So What's Next In NCAA Expansion?

(First off, this is my 2,000th post on this website. Yeah!!!)

With the Big XII saved at the last minute, the Expansion Armageddon apparently won't happen (at least not for a while). Still, that doesn't mean all this movement isn't over. There are a few items that have to be cleared up and a few teams that will be on the move.

PAC-10's NEXT MEMBER

It looks like Utah will become the 12th member of the Pac-10 (most likely renamed Pac-12). That would get the conference a championship game and a cherry TV deal. The conference most likely will be split into a North and South divisional setup (unlike the planned east/west that adding the Big XII schools would form).

NORTH: Colorado, Oregon, Oregon St, Utah, Washington, Washington St
SOUTH: Arizona, Arizona St, Cal, Stanford, UCLA, USC

Most likely, the Pac-10 will go to a 8 or 9-team football schedule where you'd play each fellow division rival once a year and either three or four teams from the other division. The interesting item will be the basketball side of things. Right now, the Pac-10 plays an 18-game schedule. Would they sink back into a typical 16-team schedule that the other 12-team conferences employ? Will they act like the ACC and Big XII and disband the divisions for basketball and still hold a 18-game skeddie?

ADDING TO THE BIG XII

Despite yesterday's news, the Big XII is still on shaky ground. They are all held together by promises of TV riches which could make or break the conference. First off, Texas still holds the power ... which was a subject of contention before all this started. Second off, the Big XII won't have their championship game anymore.

So, would they be willing to open up their pie to two new members? Tough to say. Assuming if they did, who would they even invite? Could it be BYU? The Cougars will be in a Mountain West Conference without Utah. How about Memphis? You get a huge school and expand your reach. Other MWC and CUSA schools would be on the radar, but I'd go after those two.

No matter what, the Big XII is still shaky and it may only be a matter of a few years before the conference crumbles again. If so, then that huge expansion will be on.

WILL THE BIG TEN STOP AT NEBRASKA?

For the time being ... yes. They'll still go after Notre Dame but now the Irish aren't worried about their future. All this expansion didn't touch the Big East (not yet) so the Irish are cool with their non-football sports. The only thing that could happen is the Big Ten get froggy and go after Big East schools Rutgers, Pitt, Syracuse or UConn ... or ACC schools Virginia or Maryland. I don't see the ACC schools leaving their intact conference. The Big East schools would be interesting ... but would the Big Ten do so if it doesn't net the Irish?

Instead, I think the Big Ten will stand pat until they see anything happen to the Big XII (or even the Big East).