The Ground Will Shift, II

It's hard to believe that less than a week ago, hardly a soul outside of the parties involved had any inkling the Pac-10 might be on the verge of inviting Texas and five other teams. But with The Conference Realignment Texas Hold 'em Game suddenly moving at breakneck speed, we could be sitting here a week from now looking at a radically altered landscape.

That was the assessment of an article Monday from SI.com. This article is worth some study because the writer lays out 16, count 'em, 16 scenarios for conference expansion. And for all we know, he hasn't listed what will actually occur.

ESPN today:

Nebraska's decision on whether to commit long term to the Big 12 or leave for a potential Big Ten invitation could come on Friday, a school told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Tuesday. The source said the school is leaning toward the Big Ten, but an invitation hadn't yet been extended, and there was no indication when that would occur.

The Oklahoman on the state of the Big 12 Conference:

The clock ticks down. The Big 12 could die, maybe as early as Friday, as Nebraska's deadline looms. Nearer My God To Thee. Some lament, wondering what will happen if the league gives up the ghost. I wonder what will happen if the Big 12 lives. You want chaos, let these schools stay together 10 more minutes. Someone might torch a campus.

Orlando Sentinel on the possibility of Florida State leaving the ACC for the Southeast Conference:

Now, two decades later, as another round of college football expansion seems imminent, there is a chance the SEC will come knocking on FSU's door again. Seriously, does anybody really think the big, bad SEC is going to stand by idly and let other conferences expand to a point where they surpass the SEC in power, prestige and number of TV viewers? If the SEC is going to expand, why not pursue Florida State – a school that fits into SEC both geographically and philosophically.

The writer of this story advises FSU to stay away from the SEC because playing and winning the ACC is a clearer path to championships. What article leaves out though is that if a bunch of teams begin gravitating toward four super conferences, the ACC would be a shell of itself, if it remains together.