(10-03-2018 08:50 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  Since I recently learned that Missouri is bound to the SEC -- or ESPN, I guess -- by a grant of media rights until 2033-34, my optimism for a 4x16 power conference alignment within the next several years has waned significantly. (I was already rather pessimistic.) As I see it, the main problem is the Big Ten finding #16, assuming Kansas is #15. The conference's high academic standards severely limit their options. All ACC schools, including ND, are out due to their grant of media rights (which expires 2035-36), so no Virginia, UNC, Duke, or GT even if there were a mutual interest. Pitt is out due to the ACC GoR and market redundancy. Iowa State is out due to market redundancy. The big prizes would be Oklahoma and Texas, but the Big Ten landing even one of them would cut off the most likely expansion route for either the Pac (UT and friends) or the SEC (OU/OSU).

So here's a "Hail Mary" -- Colorado to the Big Ten. Seems implausible, especially given CU's attraction to California and that they only just recently received access to it by joining the Pac. However, despite being a geographic outlier for the Big Ten, CU does meet the academic criteria and would add a new market. There's also the resumption of the Colorado-Nebraska annual series, if that has any merit at all.

Running with this admittedly unlikely scenario, if the Pac were to lose Colorado, they would presumably want a replacement. Would Colorado State suffice? They're a clear second banana in the state, but their academics are good (though not CU good), they've got a brand new stadium, and the Pac would at least retain some presence in the Denver market.

Any thoughts?