Big 12 on Verge of Collapse: Missouri, Nebraska in Control After Meetings

While Commisioner Dan Beebe tried to quell rumors that the Big 12 is falling apart after the conclusion of meetings in Kansas City, the fact that there was no unified denial of Pac-10 expansion from all involved schools said everything.

ESPN's Joe Schad has reported that the Big 12 is on the verge of collapse; the only thing that can hold it together now?

Strong commitments from Missouri and Nebraska.

Missouri has already refused to give that, so unless the school has a sudden change of heart, the conference's future is no future at all.

Schad has reported that according to an unnamed athletic director, unless the commitment is received, the director believes all six of the schools rumored in the Orangebloods.com article from yesterday will join the Pac-10 to create the nation's first superconference.

How quickly could everything happen?

Far more quickly than many people have been speculating, as Pac-10 big shots are currently holding their meetings in San Francisco. After finishing small talk and pretending the biggest issue is what will happen to USC after the NCAA releases its report, they will likely bring up the expansion possibility.

Just to clarify, the schools expected to join the Pac-10 are:

Colorado, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech.

They would form an eight-team division with Arizona and Arizona State, in what seems to be the perfect sequence of events for all involved teams.

Orangebloods.com reported that the revenue gains for all involved schools would be monumental, and that the Pac-10 is the only conference that can viably lure Texas because of its ability to bring along the Longhorns main rivals as well as academic quality that appeals to the university.

Notably absent from the Pac-10 talk is Nebraska, who has been rumored to have received interest from the Big Ten.

While geographically it might not make sense to offer the Cornhuskers an invitation, it sure seems strange to separate former Big 8 superpowers from one another. In fact, even though Big 8 rivalries have lost momentum in the past decade, it seems almost sacrilegious to separate Nebraska and Oklahoma.

Adding to the confusion is the recent report that the Big Ten is now interested in playing the role of vulture to Texas, who will likely also draw interest from the SEC.

Bill Powers, president of the University of Texas, notably canceled his appearance at a Press Conference with Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe, adding to the belief that the separation is now a foregone conclusion.

In an undisclosed period of time, expect to hear of one Big 12 school accepting an offer to join another conference followed by a domino effect of major college football realignment.

Of course, because of aforementioned rivalries, holding as many of the major schools together benefits the rampant and loyal fan bases of the Big 12.

It certainly looks like the Pac-10 will be making the first moves (offering to provide that for the Big 12 South) and the early bird gets the worm.