Expansion talk in the Pac-10 has created a stir

Now that BYU and Utah are claiming to know zilch about the Pac-10's plans for expansion, I have one thing to say: Don't be surprised if they know more than they're saying.

Sounds to me like coaches who say "I'm not looking to go anywhere" and then take another job.

Besides, hearing nothing doesn't mean nothing is happening.

It may not be this week, but if the Pac-10 asks Utah to join, the Utes will be out of the Mountain West before you can say "bye-bye."

If I were Utah or BYU, and a BCS conference came calling, I'd leave the MWC without even posting a forwarding address.

Hello, Hollywood. Howdy-do to the Farm. And how cool would it be going back to their old WAC haunts in Phoenix and Tucson?

Sort of brings memories of the days of Marv Bateman and Mike Sojourner, doesn't it?

The reason I'm mostly referencing Utah is because, as far as I can tell, the Pac-10 doesn't want BYU. Not that that the school wouldn't be a nice addition with an impressive fan base and a strong overall athletic program. It's that BYU doesn't fit.

There's no way Cal, Stanford, Oregon and UCLA are going to invite a school as conservative as BYU into their conference. They can dress it up with talk about research institutions and market-sharing and Sunday games, but fact is the league from the Left Coast doesn't want conservative BYU, period.

It makes things too complicated.

But if Colorado goes to the Pac-10 along with Utah, as speculated, BYU could join the Big 12. If I were in charge, I'd kick out Baylor, just because it didn't belong there in the first place. For good measure I'd fill that vacancy with TCU or Houston.

Meanwhile, I figure the Big 12 would be more willing to accommodate BYU and its unique requirements than the Pac-10, anyway. Part of its teams are in the Bible Belt and some of its schools are more conservative than the Pac-10.

A few months ago, before the Pac-10 commissioner admitted this is a good time to look into expansion, I thought building from within was an answer for Utah and BYU. I decided if the MWC could stay the course, it might surpass another automatic qualifying conference, like the Big East. Then there would be no need to argue its way into BCS bowl games. No need to beg to get in another conference, either.

Now I'm saying don't wait — jump! ASAP!

Waiting for the BCS to extend full privileges to the MWC is like waiting for Roger Clemens to admit he took steroids.

Is that a cricket I hear chirping?

BCS bylaws say conferences that get automatic qualifying status are to be evaluated on a four-year cycle. But the computer rankings are a big factor, and they're always skewed against non-qualifying conferences.