The University of Colorado made its leap to the Pac-10 official today. Many sources say Nebraska will be gone by tomorrow. And University of Texas and Texas A&M officials are meeting in Austin today (some reports have Baylor and Texas Tech reps on hand as well). The Pac-10 reportedly also wants to get its hands on Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Why the sudden death for one of the most powerful athletic
conferences? Television money and national respect. Big 12 members got at most $10 million each last year from televised games. The Pac-10 doled out double that. And the new super conference could pull a Wal-Mart and demand even more cash based solely on its size, or it could create its own television network.

What about poor Baylor? When the Southwest Conference’s carcass was picked clean for the 1996 formation of the Big 12, political pressure from then-Gov. Ann Richards (a Baylor alum) kept the private school in the mix with the big public-school kids. This time Baylor Prez Ken Starr (yes, that Ken Starr) is begging for mercy. Mercy he shall have – likely in the WAC.

This article appears in June 4 • 2010.

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