This is Official Enough for Me: CU to the Pac 10

Finally, something to report on conference expansion. Colorado has joined the Pacific 10 Conference. Despite rumors of Nebraska going to the Big 10 and being the first school to depart, in the end, it was CU that put the first nail in the Big 12 coffin. Even if the Pac 10 added no more members, the "Pacific" part is a continued stretching of the imagination with the addition of Colorado. The last time the conference expanded from the Pac 8, Arizona State and Arizona were added. When I think of the Pacific Ocean I think of Arizona--at least since Bill Hicks' Arizona Bay.

The Pac 10 already called itself the "Conference of Champions" because it has won more team championships than any other conference. Colorado brought their 21 national championships along to the Pac 10 on Thursday. This means CU is tied for 6th in the conference with Arizona State in national championships. The rich get richer. In football terms none of this matters of course as the NCAA doesn't award national championships for the FBS.

Colorado does have a claimed football national championship from the Big 8 days to add to the ones claimed by the Pac 10 by its other members. Georgia Tech, who finished with no losses, of course has something to say (kiss the rings) about who won the 1990 national championship. CU did need a fifth down early in the year in order to even put the Buffaloes in position make the Orange Bowl game at the end of the season.

Colorado will begin Pac 10 play during the 2012 season. Who else will join them from the Big 12? TMZ Sports says "a source" within the Oklahoma State athletic department says they will join the Pac 10. I don't like "sources" who don't have names. So at this point, it's still just the Pacific 11 Conference. However, guess who Oklahoma State plays on September 4, 2010? It's Washington State...foreshadowing? We'll see.

What do the Buffaloes bring football wise to the Pacific 11? Well there's this:

Preseason hype: "Ten Wins and No Excuses"

In-season Reality:

Ok, how about 3 wins and you sit the bench son?

Head Coach Dan Hawkins also sports a 1-5 all-time record against the Pac 10. Whether he will be around to work on that record as a Pacific 11 coach depends on Hawkins actually winning 10 games for the first time in his career (he's won more than 10 but never exactly 10). The last time he won that many games in a season, he was dressed like this. My prediction is that the Buffaloes will be joining the Pacific 11 conference with a new coach. Until then, take a look at Colorado when they travel to play Cal on September 11th and hope some preemptive conference intensity occurs.