New proposal to save Big 12 with 10 teams being considered by UT

June 13, 2010

Joel Thorman

Another interesting twist to the Pac-10 expansion story.

On Wednesday, the Texas House of Representatives' higher education committee will meet to discuss the future of Texas, Texas Tech and Texas A&M. This meeting will come one day after Texas and Texas Tech regents will meet to discuss -- but reportedly not vote on -- the future of their respective schools. Commissioners from all the major conferences have been invited to attend and chief execs from the three Texas schools will be present.

Per Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas), the chair of the committee, final decisions aren't likely to be made before Wednesday's legislative hearing.

"To make a final decision before Wednesday would not be wise," Branch told Andy Staples of SI.com.

Meanwhile, Kirk Bohls of the Austin-American Statesman reports, citing sources, that the Pac-10 has issued a Friday deadline -- presumably to all the Big 12 schools that have been linked to the Pac-10.

This meshes with another report that Texas A&M is "expected" to choose the SEC as soon as Thursday.

If these reports are accurate, then decisions will be made between Wednesday and Friday of this week.

That should silence all the rumors until then. Right.....?