Expansion

I just read that Nebraska is expected to join the Big 10 as early as Friday of this week, which would trigger a Longhorn-led emigration of Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Colorado to the Pac-10, which is looking to score a huge television contract in 2012 (grabbing Texas and Oklahoma = jackpot). This will effectively dissolve the Big 12. Nebraska would likely take Missouri to the Big 10 with them to keep a rival.

Baylor may get the Pac-10 bid over Colorado, pending political finagling, in which case Colorado would almost certainly join the Mountain West, who held out on inviting Boise State in hopes of picking up Big 12 leftovers.

Where does that leave Kansas, Kansas State, and (most importantly to me) Iowa State? Kansas and K-State have vowed to stick together, and some conference will no doubt pick them up for Kansas' basketball program, if nothing else. Perhaps the Mountain West will pick them up for a 12-team conference, or maybe grab Boise State and another school. Either route should get them the BCS Conference status they are trying to get.

All of this just leaves one school from the Big 12: Iowa State is most likely going to get screwed into getting picked up by a smaller conference.

Best of luck, Cyclone Nation!