[NU Sports] Big Ten Expansion this week?

[Mike Nolan]

> I like Mike's analysis about the upcoming game of musical chairs and who will be left out ... I dunno if KSU is looking all that good either (Kansas, OTOH, would seem to fit in the Big Ten certainly as much as UNL) ... and if the Texas legislature plays hardball and Colorado's left out, they could be on the verge of being a power player by adding CU and Boise State.
> 
> If we do get to the 16-team Pac Ten and Big Ten, though, I think we need to get out of the B(C)S and play our respective conference title games the first weekend in December with the winners heading to PASADENA on January 1. If the SEC folk want to get a "plus one" after that, fine, but a Pac 16 - Big 16 Rose Bowl would be perfect!

Since it's obviously all about money, I predict that since the BCS will
be toast, a four team playoff will follow this realignment like night 
follows day.

Here's one possible scenario:

The Big TenPlus and Pac TenPlus get back their annual Rose Bowl matchup, 
with the winner going on to the semi-finals.  

Ditto with two other bowl games (probably Orange and Sugar), which then 
become the quarterfinals of the playoff.  The 4th BCS bowl (IMHO Fiesta)
gets an annual semifinal game as a bone for losing BCS status.  

If we wind up with 6 superconferences, then the 4th seed is the best
team left standing among the non-superconference bowl teams
(throwing a bone to the politicians in states like Utah) or the highest
ranked team that lost in the 3 quarterfinal bowl games.  

That way if Notre Dame values its independence above all else, they still
have a shot at the national championship.

Admittedly that sets up the possibility that the Rose bowl teams
meet again in the playoffs, possibly even in the semifinals.
--
Mike Nolan