texas A&M
Baylor
Texas Tech

I don't know why peeps gotta get greedy, but it's probably the way cash money works! Personally, I think the Big 12 goes big and grabs SMU, Houston and Boise State. Or even TCU if they want to reconsider their frankly weird move to the Big East.

UPDATE: I just had a random freaky crazy thought... if A and M goes, what would be the 2 weakest conferences in the BCS? Frankly, it'd be the Big East and the Big 12- or what's left of it. Why not merge them? Travel costs might go up, it's true, but the Big East would be seen as credible at least in football in a way that's not currently. Plus, it would have the added benefit of hemming in the Big 10 and the SEC geographically and since there's no Big East FB school that could challenge Texas in terms of influence and heft, you'd create a hefty super conference with Texas as its center.

UPDATED AGAIN: So now the word is that the SEC is set to accept A&M and invite Mizzou, Clemson and FSU to join the fold as well. This would push the Big 12 down to 8 teams and the SEC up to 16. If this pans out to be true, then the next move would be up to the ACC.

If we're real about it, the Big 10 is done expanding for now. If they can get Notre Dame they'll add another to get to 14, but they're not going to go buck wild unless they have to. However if the ACC wants to get back up to 12 and preserve its divisional split and money making title game, the logical place for it to go shopping would be the Big East. (The smart money would be on Syracuse and UCONN I think- who, b-ball wise might relish the chance to dance with Duke and UNC every year.) If that happens, then we've got a BCS Conference with 6 teams in football- so the Big East could well then decide to form a basketball only conference. Either way Notre Dame will feel the pressure to come down off its horse at that point.

Another wild card to consider is Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott's wild crazy dream of the Pac-16 or possibly the Pac-18 or (what the hell, right?) Pac-20 if there's another round of shopping to be done he could throw some sweet lovin' Texas' way. (I don't see the Big 10 making a play for Texas. Newbies Nebraska would throw a fit and I really think the rest of the Conference just doesn't want to deal with their shit. They went 5-7 last year, lost to Iowa State of all people AT Austin, no less and think they deserve a Longhorn Network? Shiiiiiit... rebrand that sucker. And fast.)

All of this could be totally moot if Mizzou, Clemson and FSU decide not to jump ship (but seriously now, if invited into the warm, loving, money drenched embrace of the SEC who wouldn't jump ship?) but if it is true, then the ACC is going to have some thinking to do...

UPDATED AGAIN: Whoops! Guess the SEC thought about it and blinked.... now, the Big 12 needs to get proactive and get it's behind up to 12 again. Take the year to do it, but I'd say BYU plus either Boise State or Air Force would do you proud. Of course, if the Mountain West gets added as a BCS conference in the next year or so, suddenly the motivation to jump ship loses its luster.