[NU Sports] A good start ...

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

I think the Huskers are a decent fit for the Big Ten -- not a big prize, but not chopped liver either. They bring a tradition-rich, pretty clean (Lawrence Phillips era excepted), fan-frenzied program to the league and give us some good rivalry games and a title game.

Essentially, you now have half of the most famous, most tradition-rich, winningest names in college football in one conference (PSU, UM, OSU, UNL) and the Huskers' footprint extends beyond Nebraska (they're almost as big as OSU down in Arizona. Academics are OK and will improve significantly in the Big Ten (see Penn State).

So now what's next? My guess is that Delaney is waiting for Texas and the Pac 10 to make the next move. If Texas somehow pulls the Big XII back together by adding TCU and makes Nebraska out to be the bad guy, that may be it until the Irish wake up on their own.

But if we start to see the big shifts (six to the Pac 10 from the Big XII and the SEC eyeing the ACC south), then you might see a more aggressive approach to the Irish by shaking up the Big East with Rutgers, Syracuse or others to force the Irish hand.

But I don't think we'll take just Mizzou. Being at 12 is good enough for phase one, as Delaney would call it, and phase two has to include Notre Dame in some way. It could just be ND and Mizzou for 14 (or ND and Rutgers for 14) or throw in Kansas for 16.

Your move, Longhorns. If it's really big bad Nebraska who's breaking up your Big XII, then add the Froggies and keep your little kingdom. 

But we all know they will bolt to the Pac 10 mega-conference and the dominoes will continue to fall.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

PS - Interesting how SC's two-year bowl ban gets buried amid all the realignment. I guess we know why Pete Carroll left ... you'd almost be mad he left such a mess if the new guy weren't Lane Kiffin. I'm sure Tennessee fans will love every minute.

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STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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