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Earlier today, we looked at the pay for athletic directors around the league, but what about the men up top?

USA Today researched and released the pay for each conference commissioner, and former Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe earned $1.7 million in 2010 after receiving a 70 percent raise.

He was relieved of his duties in fall 2011.

Here's how he ranked among his peers:

• Larry Scott, Pac-12: $1.9 million
• Jim Delany, Big Ten: $1.8 million
• Beebe: $1.7 million
• John Swofford, ACC: $1.5 million
• Mike Slive, SEC: $1 million
• John Marinatto, Big East: $600,000

The Big 12 has since moved on from Beebe, and no salary information was available for interim commissioner Chuck Neinas.

In USA Today's survey of athletic director salaries, new commissioner Bob Bowlsby's salary was unavailable, because Stanford is a private institution.

Either way, I'd expect the first-time commissioner to easily clear a seven-digit salary in his new gig.

For reference, Texas AD DeLoss Dodds made just under 1.1 million last year. Not exactly helping that whole "Texas runs the Big 12" perception if he makes more than the Big 12 commish, no?

USA Today released its annual survey of athletic director salaries, noting that they're rising almost as fast as coaching salaries. How did the Big 12 stack up?

Here's how they ranked:

• DeLoss Dodds, Texas: $1,095,756
• Joe Castiglione, Oklahoma: $975,000
• Bill Byrne, Texas A&M: $690,000
• Mike Alden, Missouri: $659,775
• Kirby Hocutt, Texas Tech: $580,000
• Jamie Pollard, Iowa State: $450,000
• Sheahon Zenger, Kansas: $450,000
• Ian McCaw, Baylor: $423,449
• John Currie, Kansas State: $412,500
• Mike Holder, Oklahoma State: $387,560

I kept old Big 12 schools in this list because they were in the Big 12 when these numbers were taken.

For the new schools?

• Oliver Luck, West Virginia: $405,600
• TCU's Chris Del Conte was paid $115,639 for a partial-year salary. He took over in October 2009, and his full salary was not available on public tax returns.

The most surprising name on the list was Mike Holder, who is at the bottom of the list, despite holding the position since 2005. Oklahoma State's not exactly starved for money these days, either.

Kansas State's John Currie is a newcomer to the job, and a first-time athletic director who has helped K-State become the most profitable athletic department in the country. You've got to expect a raise is coming his way, even though he had a high-profile gaffe when hoops coach Frank Martin exited stage right all the way to South Carolina.

Not surprising to see Texas and OU at the top, but that's a pretty big gap between Dodds, Castiglione and the rest of the league, especially now that Missouri and Texas A&M are gone.

Dodds is only the fourth-highest paid AD, behind Vanderbilt, Florida and Louisville's athletic directors.

What else stuck out to you?

Joe Schad, Jesse Palmer and Ed Cunningham discuss conference expansion and if Notre Dame should remain independent.

If I wanted to run a monkey hotel, I'd install a banana buffet.

• Does the recent Big 12-SEC partnership inspire some buyer's remorse at Mizzou? Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star examines the issue.
• Texas AD DeLoss Dodds is against expansion, but openly courted Notre Dame, writes Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.
• The Big East and ACC had their chance and missed it. The Big 12-SEC deal has shut the window on the lesser conferences, writes Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports.
• Recent suspensions bring about a comparison to Bob Stoops' first team at Oklahoma, writes Jason Kersey of The Oklahoman.
• Florida State was supposed to save the ACC. When it moves to the Big 12, it will kill the ACC, writes Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com.
• TCU players had a big impact on a local eight-year-old boy's life.
• KU running back James Sims entered into a diversion agreement for his OWI arrest earlier this spring.
• Here's an update on Iowa State's brand-new facility.
• Is a KU offensive lineman commit angling to move to BYU?
• Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal introduces you to the newest Red Raider, Baylen Brown.
• Gina Mizell of the Oklahoman breaks down Tracy Moore's assault on the record book.
• K-State AD John Currie talks a bit more about the Big 12-SEC bowl game that will begin at the end of the 2014 season.
• OSU DT Christian Littlehead was arrested for public intoxication, his second arrest in six months.
• Iowa State receiver Albert Gary was sentenced after a robbery incident, and four teammates were with him during the arrest.
• What about a scheduling alliance with the SEC for the Big 12? Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman pitches the idea.

It’s a progressive culture. Most of them travel by zip line.

• One reason Florida State should bolt to the Big 12? For a better schedule, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman.
• The interest from Florida State is a testament to the Big 12's strength, writes Bobby La Gesse of the Ames Tribune.
• The Big 12 should make its move in relation to Florida State. Sean Keeler of Fox Sports explains the positives.
• Florida State's mad at the ACC? The league's downfall is the Seminoles' fault, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Former Florida State trustee Derrick Brooks said today on the Tim Brando show the Big 12 reached out to Florida State, not the other way around.
• Charlie Weis is still getting paid by Notre Dame and Kansas, reports Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune. He'll keep collecting checks from the Irish through 2015.
• Texas running back Johnathan Gray's not even on campus yet, but Mack Brown's not mincing words. He'll play, Brown says.
• Mad about the College Football Hall of Fame? It's an organization you can't take seriously, says Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman.
• The move to the SEC was the right one, says former A&M coach Gene Stallings.
• Bruce Feldman of CBSSports.com has 10 pleasant surprises from the spring. Two Big 12 players crack the list.
• Oklahoma made it official on Tuesday: Fresno State receiver Jalen Saunders is coming to Norman.
• Texas AD DeLoss Dodds wants a playoff, but he wants it separate from the bowl games, reports Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman.
• Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World tries to figure out what KU's depth chart will look like next season.

New Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby doesn't want to see any future expansion in college athletics, but recent events have given him no choice but to put the issue on the Big 12's agenda, as it is on other conferences'.

My opinion," he told USA Today on Tuesday, "is college athletics would be well served by some period of smooth water and not all of the angst and disorganization that goes with moves from one league to another."

We've heard that from the Big 12. Florida State is forcing Bowlsby's hand, though he wouldn't mention the school by name.

"I think the topic of expansion will be on every agenda going forward. But it's on every other conference's agenda going forward, too," Bowlsby told the paper.

Over the weekend, Florida State's chairman of its board of trustees opened up a big ol' can of realignment worms, however, when he offered credence to a long-held rumor rumbling around college sports. Could Florida State leave for the Big 12?

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees I can say that unanimously we would be in favor of seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer. We have to do what is in Florida State's best interest," Andy Haggard told Warchant.com.

So, here we are. After two years of attrition and a role as the hunted, the Big 12 is doing some hunting of its own? Or is it? The league just added TCU and West Virginia for 2012 after Texas A&M and Missouri bolted for the SEC, leaving the Big 12 with eight members. That move was a year after Nebraska and Colorado left the Big 12 for the Big Ten and Pac-12, respectively, costing the conference its namesake. Could Florida State move the Big 12 one step closer to a return to 12 members?

Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds tamped down some of the discussion, telling the Austin American-Statesman that there was "no traction" to the reports.

He did not add a "yet" on the end of that sentence, but more than a few assumed that was the case. How could the Big 12 and Florida State at least not sit down at a table for an exchange of ideas?

Where does the Big 12 stand right now? Bowlsby's not showing his hand.

"It's all about driving value for the member institutions," Bowlsby said. "There is a case to be made for optimal value being driven by the status quo, and there is a case to be made for some form of expansion. And I'm not prejudging or adopting either side of that right now."

He is, however, discussing it. And while that happens, there won't be many calm waters in college football.

Kevin Garnett helped me move once. Kevin Costner cooked me dinner after a bad breakup. Kevin Sorbo introduced me to his podiatrist.

• Big 12 expansion is still a possibility, says TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte. “Once a commissioner and television contract are finalized, then you take a deep breath and look at all the possibilities out there. You could remain at 10 or you could expand," he said.
• Here's your must-see video of the day. Charlie Weis is trying to teach his team how to do everything, including celebrate a win. He goes on a very frank rant, and Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star has video of the whole entertaining exchange. Dodd also updates one of the Big 12's best Cinderella stories: Kansas linebacker Steven Johnson is hoping to be drafted.
• Bob Stoops isn't happy, and believes his quarterback, Landry Jones, doesn't get the recognition he deserves.
• Austin Meek of the Topeka-Capital Journal has more from the 6 a.m. practice open to media.
• SI.com's Peter King says this year's NFL draft is a flashback to 1998, with two franchise quarterbacks at the top.
• RG3 isn't in Washington D.C. yet, but he's already having an impact on the franchise and its fans, writes SI.com's Don Banks.
• West Virginia backup quarterback Ford Childress, 18, was arrested for driving under the influence, and a preliminary breath test revealed a blood alcohol content of .189.
• Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News examines an alternate universe in which Texas AD DeLoss Dodds hired all the wrong coaches.
• TCU fans and teams will save a whole lot of money on travel in the Big 12.
• Oklahoma State is playing the name game with its "spring game," writes Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman.
• Dallas' mayor and Texas AD DeLoss Dodds met to discuss the Red River Rivalry in the city.
• West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith opens up about why his practice reps have been limited this spring practice.
• The Fort Worth Star-Telegram wants to know what you think about TCU's new uniforms.
• Here's another look at the work the Texas Tech football team did to aid tornado victims in Lancaster, Texas.
• TCU sold 22,000 season tickets last season. It has 15,700 so far this year, and is shooting for a school-record 30,000.
• Former Texas center Dallas Griffin is battling MS, but Tully Corcoran of Fox Sports explains Griffin's hobby to help stay positive.
• Rowan Kavner of the Dallas Morning News breaks down TCU's offensive line this year.

Thanks for all the questions today. It was a fun chat. Here's the full transcript.

And now, time for some highlights:

Chris Fiegler (Latham,NY): Who will be the Best Quarterback in the Big 12 in 2012?

David Ubben: It'll be a two-horse race between Geno Smith and Landry Jones.

Paul (Stillwater): Ubbs - seems like a lot of scounts are hating on weeden and blackmon. they say that blackmon isn't tall enough or fast enough and that weeden's 100 yrs old can't make the tight throws. have these guys not seen the game film and are all these measurables that important?

David Ubben: I'd say you're not listening very closely, Paul. Blackmon's a near lock in the top five, and Weeden's a strong candidate for the No. 3 QB in this draft. He didn't throw well at the combine, but he's got skills. The age thing is more a question about his longevity in the league, not his actual skill.

Bear (Dallas): Do you feel like you should get a Gut Pak now after all the Baylor comments?

David Ubben: It sounded pretty good today. I was sifting through the e-mails today (There were a ton. Thanks, Baylor fans.) and I could about taste it. Look for the full guide on Wednesday.

Mason (Texas): This week we heard Dick Ebersol's name mentioned as a possible candidate for Big 12 Commish. You hearing about or willing to speculate about any other names?

David Ubben: Nope. I've heard a few, but nothing I'd go with yet. Bringing in Jack Swarbrick from ND seems like a terrible idea. The last thing the Big 12 needs is a close personal friend of DeLoss Dodds becoming the commissioner. Britton Banowsky, the commissioner of the C-USA, is one name that keeps popping up, though.

DoTheGundy (Tulsa): Who is your choice for breakout offensive player for next year?

David Ubben: Tough call here. There are lots of candidates. I'll go with Darrin Moore at Texas Tech. Do Terrance Williams or Lache Seastrunk at Baylor count?

W (Anaheim): Since they have no respect for KSU, who's going to replace Mizzou as KU's most hated rival?

David Ubben: No, here's the deal: That's going to change. Losing Mizzou is going to hurt. The immediate result will be KU taking that rivalry with K-State a whole lot more seriously. The Sunflower Showdown is about to get an upgrade.

Donnie (Oklahoma): Jake Trotter's chat on the SoonerNation blog suggested that part of UT's issues the last couple of years is partly due to them signing most of their class before they play their senior years thusly not getting to fully evaluate their talent growth potential (basically). What is your thoughts on this theory?

David Ubben: That's part of it. It's not all of it. When you have guys committing (Not signing. Players all sign at the same time) so early, it increases the variables. Texas has been part of the reason why guys are committing earlier and earlier. That wasn't all the reason, though. I don't think Texas was evaluating players as thoroughly as they had in the past, and development has been an issue, too. Part of that is on the player, but part of it's on the staff, too.

Mark (Texas): What's a realistic first year for TCU in the Big 12 next year?

David Ubben: Best-case scenario: 11-1. My pick: 9-3

Rainy (Oklahoma): Dear Sir, Do you think it will take a National Championship and/or a Heisman caliber season for Landry Jones to vindicate himself of the frustration he's caused alot of Sooner fans? Or do you think it will take less than that?

David Ubben: One or the other would probably help. At Oklahoma, sorry to say for Jones, that's probably what it would take. The bar is so high in Norman. You can't win 11 games and think that'll please people. Jones has already won a BCS bowl and a Big 12 title. Still, it hasn't been enough.

Dave (MD): Is it just me, or does the Big 12 seem to have the best collection of coaches in the country? Mack and Stoops have been doing it for years, Gundy/Briles/Rhodes seem rock solid. Snyder is a magician. Tubbs, once a hot commodity, is probably on the lower tier in the Big 12.

David Ubben: Maybe so. He's got a better resume than a lot of those guys, but we're still waiting for him to do something at Tech. He's recruited well, which is a good step, but Tech's only won 13 games in two years. That's been unheard of in Lubbock lately.

Jamie (Dallas): If you had to pick a 2012 Big 12 rushing champ right this instant, who would you choose and why?

David Ubben: Joseph Randle. He'll have a great O-line, and with a young QB and unproven big-time receivers, OSU will lean on him.

Levi Stevenson (Ames, IA): What sort of improvement do you expect from Jared Barnett in his sophomore season?

David Ubben: He's got to be consistent on the easy throws. That's the first thing for any young QB. Look at how he played in the Pinstripe Bowl: He just has to be better. Slants, eight-yard outs, flats. Those throws have to be on the money 90-95% of the time. He was all over the place in the last couple games.

Mo (Texas): Come on Ubs, 9-3 for TCU? That's a little high. They will have success, but they are REALLY upgrading their schedule. I'm thinking closer to 7.

David Ubben: Upgrading their schedule, yes. But Mo, I think you're underestimating the kind of talent they have returning in 2011. Three 700-yard rushers? A big-time QB? Three great receivers with plenty of potential to go with their production? The Horned Frogs offense will be as good as anyone's.

Tony (Richmond, CA): Ubbs, Kendall Wright ran a 4.6 40 at the combine. I thought he was much faster than that. Is simply a case of jitters, and not rising to the occasion, or I was mistaken about his speed? How much did he damage his stock?

David Ubben: No idea. That was eye popping to me. Maybe he was banged up. Maybe he trained poorly before the draft. I don't know, but he was much faster than that during the season.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Whether Mack Brown was campaigning for it or not, he received four more years.

And to think, no one even got to vote. Not that a vote was needed. A few rumors that Brown might retire, and Texas' athletic director DeLoss Dodds got to work to make sure it wouldn't happen. The sage septuagenarian decided he wanted to keep his best asset for a bit longer, or at least until Dodds himself rides off into the burnt orange sunset. Dodds is 74, after all.

It was the wise and prudent move. Brown and his program have allowed Texas, and Dodds, to build the richest and most powerful athletic department in the country. Sure, there have been a few blips -- 5-7 and 8-5 immediately come to mind. Those two seasons, the worst of Brown's career, had some fans questioning whether the coach had become complacent or incompetent.

Brown will even own up to the complacency charge. He and his staff lived on the name brand they had built and neglected to develop talent, innovate and, most of all, win.

As for the incompetence, well, from the suites to the cheap seats just about everyone believes they are better than the guy on the sideline.

In this case, they're not.

For Carter Strickland's full column, click here.

University of Texas regents are considering making changes to football coach Mack Brown's contract.

The regents scheduled a Thursday telephone meeting. Brown's contract, which runs through 2016, is the only agenda item and details were not released.

A source told the Austin American-Statesman that the board will extend Brown's contract by four years through the 2020 season. The Statesmen also reported that Brown will continue to receive annual $100,000 raises with the extension. Brown, 60, is one of the highest-paid coaches in the country at $5.2 million per year.

The sad truth is this move might just be necessary for Brown. Ever since bringing on Will Muschamp and naming him coach-in-waiting, questions persisted about when Brown would be done.

Muschamp left. Brown insisted he was reinvigorated.

Yet, after the season, rumors persisted that Brown was leaving or being pushed out.

Generally, contracts as long as Brown's are a bad idea, but how else was Texas going to get rid of a distraction? Repeated denials and statements of confidence didn't do much to quash rumors.

This might help.

The negative recruiting consequences are debatable, but from Brown and Dodds' perspectives, the talk had to get old. Maybe this won't end it, but it's the last step to making it happen.

Going 13-12 over the past two seasons doesn't warrant a raise, but Brown's done enough to earn the confidence of his bosses, who aren't exactly scrounging for cash.

Brown looks like he's in for the long haul. Texas looks happy to have him.

Texas got out in front of persistent rumors that coach Mack Brown was either retiring or being forced out at Texas in the near future.

"Anything you are hearing, absolutely nothing about it is true," Texas AD DeLoss Dodds told The Associated Press by telephone on Sunday from New York, where he and Brown plan to attend Tuesday's college football Hall of Fame banquet.

A report surfaced last week that Brown planned to retire after the Baylor game on Saturday, which Texas lost to fall to 7-5. Brown shot down those rumors in his postgame media session.

"There'll probably be a lot more after tonight," Brown said of the rumors. "When I do retire, it won't come from a twit, a Twitter, in Topeka, Kan. I want to coach for a long time."

He was right. On Sunday, another report surfaced that he'd be forced out, one Dodds actively quelled.

"I can't even imagine why someone would start something like this," Dodds said. "It's just something we want to put to bed. It's certainly not the truth. And people ought to be more careful about what they are reporting."

Thanks for all the questions. Here's my mailbag if you'd like to see yours here next week or bring up some intriguing info that might be useful for a post.

Ben in Arlington, Texas, asked: So Texas and UCLA have agreed to play again, this time in 2014 at JerryWorld. Funny, cause I thought just a few weeks ago, DeLoss Dodds said a game with A&M wasn't feasible because their schedule was booked ...

David Ubben: Whoops. Money talks. So does pettiness.

Chef in Austin, Texas, asked: Dave, In light of the big 12 and big east both (seemingly) surviving realignment despite hemorrhaging members, do you think it's even possible for a big 6 conference to die? Or will there only be mergers in this modern world of college athletics?

DU: Right now, it seems like both leagues have massive survival instincts. The Big 12 is at an advantage with major powers sitting in the league in Texas and Oklahoma.

Right now, though, most of the shuffling is only happening so leagues can hang onto their BCS automatic-qualifier status, and Big 12 interim commissioner Chuck Neinas said he sees that going away in the near future, which would put a stop to the more nonsensical moves like Boise State or TCU to the Big East, and teams would go to the BCS on their own merit. It'll be interesting to watch play out.

Clayton in Austin, Texas, asked: If Okie State wins out and blows OU out of the water in the final week, the day before Bowl annoucements, and Texas finishes the season 10-2, who gets the other BCS bid out of the Big 12? Or does the Big 12 not get a second bid?

DU: A scary, infuriating thought to Oklahoma fans, but I could see it. It's less likely that Texas wins the rest of its games, but the blowout in Dallas aside, I'd have to think the bowl-game committee would consider momentum in its selection, particularly if the Fiesta Bowl was all that's left and OSU is playing for the national title. OU fans were there last year and would be swallowing a national-title season undone by an upset and injuries.

Texas fans would be celebrating a return to the national elite.

Just something to chew on with four games left in the season ...

Nick M in New York City asked: More an observation than a question: We've all heard why Mizzou's recruiting will dry up in Texas and how hard it'll be to land recruits against the SEC heavyweights. But I haven't really seen an analysis of how moving to the SEC might benefit Mizzou's recruiting. Surely it can't all be negative. I mean, I wonder how many big recruits, particularly in-state, Mizzou has lost over the years to SEC teams because that's where those kids wanted to play, not in the Big 12. Seems to me that Mizzou figured out how to recruit in Texas pretty well against heavyweight competition (granted by taking a lot of 3-star kids and getting the most out of them), so there definitely should be new opportunities for Mizzou to do the same in the SEC now too.

DU: The issue is two things: One, Texas and Florida have way, way more Division I talent than any state. Check out this study from last year. You're dealing with a huge pool. Texas produced 345 Division I signees last year. Florida produced 344. That's why Texas is so irreplaceable.

California had 253, Georgia had 170, Ohio had 144. No other state had more than 100. Missouri had 18.

So, you're seeing why this math comes into play and why Texas recruiting is so important to Mizzou, which has 35 players from that state on its roster right now.

With the move to the SEC, can Mizzou start recruiting Florida? Maybe. But in the Big 12, Missouri's earned the trust of a whole lot of Texas high-school coaches. They're in the club. Additionally, a ton of those programs in Texas play the wide-open offense that Mizzou's known for. There's a lot of talented, instinctive players who will quickly grasp what Missouri does.

Maybe Missouri can make inroads in Florida and Georgia. That's a long way from home, but so is much of Texas, and Missouri will play games close in the SEC East. Like Texas A&M, though, Missouri has to win to earn the interest of those recruits and credibility. That's the challenge ahead.

JL in Yukon, Okla., asked: If you had to vote right now, is Brandon Weeden your first team all conference quarterback or would you make the case for either Landry Jones or RG3? Thanks so much and love the blog!

DU: It's a tough call, but I'd probably have to lean Weeden right now. The numbers aren't way lopsided, even though Robert Griffin III's QB rating is higher. Weeden has made big plays when his team has needed him, rescuing the Cowboys from holes at Texas A&M and Kansas State. Weeden was the biggest reason for those victories.

RG3 needs a defense, but he didn't have enough juice against A&M and got outplayed against OSU. Jones played poorly in the loss to Tech. He might swipe the award back in Bedlam this year, but for now, my vote is with Weeden.

When the end of day is nigh, I'll have taken off this tie.

• Could Texas A&M be set for a post-Big 12 series against Oklahoma? Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman says there's a mutual interest in doing so.
• SEC merchandise is on the way in Columbia, Mo., writes Emilie Stigliani of the Columbia Missourian.
• What do Kansas fans think about KU's pointed approach to responding to Missouri's move? J. Brady McCollough of the Kansas City Star fills you in and introduces you to the man behind the tweet heard 'round the Big 12.
• If the season ended today, the BCS title game would be a matchup of teacher vs. student. Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman explores the dynamic between Mike Gundy and Les Miles.
• A Missouri curator recalls a frank comment from Texas AD DeLoss Dodds and says it illustrates a reason for the Tigers to leave, reports David Briggs of the Columbia Tribune.
• Two Texas Tech defenders have suffered season-ending injuries.
• It's 2003 all over again at Texas Tech, and that's not a good thing, writes Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
• Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman takes you inside what it's like to try to come back from a serious injury.
• An Oklahoma offensive lineman was arrested after Saturday's win, reports Guerin Emig of the Tulsa World.
• Mack Brown is a happy man these days, and he has reason to be, writes Cedric Golden of the Austin American-Statesman.
• Third-quarter woes are haunting Missouri this year, writes Vahe Gregorian of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• Turnovers are killing Texas A&M's chances, writes Robert Cessna of the Bryan-College Station Eagle.
• I love to see stuff like this.

Gabby's mom's a hoarder. That essay practically writes itself.

• Call Texas a bully, but AD DeLoss Dodds says the Longhorns did what any other school would have done in its situation, writes Harry Plumer of the Columbia Missourian.
• Austin Meek of the Topeka Capital-Journal tells the story of K-State CB Nigel Malone's difficult background.
• Three plays could have changed Texas A&M's season. Brent Zwerneman of the San Antonio Express-News looks back at them.
• Don't be too worried, Oklahoma fans. The BCS has always been kind to the Sooners, writes Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch lays out the difficult challenges ahead of Missouri in the SEC.
• Baylor and Missouri have given plenty of evidence of the Big 12's unpredictability, writes Vinnie Duber of the Columbia Missourian.
• The experts agree: Win out, and OSU will play for the national title, writes Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman.
• Tom Kensley of the Denver Post checks in with a man who might have gotten his shot this year: Colorado transfer and former UT quarterback Connor Wood, who transferred this offseason.
• A Kansas player began tweeting and was suspended for a violation of team rules, but the team says he was not suspended for tweeting. Kansas coaches identified 211 blitzes in watching Texas game tape. For Iowa State, they identified 36.
• West Virginia's entrance to the Big 12 is not contingent upon joining the league in 2012.
• Kansas State's classic uniforms will meet the ingenuity at Oklahoma State this weekend, writes Kellis Robinett of the Wichita Eagle.
• Iowa State quarterback Jared Barnett is a freshman, but doesn't react like one, writes Andrew Logue of the Des Moines Register.
• Here's the episode of the KU reality show, "The Gridiron," from the Texas week.
• A Texas receiver announced his transfer on Wednesday.
• Missouri running back Henry Josey doesn't fit any ready-made mold, writes Mike DeArmond of the Kansas City Star.

Trying to hand out blame for the Big 12's diminishment over the last 16 months is a bit too convoluted. By now, just about everyone involved has had a hand in it.

But the possible end of the Lone Star Showdown, at least in football?

That's a bit easier.

Texas A&M's stance has been consistent throughout, punctuated by a repeated, clear stance on the issue.

"We want to make it abundantly clear we will play the game anywhere, any time," new Texas A&M chancellor John Sharp told the Austin American-Statesman last month. "If that game dies, it will not be on us. That game is bigger than Texas and bigger than A&M. That game belongs to the people of Texas, and if it goes away, it's not going to be on our watch."

Texas AD DeLoss Dodds, who admitted last month that scheduling the Aggies would be "problematic," delivered what may have been the rivalry's final blow on Friday.

"In my e-mail to [Texas A&M AD] Bill Byrne, I wrote that we were not in a position now to look at future football scheduling," Dodds said. "We're scheduled out with nonconference games through 2018 and our Big 12 schedule is not yet settled. What we have right now is a full schedule but if any future options are available, the decision will not be made by just one person."

Last month, Dodds had this to say: "We didn't leave the conference. They did. ... We'll make a decision that's best for Texas."

Each side is looking to pass the blame off to the other.

Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin told the Associated Press on Sunday: "We're able to accommodate them anytime they want to make that happen. ... It's their choice, obviously."

Sorry, guys. This one must be shared.

And drink it in, Lone Star State rivals, because it might be the last time you share anything for awhile, save a mutual disdain for one another.

This may return at some point in the future. In time, I'm betting it does. But the loss of this heated, annual rivalry is the most disheartening consequence of any recent college football realignment move.

As much as fans were clamoring to see Wyoming and New Mexico come to Austin in 2012, I'm betting all sides would have understood if those contracts had to be broken to make room for the Aggies. Pay to get out of those contracts? No, Texas shouldn't have to because of the Aggies' choice, but I'm also betting Texas A&M might have been willing to chip in on the cost to keep the rivalry going.

If nothing else, it would have forced A&M to quite literally put its money where its mouth is.

This rivalry dates back to 1894, is each school's most-played rivalry, and has been played every single year since 1914, a stretch of 97 seasons. It's the third-most played rivalry in college sports and the most-played intra-state rivalry.

Texas refusing to schedule A&M may kill one of college football's best rivalries, but the Aggies helped.

Texas delivered the death blow with the rivalry still salvageable. Texas A&M's move to the SEC, though clubbed the rivalry over the head, and put it in jeopardy.

Divy out percentages all you liked, but Dodds is both right and stubborn. Texas has been nothing if not consistent, insinutating throughout the process that if Texas A&M left the conference, the rivalry would be discontinued.

Texas A&M left the conference. Dodds is willing to sacrifice tradition for ego.

You know, like A&M sacrificed more than a century of tradition for "increased visibility for its student-athletes."

What, pray tell, was keeping Aggie athletes out of the spotlight? I'll hang up and listen.

The Aggies made their choice. Nobody, especially not Dodds, forced them to leave.

Dodds made his.

Now, college football fans may have to live with the consequences.