Chip Brown from the Texas Rivals site Orangebloods is at it again with the intertwined expansion scenario, and they have been on top of these stories from the beginning. This time Brown has confirmation from unnamed higher ups -- key word being unnamed -- that the Big XII is looking toward Air Force and BYU, which leaves Utah on the outside.
Two different executives in the Big 12 confirmed to Orangebloods.com Wednesday morning the hard deadline for Nebraska, Missouri, Colorado and the entire Big 12 to pledge their allegiance to each other is Monday, June 14.
A high-level executive at a Big 12 institution said there have been informal conversations about who to add to the Big 12 if schools start to leave. Those schools have included BYU and Air Force.
But that same executive as well as others in the Big 12 have told Orangebloods.com the conference will not survive if Nebraska leaves - no matter who else stays or goes.
If Nebraska were to stay in the Big 12 and Missouri and Colorado were to leave, for example, the sense is the Big 12 could attempt to add schools like BYU and Air Force to the Big 12 North and move ahead.
The introduction of Air Force means a few things; first the Big XII -- if it is still together -- wants two teams from two separate markets to receive maximum exposure for television dollars, and then it means they are not interested in TCU which would leave to an unbalanced division alignment.
Putting two and two together from this article puts Colorado in the Pac-10 and their dance partner most likely being Utah to create at least a Pac-12.
Check back tomorrow later today for the next in the expansion rumor mill.
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