Midweek Musings: The Chaos Theory

Seriously, if you want to read about the game Saturday, here’s the game info, and a closer look at OU.

Also, for any Sooner fans perusing the site, if you’re going to be in Fort Worth this weekend, here’s some fun stuff you can go do.

And now, let’s dive into the madness that is this college football season.

Realignment

Rutgers and Maryland are going to the Big 10. Reasons this is hilarious:

1. Big 10 fans aren’t that excited about it.
2. Rutgers and Maryland fans aren’t that excited about it.
3. Someone, somewhere, actually convinced Jim Delaney that adding these two schools would get them the D.C. and New York markets (It may actually bring in D.C. but New York? No way).
4. Someone, somewhere, actually convinced Jim Delaney that Rutgers and Maryland were good athletic additions to the conference. Please note: the last time Rutgers played a Big 10 team was in 2006, against Illinois. #rivalry.
5. The ACC is pissed, so they’re suing the Terps.

Now, theoretically, Maryland has to pay a $50 million exit fee to the ACC, which they’ll surely talk the ACC down from. Maryland was, after all, one of two schools to vote against the price hike (Florida State being the other).

Regardless of the final price though, it may not hit the Maryland athletic budget. According to Forbes, one swirling rumor is that Kevin Plank, founder of Under Armour and Maryland alum, may foot the bill. It would just be another example of a rich booster becoming hands-on involved in an athletic department.

Meanwhile, in "Pray for Mike Aresco’s Liver" news, Louisville is primed to leave the Big East and head to the ACC. His groundbreaking solution? Replace the teams it has lost with Tulane and East Carolina.

Let’s take a second to let off a hearty chuckle in the Big East’s general direction, which is now all over the country. Maybe spin in a circle while you laugh.

Mike, if you’re reading, send me your address. I’ll mail you some scotch.

I will admit though, I’m kind of bummed about the prospect of Louisville moving to the ACC. I’ve been a proponent of the Big 12 grabbing Louisville, Cincinnati, Florida State and Clemson (or Georgia Tech), but it seems that unless someone can convince Bob Bowlsby , Texas and Oklahoma that a conference championship game isn’t the devil (or if you’re looking through Fungo Frog glasses, if Bob can convince them that bringing in these schools won’t cost them any of their TV revenue) the Big 12 is content with kicking back, grabbing some popcorn, and taking in the madness.

As Dennis Dodd wrote earlier today, the Big 12 is happy with 10.

I’d like to see a conference championship in the Big 12 again, but I can live without one for now.

THIS JUST IN: IN AN AWE INSPIRING MOVE, CONFERENCE USA HAS EXTENDED INVITATIONS TO MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE, FLORIDA ATLANTIC, AND MY OLD HIGH SCHOOL.

Everyone is asking: How will the Sun Belt survive??

Coaching Carousel

There are currently openings for a head coaching gig at the following schools:

Arkansas, Auburn, Boston College, California, Colorado, Georgia State, Idaho, N.C. State, Purdue, Southern Miss, Tennessee, UTEP, and Western Michigan.

Gary Patterson is rumored to be the front runner for all of them.

Les Miles pulled a Frank Beamer on Arkansas today, when he leveraged their 5 years/$27.5 million offer into an extension and raise at LSU. LOLZ at every Arkansas fan that thought he was actually going to leave for the Hogs.

Coaches that will probably be fired if things don’t end well this year (or could probably be fired next year): Mack Brown (Texas), Lane Kiffin (USC), Tim Beckman (Illinois, Kevin Wilson (Indiana), Randy Edsall (Maryland), Charlie Weis (Kansas), Skip Holtz (South Florida).

The Newest BCS Buster

This Friday could bring us the latest team from a non-BCS conference to earn a bid to a BCS game.

That’s right, the Kent State Golden Flashes are picking up where the Frogs left off, with a 10-1 record and a #17 ranking in the BCS.

Kent State is in prime position to take advantage of a crazy BCS rule, one that states that if a conference champion from a non-BCS conference is ranked in the Top 16 of the BCS and is ranked ahead of a conference champion from a BCS conference, they get an automatic bid.

The Golden Flashes play their last game against #21 Northern Illinois in the MAC championship on Friday.

Their inclusion in the BCS could spell doom for Oklahoma’s attempt to get an at-large bid (or Kansas State, depending on how things play out Saturday).

For now though, let's, like the Big 12, just kick back and watch the crazy happen.