Upon Further Review

Wednesday marked the beginning of what could be a seismic shift in college football conferences as we know it. When word came out that Nebraska would make the move to the Big 10, it began what will likely be a mass exodus from the Big 12, which will result in the dissolution of the conference. It could very well also result in the beginning of what many have predicted to be the "superconference era" in college football, with fewer conferences comprised of more teams holding more power. Though Colorado was the first team to officially sign on the dotted line, make no doubt about it, Nebraska was the school that prompted this shift - for good or bad. Nebraska is the school that was viewed by Texas as the school necessary to keep this conference together, and when news came out wednesday of their departure for the Big 10, the dominoes began to fall. As a Nebraskan, it really is kind of amazing to think that the school I cheer for in the heart of the country, may be the school that starts the reshuffling of BCS conferences as we once knew them.

In terms of what this means for Nebraska, the move to the Big 10 will allow for a lot more money. People are talking a lot about the fact that the Big 10 network will bring a significant chunk of change to the athletic department and the move to the Big 10 will ultimately result in up to $20 million dollars a year in the short-term, and possibly much more in the long-term. It also means a great deal of money in terms of academics, which may be even more important. The Big 10 represents millions of dollars in research money, and it will raise the academic profile of the university with the prestige of Big 10 schools such as Northwestern, Michigan, and Wisconsin, among others. This move wasn't about getting away from Texas, though that doesn't hurt, it was about making the right move for the university, and in the long run, I think, the athletic program. Don't get me wrong, money played a big role in this move, but this move was about the long term viability of the Big 10 and the University. Tom Shatel wrote a great article about what this move means to Nebraska, and instead of reading my amateur words, I will refer you to his.

In terms of what this means competitively, I believe it represents a step up. People have their preconceptions of every conference, most notably that the Big 10 is slow. As all the conference moves shake out, I think a lot of those misconceptions will be shown to be pure myth. No matter what you want to say about the conference, the Big 10 will now have four of the most prestigious football programs in the country. Though Oklahoma and Texas have had good runs in recent years, the traditions of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State can not be ignored. This move was made for college football, and thats obvious, but it also creates a great volleyball rivalry with Penn State and Nebraska, the basketball team could probably use a change of scenery, and maybe Mike Anderson and the baseball team can win a series in the Big 10. I am personally somewhat sad to see the historical match-ups of the Big 10, but I am also very excited about some of the potential new rivalries in the Big 10. The most natural will of course be Nebraska vs. Iowa, one that I wish didn't have to happen having a rooting interest in both teams, but the real exciting match-ups will be with the likes of Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, and even Wisconsin.

The changes in conferences are likely far from done as we see what happens with the remaining Big XII teams. The non-Baylor south teams are likely to make their move early next week. Missouri may have a future spot in the Big 10, but it's really to soon to say. The other north teams are just trying to find a landing spot. The SEC will not sit still as the Pac-10 talks about expanding to sixteen. The Big East and ACC will likely be involved one SEC starts to make its moves. And the Big 10 is likely still on the lookout for potential new teams. There is and will be a lot to talk about, and its probably just the start a couple years worth of realignment. As for Nebraska's move, what I am really excited about is the possibility of watching Nebraska come up to the Twin Cities, my soon-to-be home, and play Minnesota every other year - you can bet that I will be in attendance every year. In the meanwhile, the cheer remains: GO BIG RED!