Hopefully Boise State will have expanded their stadium by the time this game comes around. I know a proposal was put in to expand Bronco Stadium to at least 50, 000 - possibly more. I've always wanted to see a brand-name program play on the blue turf and put Boise's home-field advantage to the test. But, in my opinion, a big game doesn't look so edgy in front of only 35,000 fans, no matter who's playing. I'm not familiar with the financial ins-and-outs for both programs in a game like this, but I would think the more fans the better. Maybe a neutral site should be considered if Boise isn't able to expand their stadium by then. Although, I'm not sure if Boise would reap the same financial benefits if the game isn't played on their home turf, even if a neutral field offers more seating.

Saban has a way of overreacting to the media (using 9/11 as an analogy to how his team lost to UL-Monroe back in 2007 is one example), but this time, more than others, seems to be an outcry to his team to stay focused all season so they can play for a national championship again...oh and actually win an SEC championship along the way. I'm sure Saban has used the Tide's lack of an SEC title last year as motivation for his players to finish the puzzle. As impressive as the Michigan win was, the 2010 team had impressive victories over Penn State (10 wins in 09) and a blowout of Florida before being routed by South Carolina and later losing to LSU and Auburn. His team is still young at many key spots and plays dangerous games at Arkansas and LSU later on. If he doesn't keep the focus, then 2012 will be an exact replica of 2010. I'm not completely sold on Alabama as the clear cut number one yet.

With the Big East fully slotted as the most unstable of the major conferences, maybe the Big 12 should invite Notre Dame to place all their olympic sports in the conference and add Louisville as an all sports member. However, this scenerio would only leave 11 football playing schools. the solution: add BYU as a football only member. Notre Dame will be happy that they can place their olympic sports in a more stable conference (can't believe we're saying that about the Big 12 now) while keeping their football team independent. BYU would be able to keep their smaller sports aligned with the culturally similar WCC and play football in a major conference. The conference would truly be the "Big 12" again...or the Big 12 and 1/2.

Thanks for the correction...I guess them joining the Big East makes sense after all.

If Boise is seriously a candidate for the football side of the Big East, then I think the best option for the Big East to pursue would be a 12 team football conference with a true western division and a true eastern division (as true as possible). Air Force is a perfect addition if Boise is to join, but a few more western teams would add more stability for a radical move like adding Boise. If the Big 12 drops BYU off their list, then the Big East should definitely pursue the cougars. Idaho, Utah, and Colorado all board each other. BYU maybe more entinced to join if they knew they would be in a division with Boise and AFA. Add Houston and SMU and maybe a Tulsa or Southern Miss and you have a decent, not perfect, geographically congruent western division. This would help with stabilty, exposure, and travel. Of course a lot of this depends on what Missouri does. If Louisville is pried away from the BE, that may actually make it easier to add more western schools. If these schools mentioned are just added for football, the non football side of the conference should be reletively geographically sound if UCF and Temple become the full time members. The all sports members of the conference would all boarder each other with the exceptions of UCF and USF.

Boise is on the western side of Idaho...a move to the "Big East" makes absolutely no sense.

Don't quite comprehend how football-only membership in the Big 12 would even be on the table for Notre Dame. There is no way the Big East would allow ND to keep their other sports in the conference. The Big East can afford to drop an Irish Basketball team, especially if it gets the total number of members back to an even 16. BYU as a football only member sounds more logical since the WCC doesn't sponsor football.

With news coming out about the NCAA upholding USC's sanctions, a Jordan Wynn led Utah should definitely be considered a favorite to represent the south. USC will still be a huge factor in the Pac 12 race; possibly knocking a team out of the Championship game. A few early preseason publications I looked at all had Utah finishing either 3rd or 4th in the south, but if Jordan Wynn is healthy and with USC out of the picture, Utah has just as much talent as Arizona State. Both Utah and ASU play USC early in the season. With USC as a measuring stick, we'll get a good feel of who the better team is early on.

I need more cowbell!!!

I don't have a problem with them using cowbells. It's been a tradition at Mississippi State since the late 30s. Tradition that old shouldn't be messed with. Keep em in Starkville though.

If both Fresno State and Nevada join the Mountain West, BYU would be foolish not to consider staying put. All the conference would need to do is invite one more school, Houston would be an ideal candidate, to create a 12 team league that would be able to stage a championship game. A championship game alone would give the memebering schools a finacial boost, but a 12 team Mountain West with strong programs like TCU, Boise, Houston, and BYU should be strong enough to grab a spot as an automatic qualifier in the next BCS cycle. Many people already felt that the current Mountain West with the addition of Boise State would have gained an automatic birth to the BCS, but Utah's departure to the Pac 10 changed people's opinions.

When you look at A&M's recent product, no they don't look like a conference contender right now. I just feel that in perspective to the remaining North teams, majority of the Big 12 South teams will have the upper edge in the new format Big 12. A&M has been taking small (albiet too small) steps to move up the Big 12 latter. The new format should give them an even better chance to become a consistent contender. Basically, I think all the South schools (except Baylor) will have the upper hand in the new conference format.

The only problem with that conjecture is that this upcoming season will be the last year that the two division format will be in place, since the Big 12 has consistently reiterated that they do not wish to add more teams in the future. Not to change the topic of the blog entry to much (I hope the best for Gill and I think he is a class example), about the 10 team format that will be implemented next year is probably going to have a negative effect on all of the remaining North teams. Outside of Nebraska and (occasionally) Colorado, the other North schools do not gather the recruits that match up with the overall talent that flows into the South. Kansas, K-State, Missouri, and Iowa State will now have to play the big 2, Texas and Oklahoma, each year instead of playing them every few seasons. Texas A&M looks as if they will move up in the hierarchy right behind their older brothers in the not so distant future and Tuberville should be able to keep Texas Tech as a frequent contender. The champion of the New Big 12 conference is probably going to be either the Longhorns, Sooners, or Aggies for atleast the first couple of seasons. Hopefully the former North schools will be able to pick up their recruiting even more than they already have. Kansas and especially Missouri, both have the ingredients in place to become contenders in the New Big 12, but wrestling the championship trophy away from the state of Texas and Oklahoma on a consistent bases will be a vast challenge. Gill just might be the energy that Kansas needs to win that challenge.