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In the 1970s, three schools were always in the college football discussion. With the expansion talk going on this offseason, they’re back. Notre Dame, Nebraska, and – to a lesser extent – Texas are the three most important players in the discussion. And here’s why….

Notre Dame does not want to leave their independent status, with their Athletic Director stating many times that their goal is to remain independent as long as that is viable. But suppose they decided to join the Big Ten right now.

That would give the Big Ten twelve teams and four of the biggest names in college football – Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame. The prestige of that league would be immense. Ratings beget TV contracts. TV contracts beget more money. And more money is what the Big Ten is ultimately after. Make no mistake; if Notre Dame were to jump to the Big Ten tomorrow, expansion would be done.

But Notre Dame is not going to jump. So that brings us to the Huskers. Along with Missouri, Nebraska has been given an ultimatum to determine whether to stay in the Big XII or to try to join another conference (presumably the Big Ten).

Nebraska has historically been unhappy with the Big XII since its inception because it is felt that the conference caters to Texas far too much, both in academics and financially. There have been rumblings about Nebraska going to the Big Ten before – back in the late 1970s when Tom Osborne was Head Coach. “The Good TO” is back in Lincoln now; this time as AD.

If Nebraska leaves the Big XII North, the conference will need realignment. While Missouri is a good program, and K-State and Kansas have made uneven progress toward respectability over the past 15 years, the Big XII North needs Nebraska to remain viable enough to sell the conference’s pay-per-view packages. Colorado has not been a major player for at least five years, and then there’s Iowa State.

Nebraska could decide to make the move if the Big Ten is serious about its overtures. Which leads us to Austin….

Texas likes the status quo. They have a HUGE rivalry game every year with Oklahoma; they have a schedule they can get fat on every year, playing Baylor, Okie State, and yes, even A&M. With Mike Leach out at Texas Tech, it’s more likely than not that the Red Raiders will also return to doormat status.

This puts Texas in line for an even bigger payout every year by placing them in prime position for a trip to the conference title game each year. Beat OU and they’re in. Lose to OU and they still have a shot for “Big Game Bob” to blow a couple of conference games on the way.

But if Nebraska goes, Texas has the unenviable choice of a watered-down Big XII North, agreeing to realignment that will take away some of their favorite “rival” games held over from the days of the Southwest Conference, or jumping (with a bunch of their sister schools) to a new conference. I guess the last option is what they would choose.

Why? They’ve done it before. Did I mention the Southwest Conference? That body was dissolved when Texas and its “posse” moved en masse to (join or form – depends on who you ask) the Big XII.

So as you watch this unfold over the next few days/weeks/months, keep an eye on these three schools. They will decide the fate of the Big Ten, the Big XII, the Pac-10 and the entire college football landscape.

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