Pac-12 Expansion Rejected: Is Big East/Big 12 Merger Still on the Table?

With the conference realignment going on, there is daily breaking news that seems to happen by the hour. Although, most of it is going back and forth, and if you try to keep up with it all, it'll drive you crazy.

You can forget about the latest news that looked like it was going to happen.

Remember the Pac-12 expanding and possibly picking up a couple of teams from the Big 12 and becoming the Pac-16? Yeah, forget about it. At least for now.

"After careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference," Commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement.

"While we have great respect for all of the institutions that have contacted us, and certain expansion proposals were financially attractive, we have a strong conference structure and culture of equality that we are committed to preserve," he said.

That has now put the other conference discussions on hold between the Big 12 and the Big East, since they were considering a conference merger.

They now believe they can survive on their own, as the Big East will look for replacements for both Syracuse and Pittsburgh. Although, the league will enforce a 27-month notice agreement which means neither team can leave the conference until the 2014-15 academic year.

TCU is expected to join the conference in 2012, but the Big East may have to look for a replacement for them as well because the MWC is now trying to convince the Horned Frogs to stay.

It's a good possibility, considering the MWC is looking a lot more stable these days than the Big East is.

The Big 12 is also looking to make things work on their own, as all the teams look to work out their differences. It's expected that Texas and Oklahoma officials will negotiate an agreement to keep the universities in the league for at least the next five years.

"Even if Oklahoma goes somewhere else, and that’s not looking to be the case now, the league will stay together," a Big 12 athletic official said. "That’s what everyone is working toward now."

So, basically everybody was making all that noise for no reason. It was a false alarm.

If everything stays the way it is, the Big 12 will be exactly the same with the exception of Texas A&M. Finding a replacement for them shouldn't be that difficult.

The Big East would have the most work to do because they only have seven teams.

So, is the Big East merger with the Big 12 still on the table?

It all depends on Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.

If they decide they are going to leave once again, then the two conferences will have little choice but to join forces. If those four teams decide to make up and play nice, there would really be no reason to.

Today it's looking like college football may stay somewhat intact. Tomorrow it could be something totally different.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]