The Big 12 conference hoped a January vote at the NCAA convention would open the door for the 10-team league to have a conference championship game in football, but an amendment submitted by the Big Ten could block that plan.
Conferences currently have to have at least 12 teams and two divisions in order to host a conference championship game, and Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and ACC commissioner John Swafford submitted a proposal to eliminate those restrictions.
Not so fast my friend, said Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany. He told ESPN he doesn't think the Big 12 should have to expand to hold a title game, but he wants to know what the league's procedure will be for determining the participants and how deregulation might impact other conference structures - like the ACC.
The Big Ten's amendment indicates it's OK with having fewer than 12 teams, but divisions is a must.
Delany wants the Power 5 conferences to be as similar as possible, so things will be easier for the College Football Playoff selection committee to differentiate between teams.
"I want to have some familiarity -- some knowledge as to how these things are going to play out," he told ESPN. "I don't want unintended consequences. I don't want to wake up one morning and see some odd structure that's unfamiliar. We don't think he should have to expand to have the same option we have. But we feel he should have a structure similar to ours."
Bowlsby and Swofford think the individual leagues should be able to decide how they choose their champions, and they are concerned about the division structure because the two best teams in the conference could be in the same division - thus eliminating one of the best championship contenders. Back when the Big 12 had divisions (North and South) and a conference championship game, the South dominated the series (including seven wins consecutively between Oklahoma and Texas from 2004 to 2010). While those games went according to script, the chance of an upset by the North division team over a South power wasn't seen as a good thing by the Big 12; No. 21 Nebraska nearly knocked No. 3 Texas out of the BCS Championship game in 2009, for instance.
If the conference split into geographical divisions right now, the way the other four Power Five conferences do, there'd again be a serious power tilt to the South — the only former North teams still in the league are Kansas State, Iowa State and Kansas.
Delany said he understands that point of view, but wants specifics for their plans before he'll agree to any change.
"They're the sponsors, so they should have the ability to articulate what they plan to do," Delany said. "We already have enough differences."
Big Ten amendment could block Big 12 title game
Conferences currently have to have at least 12 teams and two divisions in order to host a conference championship game, and Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and ACC commissioner John Swafford submitted a proposal to eliminate those restrictions.
Not so fast my friend, said Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany. He told ESPN he doesn't think the Big 12 should have to expand to hold a title game, but he wants to know what the league's procedure will be for determining the participants and how deregulation might impact other conference structures - like the ACC.
The Big Ten's amendment indicates it's OK with having fewer than 12 teams, but divisions is a must.
Delany wants the Power 5 conferences to be as similar as possible, so things will be easier for the College Football Playoff selection committee to differentiate between teams.
"I want to have some familiarity -- some knowledge as to how these things are going to play out," he told ESPN. "I don't want unintended consequences. I don't want to wake up one morning and see some odd structure that's unfamiliar. We don't think he should have to expand to have the same option we have. But we feel he should have a structure similar to ours."
Bowlsby and Swofford think the individual leagues should be able to decide how they choose their champions, and they are concerned about the division structure because the two best teams in the conference could be in the same division - thus eliminating one of the best championship contenders. Back when the Big 12 had divisions (North and South) and a conference championship game, the South dominated the series (including seven wins consecutively between Oklahoma and Texas from 2004 to 2010). While those games went according to script, the chance of an upset by the North division team over a South power wasn't seen as a good thing by the Big 12; No. 21 Nebraska nearly knocked No. 3 Texas out of the BCS Championship game in 2009, for instance.
If the conference split into geographical divisions right now, the way the other four Power Five conferences do, there'd again be a serious power tilt to the South — the only former North teams still in the league are Kansas State, Iowa State and Kansas.
Delany said he understands that point of view, but wants specifics for their plans before he'll agree to any change.
"They're the sponsors, so they should have the ability to articulate what they plan to do," Delany said. "We already have enough differences."
Big Ten amendment could block Big 12 title game
