Expansions! Expansions!! EXPANSIONS!!!!

[Metroid]

It's official....

Linkage

LINCOLN, Neb. -- So long, Big 12. Nebraska's membership in the Big Ten Conference is official.

The Big Ten's board of presidents and chancellors unanimously welcomed Nebraska to the club on Friday, just a few hours after the school formally disclosed its interest. The move takes effect July 1, 2011.

Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman said the Big Ten offers stability "that the Big 12 simply cannot offer."

[Metroid]

Also....

Linkage

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will join the Pacific-10 Conference when a formal offer is made, a source told ESPN's Joe Schad on Friday.

Texas A&M, the Austin American Statesman reported, is torn between joining the Pac-10 or Southeastern Conference. The Aggies will have a 72-hour timetable to decide whether to accept the Pac-10's offer, the newspaper reported.

A formal offer from the Pac-10 could come as soon as this weekend, the newspaper reported.

[Metroid]

And finally.....

Linkage

Boise State has given the Mountain West Conference a 10th program.

Boise State is leaving the Western Athletic Conference, a league the Broncos have dominated for a decade in football, the MWC confirmed with a statement Friday.

"We are pleased and excited to welcome Boise State University to the Mountain West Conference," commissioner Craig Thompson said in the news release. "Since our inception just 11 short years ago, the Mountain West has experienced tremendous success, and the addition of Boise State will further enhance that strength. The MWC continues to strategize regarding potential membership scenarios and bringing Boise State into the Conference is an important part of that evolution."

[jayday]

Nice blog post about the benefits of the Huskers in the Nebraska/Big 10 story.

http://espn.go.com/blog/BigTen/post/_/i ... reat-match

[Metroid]

I'm not sure how I feel about a 16 team super conference.

[steelerfan513]

It's official....

Linkage

LINCOLN, Neb. -- So long, Big 12. Nebraska's membership in the Big Ten Conference is official.

The Big Ten's board of presidents and chancellors unanimously welcomed Nebraska to the club on Friday, just a few hours after the school formally disclosed its interest. The move takes effect July 1, 2011.

Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman said the Big Ten offers stability "that the Big 12 simply cannot offer."

From that link:

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said he presumed there would be a Big Ten championship football game beginning in 2011. He also said the conference would "pause" from further expansion over the next 12 to 18 months. He declined to comment on whether Notre Dame or any other school was on the league's radar.

Please be lying please be lying please be lying please be lying

[knapplc]

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said he presumed there would be a Big Ten championship football game beginning in 2011. He also said the conference would "pause" from further expansion over the next 12 to 18 months. He declined to comment on whether Notre Dame or any other school was on the league's radar.

Please be lying please be lying please be lying please be lying

I'm not sure how to take that. Delany made some comments about how the Big 10 isn't right for some schools and some schools aren't right for the Big 10. When he said that I was sure he was talking about Texas, since Texas pretty much blew up the Big 12 with their "my way or the highway" BS.

Come to think of it, Texas kind of did that to the SWC. Odd how history repeats itself. If I were the Pac-10 I would be paying VERY close attention to the fact that A&M is willing to part ways with their chief rival, the Longhorns, and go to the SEC when it's clear that Texas will not. If the SWC implosion followed 15 years later by the Big 12 implosion, with Texas playing a major role in both, doesn't give the Pac-10 pause, they deserve what they get.

Regardless, I'm not sure the Big 10 is done. They said in December that this process would take 12-18 months, and six months later Nebraska is in the fold. So clearly situations are flexible. I don't think Missouri is out of the running yet, but without the Big 10, Missouri's options are very limited. It's looking like C-USA or the MWC, despite the travel and time zone differences.

I don't have a clue what the Big 10's ultimate goals are, but it could do worse than to add Missouri and/or Kansas. We'll have to see.

[AquaMan2342]

Welcome to the Big Ten knapp

[knapplc]

Welcome to the Big Ten knapp

Thanks! I can't tell you how happy I am. This is going to be so good for the University of Nebraska, and for the economy in Lincoln. The research campus we're building will be put on the fast-track, with better jobs and more income for the city. We're going to have a new basketball arena downtown in the next three years, and overall the academic standards of Nebraska will rise. This is a huge win for us.

Plus, all the Big 10 fans have been bombarding us with welcomes and well-wishes. It's strange after the rancor of the Big 12. You guys are really classy folks, and since we rarely play Big 10 teams I guess I never realized that.

Check this out for an example of what I'm talking about. Overwhelming comments from fans from all around the Big 10.

[AquaMan2342]

I'm actually really excited to match up against Nebraska just because my best friend's dad got his med degree from there. It's going to be epic.

Edit: Every school outside of Ohio State (even they are classy to an extent) and MSU has a pretty decent fan base.