My plan for the Big 12

It appears that the Big 12 lives, despite varying reports over the past two weeks to the contrary.

From Manhattan and Lawrence, Kansas to Waco earlier this week, college administrators breathed sighs of relief, knowing no one would be left behind...yet.

But, with Texas A&M still poised to hit the door after 2011, the Big 12 is really the medium-sized 9. With Missouri half-way to the SEC already, we're looking at 8.

Don't worry, I've got a way to change that.

As constructed the former North division of the Big 12 has only three remaining members: Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State. On the south side, there are (or will be) five: Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., Texas, Texas Tech and Baylor.

The ultimate goal should be to get back to 12 members, if for not other reason than so the name will be right. Plus, we'd get the conference championship game back.

So, move the Oklahoma schools to the North and add BYU (based in Utah). That gives the North six teams and should alleviate some of the disparity between the two divisions that there always seemed to be.

That leaves only three teams from the original south remaining. Add SMU, Houston and...wait for it...TCU to the mix and there are your six. Plus, the SMU/TCU game could easily be a great rivalry game each and every year, play it at JerryWorld.

"But Justin," you ask, "isn't TCU already committed to the Big East."

Committed in the sense that they've been planning to go there in 2012? Yes. How committed they remain to that move with the growing sense of Big East instability is unknown.

One thing I do know, however, is that Dan Beebe's incompetence as a commissioner was never on bigger display than when he didn't pick up the phone to call TCU the moment Nebraska and Colorado said they were leaving.

They're the perfect fit, and we can finally settle the question of "who's the best college football team in Texas."

So there it is, in a nut shell. I'm sure there are political minefields that would need to be navigated, especially as it regards TCU backing out of the Big East. I seriously doubt that SMU or Houston would waste much time accepting an invitation.

Also, Texas needs to do some revenue sharing. I'm not saying all of the revenue from the Longhorn Network should be split, but something has to be put on the table or this whole thing will just play out again in about eight months.

Odds are the league couldn't survive a third time.