Friends of Coal, Big 12 Goals

A New Era of Mountaineer Football

There is a buzz around the program this year, an expectation of greatness. It's bigger than the 2007 season, when Pat Forde picked WVU to win the first national championship in school history and Pat White and Steve Slaton were household names (remember "Nickel and Dime"). It's bigger than 1988, when Major Harris led the Mountaineers to an undefeated regular season, and a shot at the title against Notre Dame. This season is simply bigger.

After all, Big Things Are Coming. This year the expectations are bigger than any other, because WVU has a chance to be better than ever before. The school joins the Big 12 conference, marking a monumental shift in not only the Mountaineer program, but also its national perception and exposure. Fans are gushing with the excitement of playing newer, bigger opponents like Texas and Oklahoma, the richest and most successful teams in the modern era respectively. But there's even more excitement for WVU to pick up a few firsts: a Big 12 championship, the crystal football, a Heisman trophy. They are all attainable if the Mountaineers play like they did when 70-33 happened to Clemson. 

But the new era brings more than just big expectations. It also brings big questions. Can Holgorsen, Geno, and crew live up to the hype?  Is the team deep enough to compete weekly with the demanding Big 12 conference schedule? What happens if Smith, Austin, or Bailey go down with injuries mid-season? 

But amid all of the questions, a few things are certain: when West Virginia and Marshall finish play tomorrow afternoon at Mountaineer Field, the two will be saying farewell for quite some time. If Marshall seizes the opportunity to beat its big brother in the final episode, all of those big questions and big goals go down the drain.  

In one corner there is WVU, prepped for a history-making season battling Longhorns and Horned Frogs. In the other there is Marshall, ready to finally, poetically wreck the Mountaineers' season by beating them to start the season. For Marshall, the championship is game one.  In reality, WVU and Marshall are both aiming to make history this year. For WVU, it's the Big 12 and national titles. For Marshall, it's beating WVU. Problem is, someone is going to be horribly disappointed.

---

Keys to the Game

Will WVU match Marshall's energy?
WVU has historically been its own worst enemy. Rarely does a team beat West Virginia when the Mountaineers are playing at their best. The Fiesta Bowl win, energized by the late Bill Stewart's "Leave No Doubt" speech, is a perfect example of Mountaineers playing with passion. Last year's loss to Syracuse and Louisville represent what happens when WVU comes out flat and uninspired. Marshall will be jacked. West Virginia can't afford to go through the motions.  
The Mountaineers are great when everyone is counting them out. They thrive on the "us against the world" mentality. Now that everyone is picking them, can they bring the same heat? 
(Related: watch the video of the week below.)

Will the 3-4 defense pan out?
WVU has moved from Jeff Casteel's 3-3-5 stack, to a more Big-12 appropriate 3-4. But there are question marks everywhere, with new coaches, players, schemes, and philosophies. WVU's new defensive strategy seems to be focused on creating turnovers. Every turnover caused by the defense is another opportunity for Geno to light up the scoreboard. Interesting, but what happens if WVU doesn't generate those turnovers? 

Will there be a run game? 
There wasn't much to speak of last year, but the 2011 leader, Dustin Garrison, is questionable with continuing issues regarding his knee injury suffered in preparation for the Orange Bowl. If he isn't ready tomorrow, the coaches may redshirt him. Senior Shawne Alston seems fired up to change people's perception of him and produce for the Mountaineers all season. Alston was previously seem as a short-yardage back, but Holgorsen has noted that he had a great off-season. 

What is Marshall up to?
We all know Marshall wants to win this game more than any other on their schedule. We also know that Doc Holiday, and some of the players on the roster remember tasting blood in 2010 when Marshall held a 15-point lead in the 4th quarter before WVU pulled out a miracle in overtime. But now there are rumors that Marshall is going all out, including installing a new offense (based of off Oregon's spread) and memorizing Holgorsen's offensive signals (related: Dana has a "really good one" for Marshall). WVU will need to be able to make good in-game adjustments if Marshall pulls out all the stops. 

---

Game day Predictions

Worst Case:
Early jitters cause a few players including Garrison (who re-injures his knee) to put the ball on the ground, and Marshall capitalizes. Despite the early mistakes, WVU manages a narrow lead at halftime. In the 3rd quarter, the mountaineers hold a 10-point lead before Geno Smith suffers an injury to his throwing shoulder and sophomore Paul Millard steps in to fill the void. He is ineffective, overthrowing wide-open receivers and seems frustrated by the Herd's revived defense. Late in the 4th Alston is given more carries to try to hold the now 3-point lead, but coughs up the ball on the goal line. A Marshall defender picks up the ball and returns it the length of the field for the winning score. Marshall beats WVU for the first time ever in dramatic fashion, in what could be the last game ever. 

Best Case:
WVU comes out of the gate firing on all cylinders, completely demoralizing an over-matched Marshall team. The Herd tries to use a new spread offense, but falls apart in the process. The new WVU ball-hawk defense works perfectly, scooping up errant lateral passes and option-pitches and cashing in with touchdowns. The team looks like they are still playing last year's Orange Bowl, and end up scoring 80 points, exactly matching their point total against Rutgers in 2001. 

Prediction:
Marshall comes out with more energy than WVU to start the game and gets on the scoreboard first, 7-0. Geno opens up a little rusty as far as timing with receivers is concerned. The first quarter ends with Marshall ahead 10-3, and fans start to get restless. 
Midway through the 2nd quarter WVU gets on track and never looks back. The defense shows some promise, making a few key stops and forcing a fumble and interception. By the end of the 3rd quarter the game is controlled by WVU, 38-13. WVU wins the final installment of the Friends of Coal Bowl, and moves on to their bye-week before facing JMU at Fed-Ex Field, dreams of Big 12 championships dancing in their heads. 
Final: WVU 48, Marshall 24

Welcome to West Virginia

West Virginia is unique. It’s refreshing.  It’s “Almost Heaven”.  If you’re looking for big cities, extravagant shopping, and urbanized utopias, you will be sorely disappointed, but if you’d like to experience breathtaking countryside, endless recreation including skiing and whitewater rafting, great Italian dining, and football games with insanely passionate fans, then take a trip down those country roads.

West Virginia, Wild and Wonderful

When you visit WV, you become immersed in different culture—one where the Mountaineers are more than just the home team. They are a representation of the entire State of West Virginia, a place unlike any other when it comes to the importance of college sports. There are no professional teams of any kind—college is everything. And while that may be true of places like Alabama, West Virginia has no Auburn to create a divide in the fan base. Sure, there's Marshall, but it's common to find even those in Huntington rooting for the Mountaineers. Everyone cheers for WVU because it is an extension of the state that we love and are proud to represent. Too often is West Virginia the butt end of crude and unfair stereotypical judgement. Because of that, West Virginians have an "us against the world" mentality, and we always have each other's back. It's the reason we perform best as the underdog. The Mountaineers are a way for the state to showcase who we really are and what we can achieve. Wins and losses are about more than just a game, and that leads to an intense, loyal fan base who share a common bond of being proud West Virginians.
Because the school and state are so intricately intertwined, it is impossible to understand one without exploring the other. This guide provides a glimpse of some of the things that are uniquely West Virginian.  Be sure to watch the video below for great visuals and a short introduction.

West Virginia State Facts

Population:

We’re a small state with about 1.9 million. That means there’s plenty of beautiful, unspoiled wilderness open for exploration. All of the green on the map represents less than 50 people per square mile. 

Largest Cities:

Charleston, WV

West Virginia is one of only a few states that have no large cities. Its population is spread out over rural communities and small to mid-sized cities. Here are a few of the larger ones:

Charleston (51k), Huntington (49k), Parkersburg (30k), Morgantown (30k), Wheeling (29k), Weirton (20k), Fairmont (19k)

Interesting note: the daytime population estimate for Morgantown with students and businesses is 70,000 to 90,000, making it the largest population center in the state while WVU is in session. In addition, Mountaineer Field becomes the largest “city” in the state on game days.

Capital: Charleston

Nickname: The Mountain State

Colors: Old Gold and Blue (also the colors of WVU).

State Flag:

State Seal:

Official Motto: Montani semper liberi (Mountaineers Are Always Free)

Slogans: “Wild and Wonderful”, “Almost Heaven”

Industries: Coal, oil, gas, forestry, manufacturing, steel, glass, chemicals, and tourism. West Virginia is known for it's coal industry that has produced over 13 billion tons of coal since the state's inception.

Official Songs:

West Virginia has three official state songs, which is quite unusual.

“The West Virginia Hills”. (Alternate rendition with words)

“This is My West Virginia”
“West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home”

Unofficial Songs:

“Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver

John Denver helped break in Mountaineer Field during its opening ceremonies on September 6, 1980:

“My Home Among the Hills”. This song’s lyrics most closely depict the natural beauty of the state in our opinion.

WV Trivia

Secession:
West Virginia is the only state to separate from another state, and the legality of that move was questioned due to the following statement in the Constitution, Article 4, Section 3: "...no new state shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states, or parts of states, without the consent of the legislature of the states concerned, as well as of the congress." Because this occurred during the Civil War, President Lincoln declared West Virginia's statehood because of it's desire to rejoin the Union and split with Virginia. You can read more here.

Jerry West, NBA Logo and Lakers Star

Notable Natives:
Jerry West (The NBA Logo)
Mary Lou Retton (Olympic Gold Medalist)
Randy Moss

Mary Lou Retton

Lou Holtz
Nick Saban

Rich Rodriguez
Bob Huggins
Brad Paisley (Country Singer)
Don Knotts (Actor, Andy Griffith Show)
Stonewall Jackson
Chuck Yeager (First to break sound barrier)
Jennifer Garner (Actress)
Johnnie "Johnny B. Goode" Johnson
Pearl S. Buck (first American woman to win Nobel Prize in Literature)
Originated in WV:
Mother's Day
Father's Day
State sales tax
Pepperoni Rolls

Other Facts:
West Virginia was nearly named "Kanawha".

WVU and Pitt played the first football game ever broadcast on the radio (1921, KDKA).

West Virginia and Kentucky are the sites of the most famous American family feud, the Hatfields and McCoys.

After the Cold War was over, the Washington Post revealed that underneath the Greenbrier resort at White Sulphur Springs, WV the U.S. government had kept secret a massive two-story bunker to house the United States Congress for forty days in the event of a nuclear attack.

WV Misconceptions

Western Virginia

West Virginia is a state, and it's not part of Virginia! June 20, 1863. Civil War. 50 states. Do these ring a bell? If not, go back to middle school. Apparently, that includes Brad Nessler. But seriously, how do people overlook such a uniquely shaped state on the map? I guess Miss South Carolina was right...we need more maps. 

WV is Southern, right?

In short, no one really knows. There are groups who conflictingly claim that WV is Southern, Northern, Eastern, and Mid-Western. There are many factors that add to this confusion. While most of the state is to the South, (below the Mason-Dixon Line) WV’s panhandle extends north into Ohio and Pennsylvania. It is also difficult to classify a state as Southern when it seceded from Virginia during the Civil War to to become part of the Union. Here's a famous quote from the late Senator Robert C. Byrd: 

"Its boundaries extend farther north than Pittsburgh, farther south than Richmond -- the capital of the Old Confederacy -- as far east as Buffalo, New York, and as far west as Columbus, Ohio. It is the most southern of the northern and the most northern of the southern; the most eastern of the western and the most western of the eastern. It is where the East says good morning to the West, and where Yankee Doodle and Dixie kiss each other good night!" 

Stereotypes

We don’t need to list them, and you don’t need to use them.  Every state has them, and there’s always someone who will reinforce them.  But we are here to tell you that those people are the exceptions, not just here in West Virginia, but everywhere. Stereotypes, for the most part, are just ignorant and gross generalizations of the worst representatives of a group. Let’s leave them behind.

Now that you’ve discovered what the state of West Virginia is like, it’s time to take a closer look at its flagship university.  Welcome to the Mountain State!

Up next: West Virginia University
Or back to the guide. 

The Big 12 Guide To WVU

West Virginians are thrilled to be part of the Big 12, and we want fans from Austin to Ames to have a great time when they travel those Country Roads. Discover the best that Morgantown and the Old Gold and Blue have to offer, and be ready for some “cheers, beers, and Mountaineers!”

Welcome to West Virginia

A trip to Morgantown is a trip to West Virginia, and for many Big 12 fans, it’s safe to assume this will be their first journey to either.  So, we start with a quick glance at the Mountain State.

West Virginia University

Now that you’ve discovered what the state of West Virginia is like, it’s time to take a closer look at its flagship university. 

Taste of WV

Discover the local treasures that make WV dining unique. You can eat at chain restaurants anywhere, but your chances of finding this grub outside the state borders are slim. Don't leave Morgantown without sampling the local fare.

Home Away From Home

The best hotels and where to find them. Avoid traffic on game day, and arrive a day early. Take the extra time to check out the sights and sounds mentioned in this guide. 

WV Entertainment

Looking for shopping and entertainment to fill in the gaps on your trip, or maybe looking for something more? There's plenty of local shopping and entertainment, and if you allow for a little extra time during your visit, there are some great opportunities to see some of the best West Virginia landmarks not too far from Morgantown. 

Game Day

Everything you need to know to prepare you for kickoff in Touchdown City. If riding the PRT, watching the Mountaineer Mantrip, or making your way through the Blue Lot doesn't sound familiar, you'll definitely want to absorb this information. 

Mountaineer Insider

Are the locals saying things that you don't understand? Are you making enemies by bringing up topics you thought were relatively harmless? You might want to check out these extras to feel a little more grounded. 

Thanks for reading! Hopefully a few things here will help you out on your journey to Morgantown in the years to come. The Big 12 seems like a great fit for WVU, and Mountaineer fans everywhere are excited to be a member of a conference with such quality opponents.
Once again,  thanks for reading, and have a safe trip on your journeys to the Mountain State.  We'll be seeing a lot of each other very soon. 

Big XII should be ashamed

It was just last weekend that reports surfaced indicating that WVU was at the top of the Big XII's list to replace Missouri. It was speculated that an offer could come within a week or two--just as soon as Mizzou made it's jump to the SEC official. Then, just three short days later there was jubilation in the Mountain State. Every media outlet from the Charleston Gazette to the New York Times was reporting a "done deal": West Virginia had applied and been accepted to the Big XII. Mountaineer fans, more than anything else, expressed relief that the anxious waiting and worrying in regards to getting "left behind" was finally over. Sure, the Big XII wasn't the first choice of many--for one, the ACC and SEC were better geographic fits and provided more natural rivalries. But Mountaineer nation wasn't about to complain. Not when the alternative, staying in the decaying Big East, was the equivalent of football suicide.

But Wednesday morning fans awoke to strange news reports that the deal with the Big XII was "on hold." For the most part though, it seemed that nothing had changed. There would simply be a delay, presumably to make necessary arrangements and prepare statements. Formalities, nothing more.

Most fans missed it in their jubilation the previous night, but an eerily downcast message was released by WVU, almost warning the media to back off. The short message read: "Contrary to media reports, there is no press conference scheduled for Wednesday concerning WVU's athletic conference affiliation."
Something wasn't right. Many felt it, but few said it. Realistically, how could a major athletic conference renege on its word, specifically after media outlets had confirmed the agreement and after being so close to making an announcement? After finally getting respite from the madness of football realignment, was it possible that it was about to get much worse?

Those questions were unfortunately answered by a New York Times report suggesting that there had been political intervention at the eleventh hour by Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell to push for Louisville instead of West Virginia. Such is the life of a Mountaineer fan: nothing, it seems, ever comes easily. West Virginians don't expect handouts, and they don't shy away from hard work. They understand that earning something makes that thing more valuable than if it had been freely given. But more than that, West Virginians understand loyalty and respect. The statements released by WV Senators Manchin and Rockefeller later that evening embody those sentiments. WVU had earned a spot in the Big XII through the hard work and merits of its athletic programs, only to have it reportedly stolen away though under-handed actions and backdoor dealings.

It's a shame that West Virginia is limited in its conference affiliation options, because the complete lack of respect with which the Big XII conference treated WVU is not acceptable, and is certainly not up to the moral standards held by the people of West Virginia for whom respect and loyalty are of utmost importance. It's one of the major reasons for the backlash against Rich Rodriguez when he bolted, without addressing the media or fans, for Michigan. A simple "I'm thankful for the opportunity WVU gave me" would have sufficed. In this case, the Big XII should have never taken the actions it did in regards to accepting West Virginia (including sending a draft press release and giving a verbal confirmation) if the conference was not fully committed to the decision, regardless of any developments that may have occurred last minute.  The right thing to do is to own up to the decision that has been made, and move forward. Reneging on a decision at this level, when it has progressed to this degree of certainty, is the equivalent of transitioning from a handshake to an uppercut. It's the kind of bonehead mismanagement that has earned the Big XII conference its reputation of instability and left teams looking for the exit. It's also a major blow to the respect that West Virginians had for the Big XII conference just one day earlier. And respect is something that once broken is rarely ever the same.

It's possible that more news on the subject could surface as early as this weekend, as the Big XII has reportedly been in extended phone conversations with the West Virginia administration. If the issue is quickly resolved, and a sufficient explanation for the guffaw is provided, then respect can be restored. After all, everyone is entitled to mistakes as long as they are recognized and corrected. West Virginians deserve an explanation, and they shall receive one in short order. Otherwise, Manchin has stated that he will push for a Senate investigation. Let's hope that things can be resolved civilly--that the Big XII realizes its mistake. Then again, maybe it's naive to expect integrity when every facet of college football is oozing with corruption and greed.

Update: The Big 12 has addressed the delay in the announcement that WVU will be a member of the Big 12 conference.

WVU at top of Big XII list

ESPN is reporting that a source with knowledge of the Big XII's expansion plans has stated that West Virginia is at the top of the conference's list of candidates to replace Mizzou should they leave for the SEC. In addition, the source said that BYU is a close second, followed by Louisville and Cincinnati.

Let's hope the Big XII committee doesn't have a bad taste in their mouths after watching WVU's implosion against Syracuse on Friday night. But realistically, one bad game shouldn't make a difference in conference expansion decisions. (Update: And, it would be a tad bit hypocritical to chastise WVU for their loss to Syracuse after the conference's highest ranked team, then #3 Oklahoma, lost to unranked Texas Tech.)

There have been rumblings of the Mountaineers jumping to every conference imaginable outside of the PAC 12, and all of those rumors were found to be heavy on wishful thinking and light on factual evidence. However, this is the first time a source with inside knowledge of the conference in question has spoken out. There is a very good possibility that WVU could get an invite within the next two or three weeks depending on Missouri's decision. As it stands now, Missouri has granted rights to their chancellor to make a move, and signs indicate that will happen soon.

A move by WVU to the Big XII could sound the death knell for the Big East as a football conference, as the league needs West Virginia's record of success to help retain its BCS AQ status. Additionally, if West Virginia makes a move before a team joins the Big East, they will only be responsible for a $5 million exit fee instead of $10 million.

Add to this news the fact that AD Oliver Luck nor President James Clements were present at the Syracuse game, and things get interesting. Who knows, maybe they were meeting to discuss the possibility should Missouri jump soon. One thing is for sure--if West Virginia gets an invite from the Big XII, Mountaineer fans will quickly forget that atrocious loss to the Orange.

West Virginia playing it safe

Conference expansion comes in waves, and things have been fairly quiet since A&M made their move to the SEC at the end of September. We've all heard West Virginia to the ACC, then the SEC, then the Big XII. There has been a lot of talk, rumors, and wishful thinking, but not much has actually happened.

That's all about to change. 

Conference USA and the Mountain West recently announced plans to marry. If the ceremony took place tomorrow, it would result in a family of 22 football schools. Talk about a lot of mouths to feed. That won't happen though, as reports broke Tuesday night that the Big East has voted unanimously to double the exit fee to $10 million in hopes of luring additional schools on board. Houston, UCF, and SMU are some of the schools under consideration who are currently members of either Conference USA or the Mountain West. So the alliance may be just a way to batten down for the upcoming onslaught. 

But wait, it gets better. 

Right before the reports surfaced regarding the Big East's exit fee increase, the story broke that Mizzou will submit an application to the SEC. Of course, this news has huge implications for the Big East, because Louisville and WVU are near the top of the Big XII's list of schools to grab should Missouri bolt. 

But the Big East unanimously voted to increase the exit fee, meaning the league's top two candidates to jump ship both checked off on the decision. Did WVU and UL have knowledge of the Mizzou news before voting? If so, why would they agree?

The most likely answer is that, yes, the two schools had insight into the Missouri situation. The entire football expansion landscape has hinged on the "Show-Me" State, well...showing us. There had been signs that Missouri was going to wait out their decision, possibly making their mind up after the season. But the latest is that an application could go out within a week. So, if Louisville and West Virginia knew this, why vote to increase the fee? 

It's simple. They bought into an insurance plan. While both are candidates for Big XII expansion, who knows if the conference will go to twelve or stay at ten? Maybe it's BYU that gets the ten-pin and that's it. Game over.

Consider the case where Missouri changes it's mind or isn't able to secure the necessary SEC votes for membership. All cases where West Virginia is still standing in the Big East. 

The point is, this whole situation is extremely fluid. Putting all of your eggs in one basket is a very unwise decision, and if UL and WVU are forced to stay in the Big East, it's in their best interest that the conference picks up enough talent to retain its AQ status. 

Grab your boogie boards. The next wave is rolling in, and it'll be interesting to see where it takes us.  

TCU accepts Big 12 offer

TCU officially accepted an invitation to join the Big 12 conference during a press conference at 7pm Monday night. The Horned Frogs will become members of the Big 12 in all sports effective July 1, 2012.

This announcement was a poorly kept secret, with media outlets across the country speculating that the school would accept the invitation. Most were surprised TCU waited until Monday night after receiving the invitation last week. The move makes sense for the Horned Frogs in all aspects for their athletic program. Old rivalries will be renewed, and travel will be easier than it would have been in the Big East. The Big 12 deal will also be a financial gain for Texas Christian in an era where the dollar rules the college football landscape.

The addition of TCU increases the Big 12 membership to ten, but there is speculation as to how long that will last with the possible defection of Missouri to the Southeastern Conference. The added stability of snaring the defending Rose Bowl champion TCU may entice Mizzou to stay, but money is driving expansion decisions, and a recent financial study suggests that Missouri has much to gain by jumping to the SEC.

The expansion drama continues, but now with one less actor. Next up in the spotlight are SEC and Missouri, with the Big East hoping it doesn't have to exit stage left. That may happen if the Big 12 decides to fulfill its name by getting back to twelve members, or if Mizzou decides to leave. In either case, Big East schools Louisville and West Virginia are prime for picking, and could push the Big East further towards destruction.

Big East commissioner John Marinatto responded by stating that the Big East is "disappointed with the news that TCU is joining the Big 12." He also confirmed that the Big East will begin taking action towards conference expansion "in the near future."

If Marinatto and company don't start moving soon, the "near future" may be one that doesn't include the Big East.

Reports: TCU to Big 12, Air Force thinking Big East

TCU officials are scheduled to meet later today and make an announcement this evening on whether or not to accept an invitation to become a member of the Big 12 conference. TCU was scheduled to join the Big East in 2012, but with recent defections to the ACC by members Syracuse and Pittsburgh, the conference is quickly losing stability as a football conference. Many believe that the TCU meeting is no more than a formality, and that the move to the Big 12 is a foregone conclusion.

If the TCU move becomes official later today, it could set off another round of expansion chaos as the Big East struggles to survive. Although the Big East commissioner has been granted permission to "aggressively pursue discussions" with other schools, no invitations have been extended. East Carolina publicly submitted an application to join the Big East, but the school is not believed to be high on the conference's list of choices. Several schools including Navy, Air Force, Central Florida, Temple, Houston, and Southern Methodist have been listed as possible targets by the Big East. It's likely that the TCU departure would force the Big East to push the panic button and start handing out invitations.

Hans Mueh, the athletic director at Air Force, recently told the Denver Post that his school is very interested in the Big East with hopes that the other service academies, Army and Navy, will also join. Several sources including NBC Sports and Boston Globe reported that the Big East is also considering the addition of Boise State for football only. Both schools are an odd fit geographically, with Air Force located in Colorado Springs and Boise State in Idaho. More than 2,000 miles separate Boise State from Big East schools Rutgers, Connecticut, and South Florida.

Regardless of the TCU decision, the Big 12 conference may be looking to add even more members. No one is certain if the Big 12, currently at nine members, is aiming for ten or twelve schools. Add in the fact that Big 12 member Missouri is currently discussing their conference alignment options, and heads begin to swirl at the interconnected nature of this realignment business. Missouri has publicly stated in the past that they prefer the Big Ten conference, but the school was spurned last year when the Big Ten added Nebraska and Colorado. If they wish to leave the Big 12, it appears Mizzou will need to pursue the 14th spot in the SEC that opened up when the conference added Texas A&M in late September. Big East schools Louisville and West Virginia were also reportedly hoping for that opening, but many speculate that Missouri is higher on the list. Regardless, SEC commissioner Mike Slive has stated that he sees no problem remaining at thirteen members for the 2012 season.

What does all of this mean for West Virginia? It means that WVU could end up in any number of conferences by the time the dust settles, and guessing where they land is like playing roulette. The most likely destinations appear to be the Big 12 or a reconfigured Big East, with glimmers of hope for a spot in the SEC. It all depends on timing and how many teams the power conferences decide to add. It's a waiting game of sorts, and right now all eyes are on TCU and Missouri.