Spear Opportunity

First of all, may I say up front I am strongly opposed to all the conference alignment we have witnessed in college football over the last decade or so. The last time I thought major movement made sense was when Boston College, Virginia Tech and Miami joined the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Texas started this new wave by refusing to share revenue in the previous Big XII and forming with ESPN The Longhorn Network. Nebraska, with fan loyalty and football tradition rivaling anyone and everybody, was not going to be second fiddle to Texas and bolted for the Big Ten, with Colorado also heading to the PAC 12. Given the situation, I thought the decision to move for UNL was necessary and principled, ensuring stability for Nebraska moving forward.

Many moves among second rate conferences took place in the aftermath, but the most significant was Missouri and Texas A&M leaving the Big XII for the Southeastern Conference. Then, Pittsburgh and Syracuse joined the ACC, a move that was no doubt centered on the hardwood rather than the gridiron, which left the ACC brass giddy.  As thoughts of the ACC basketball tournament being held at Madison Square Garden were bubbling, it seems focus on where the money was made, football, was temporarily suspended.  In a report on 60 Minutes last night, this focus was in full comprehension by the current Athletic Director at Michigan.

With Rutgers on deck to move on Tuesday, ACC charter member Maryland announced today that the Terrapins will be leaving the ACC for The Big Ten. Maryland and Rutgers are certainly not leaders or legends in anything, so one has to wonder on the merits of this move by Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney. While it appears they will bring television eyeballs from the New York, DC and Baltimore population centers, I have doubts. That area has a greater appreciation for professional sports. Last Saturday, against highly ranked Florida State, Maryland could not fill their football stadium even with thousands of Seminoles visiting.

Make no mistake, conference realignment is shifting at a fast and furious pace, and we are far from the conclusion.

Brent Beaird of CollegeSportsNotebook.com concurs, with his crystal ball showing the SEC, after going west, looking east to perhaps North Carolina and/or Virginia.

These events are an alarm bell for Florida State University, which simply must, if not having previously done so, adopt a proactive mindset.

Previously, rumors had Florida State and Clemson heading to what remains of The Big XII, which no longer has a league title game and needs one.  But it seems the Seminoles hold a high rate of allegiance to the ACC, who welcomed in the Seminoles in 1992.

However, the landscape is changing; like struggling for footing in an earthquake, and billions of dollars and the future of the university is at stake.  FSU has spent a fortune in blood and money building a football tradition, not withstanding currently sitting as ACC basketball champions.

Previous actions have recently showed the ACC was continuing to build from a basketball mindset, and that is not the FSU pedigree.  The Seminoles seemed content to remain loyal to the ACC, but with Maryland now gone, and with potential replacements far below FSU in most every academic and athletic level, FSU must now look to depart.  Now.

Teams in the SEC, Big Ten and Big XII are guaranteed millions more annual dollars than FSU is in the ACC, and over time, with another four years of economic underachievement at best looming, FSU cannot afford to fail to seek to maximize future opportunities academically, athletically, and of course, financially.  Hopefully, the FSU Board of Trustees has been war gaming these potential issues and has planned avenues of approach.

The horrendous economy has stadiums across the country, even programs which typically are sold flat out like Florida, Michigan and South Carolina, with thousands of empty seats.  FSU, whose massive stadium upgrade is far from paid for, is no exception.

A huge factor in a move would be these leagues forming equivalents to the Big Ten Network.  The SEC is close, and The Big XII could get with ESPN and have The Longhorn network evolve into a Big XII network.

Although Florida State is considered a national program, the SEC is without question the better fit geographically and when considering football tradition, but the Big XII is an intriguing option as well. Annual games against Texas and Oklahoma are attractive. The Big XII would welcome a footprint in Florida, which may in a backward way turn out to be a reason the University of Florida relaxes their opposition to FSU joining the SEC.

Florida State is taking an ACC hit as we speak, unable to climb in the BCS poll to reach a higher payout bowl game, due to the weakness of the conference, leaving money and exposure on the table. Maryland leaving further discredits the ACC, and leaves the future of the conference shaky and down trending. 

Given that, much like Nebraska a few years back, Florida State needs to be proactive and make the best deal available to move in very short order to secure stability and the capitalize on future economic opportunities.  It appears, particularly from a football perspective, the Atlantic Coast Conference will not represent that opportunity.

Cornhusker Football To Continue Success

While the major shakeup in college football seems to have stabilized for the time being, the move by Nebraska to the Big Ten Conference is the most significant change. In my article about the move, I commented that I thought the Big Red would win more games in the Big Ten that they would if things had remained the same. I decided to check the results of Nebraska versus current Big XII and current Big Ten teams in my lifetime.

The 'Huskers are 274-76-2 in the Big XII and are 35-6 against Big Ten teams. The 85% winning percentage is approximately 7 percent higher versus the Big 10, with the last win being against Michigan in the Alamo Bowl.

Nebraska has been to most of the Big Ten stadiums in the past, and dealt with some very sketchy officiating at Happy Valley, which may have cost the 'Huskers a title.



On a recent trip to Iowa City, the Hawkeyes did not like Eric Crouch one little bit.



I am going to miss the Big XII teams, but I do think the Big Red machine will annually steamroll through most of the Big 10 and challenge for conference title annually.

Nebraska Secures Stability in Big Ten

In December, The Big Ten Conference released a press release signaling their hopes to expand, which seemed to center around two goals; landing Notre Dame and securing two divisions which would culminate in a conference championship game. Instantaneously, Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton made public proclamation that the Missouri Tigers were more than interested. That left Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne contemplating a turn of events that could lead The University of Nebraska, and it's storied football program, vulnerable.

Colorado had always been flirting with the PAC 10 conference, so with Missouri obviously seeking greener pastures, the Big XII North Division becomes real shaky. During the Big XII meetings, one item could have given the whole situation some clarity about the league remaining in tact going forward, and that was the television rights. The University of Texas, who thinks they are the big fish in the pond, and they are, was set on doing their own television deal and would not commit to assigning the media rights to the conference for the long term. If you are looking to preserve the Big XII, that was the wrong answer.

During this time period, Nebraska and The Big Ten Conference began discussing a possible relationship. Given the turmoil brewing around the Big XII, Nebraska appeared set to making the move. Seemingly before a deal was finalized, Colorado, the "declared" rival of Nebraska, announced their intention to move to the PAC 10. At this point, although Nebraska appeared set to move anyhow, the Cornhuskers had no alternative now. On Friday, Nebraska was accepted as the 12 member of The Big Ten. "The Big Ten offered stability," UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman said, "the Big 12 could not offer." CBS Sports.com writer Dennis Dodd sums up the events quite nicely.

I have never been a big fan of Big Ten football and I think teams from this conference are usually overrated. Therefore, from a football standpoint, I am not real happy. But this was about much more than football, and overall this is an outstanding move by the University of Nebraska. Nebraska football will be fine, and while UNL has a good academic reputation (even in the sports teams), the University will benefit in a big way academically. On the gridiron, I think Nebraska will win quite frequently and annually challenge for the conference title.

Unfortunately, as a college football traditionalist who appreciates the color and pageantry of the game and who is not looking for a playoff system, this is bad news for the game. The shifting of teams has only just begun, and the ripple effect of these moves will be titanic. As with anything while we are still a nation of capitalists, there will be winners and losers. Among the teams that may come out short are Kansas and their storied basketball program, Missouri who helped get this started by dreaming ahead of themselves and Iowa State and Baylor, who are sadly looking homeless.

Perhaps the worst of this is what appears to be the death knell of the battle of the Big Reds, Nebraska vs. Oklahoma. The formation of the Big XII made this game a non annual tilt anyhow, but the teams could have always continued the rivalry by meeeting in the Big XII Championship game on off scheduled seasons. Now Nebraska gets another red team to deal with, Wisconsin. I just can't curb my excitement.

At the end of the day, due to the confluence of events, this was a move The University of Nebraska had to make. Look out Man, Woman and Child, here come the 'Huskers. The Big Ten is impressive, but There is no place like Nebraska!