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So Oklahoma finally sits down to drinks with Texas. That's the only way Texas will open up.

"Tex, the composition committee is calling for BYU and UCF, a brand in the west and a market in Florida. Are you good with this?"
"Naw, that's playing small ball, I don't want to grow through dilution."
"But those are the best available."
Texas puts down his longneck and chops at the air emphatically, "Homa, we can do better, if we draft minor leaguers today, we'll miss on the majors later."
"What 'majors' Tex?"
"The way I see it, eventually the B1G or the SEC is going to make a move, and once one starts the other follows. If they move East, we can fill up on prime ACC leftovers. If they move West, well, it's been nice sharing a conference these last 20 years."
"But we don't know when that might happen, and we are stuck," punctuated with an index finger to the bartop, "at 10 members right now."
"I say let's just ride out the 'small' problem for 5 years and then set ourselves up nicely for the next 25 years."
"Or Tex ... we might do both right now," with a knowing tilt of the head, "Airport meeting?"

=======

If it had been either FSU or ND meeting with Texas and Oklahoma, it would have been cordial and enjoyable. Since it was both FSU and ND, there was no easy out of deniability and the mood was deadly serious. The topic was treasonous and participation in the conversation alone would inevitably shape the destinies of several universities.

Oklahoma recapped with an animated urgency, "So, instead of waiting to see what might happen, we'll put our hand to it and shape our own futures. The proposition is that a 16 team conference anchored by our four schools will always be top tier, peer to the B1G and SEC. From here, it's a school yard pick to find the other 12. I propose that we keep it to current P5, specifically drafting from the B12 and ACC. But no teams from Virginia or North Carolina... strategy demands it"

Texas leaned forward, "Now, Irish, we've talked before, I know you want to keep your independence more than anything. But football is changing and you will need to find a new way forward. The last thing you want is to join someone else's conference on their terms. Well, here is a chance to build your own conference, on your own terms. You will pick your own quadrant, so you can choose which schools you'll play regularly. You'll play across many different regions, a truly national schedule, as your fans expect. And, here's the kicker. Fifteen of our teams will play 9 conference games, to maximize inventory and conference cohesion. But not you, we are only going to ask you to play 6 conference games. We have already lined up BYU to pick up three games for you, to keep the schedule balanced. You will not get a better offer than this: own your destiny, keep your best rivalries, have premier play-off access in a top-tier conference."

It was a seminal moment, there was no fight in the Irish.

=======

Texas laid down his picks like a winning hand of poker, "UT, Tech, Baylor and TCU. All Texas, all the time! I don't care what the rest of you yay-hoos do."

FSU was thoughtful and deliberate, "We need to be regionally compact, unambiguously Southern, and lock down Florida. Basketball is nice to have, but we need to build with football-first schools. If this was about basketball, we wouldn't even think about leaving the ACC." And then ponderously, like reading a memorium, "FSU, Miami, Georgia Tech, Clemson"

Oklahoma was next, "OSU, of course, or this could take forever to get approved. For football, KSU, is definitely next. Looking just at football, I might got to ISU, but for basketball and streamlining in-state politics, I say KU. So it's OU, OSU, KSU, KU."

Notre was somber, "We haven't established a new, every year rival in decades. It is strange to contemplate. I guess I am thinking about who would be an interesting match-up in South Bend, and where do we want a persistent recruiting presence. So larger markets, and respectable teams. ND, BC, Pitt, Louisville."

"But that is only 7 full members of the ACC, not enough to dissolve the Grant of Rights!" FSU exclaimed.

Oklahoma leaned back and exhaled, "Oh, it will be. Once we confirm the interest of our 12 draftees, we will make sure that the B1G and SEC become aware that schools from VA and NC will shortly be on sale, free for the taking without the bother of an exit fee. I expect their interest will swing 2 or 4 more votes for dissolution."

========

In the B-12, the vote was 10-2 to dissolve the GoR and, for good measure, to release their copyright on the name Big16. WVU was incensed, having put itself on an eastern island, having worked on the composition committee for the future of the B12, only to be dropped back off again like a foster kid. ISU was sullen, knowing for years that this was a possibility and having accepted, for years, that they were powerless to prevent it.

In the ACC, the vote was 9-5. The four NC schools held together steadfastly on the quickly tilting deck of the conference, while Syracuse scrambled to the rails wondering why it had missed the lifeboats. UVA leaped to join the B10, while VT proudly stood up alongside the SEC giants.

And there was UNC, godfather of the ACC, holding invites to the B1G and to the SEC, but refusing to acknowledge that the ACC, as they had known it, was no more.

"Hey, Tar, I know it's been a rough week," slithered the SEC, "but it will not get better looking backwards and feeling hurt. You need to take care of yourself, you need to find a good home. The SEC is a great home. The best brand of football, Southern football. And you will be a basketball superstar in a legit hoops league. Your market, our brand, only good times ahead. And we need number 16 soon. If you don't step up, we could take NC State. Do you really want to see your in-state rivals win the golden ticket to the SEC?"

And so, the future of football hinged on the wounded UNC, with both the SEC and the B1G awkwardly at 15 and contemplating their back-up options. As the B1G debated between Duke and GaTech, they rediscovered their unbridled territorial ambition and decided to take ... both, and then some. To get the school they really wanted, they would simply acquire even more schools. It took a whirlwind tour, a flurry of negotiations, and the outcome was stunning, even on the Delany scale.

First, they offered Duke and won an instant "yes!", and then they offered GaTech, who did not say no. And then they showed UNC the future, not with pods of quads, but pods of quints. The B1G brand extended to a familiar southern setting. UNC as the new godfather of the Big Ten South: UNC, Duke, GaTech, UVA, Maryland. AAU schools all, Southern schools all, and now B1G schools all.

========

And then the coup de grace, the unthinkable, the unponderable: picking the pocket of the SEC!

Flashback five years and Missouri had been jilted, waiting for a B1G invite that never came. Now the SEC felt good and validating, Missouri had arrived. They had even made the championship, twice! They weren't just lucky to be there, they were competing. Why would they ever leave? Why would anyone leave the SEC?

"Hey, Tige, you are looking good, you seem really happy." the B1G offered, keeping emotions in check. "I think before I was a little confused about what I wanted, but now I know I missed out on maybe the best thing ever. I really regret that. Especially now, because I've started something amazing and I wish you could be part of it. A conference of 20 AAU schools, the best of athletics and academics, flagship schools all. We'll put you in a quint-pack with four neighboring states: Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois. All great road trips for your fans, resume the Border War, it would be great."

"Not interested, I have friends in the SEC now, they accept me."

"Well, now that the SEC has added VT, that means you'll get bounced back to the SEC West. Now you'll get to the championship whenever you beat Alabama, and Auburn, and LSU, in the same season. In the Big Ten Plains, you just need to get past Nebraska and Iowa. A little easier route, don't you think?"

"Maybe"

"The TV guys are saying that with 20 properties in 16 states, the revenue will be $50M each once you ..."

"I'm in!"

========

Once the Big16 drafted their backups of ISU and NC State, the new order of football in the east was established. The SEC could not expand again without poaching it's own footprint, and settled back to 14.

The Big Ten
Plains: Mizzou, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas
Lakes: Michigan, MSU, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northwestern
Central: OSU, PSU, Rutgers, Purdue, Indiana
South: UNC, Duke, GaTech, UVA, Maryland

SEC
West: Bama, Auburn, MSU, Ole Miss, Arkansas, LSU, Texas A&M
East: Florida, Georgia, VT, Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, Vanderbilt

Big16
Lonestar: Texas, TTech, Baylor, TCU
Central: OU, OSU, KSU, ISU
East: ND, BC, Pitt, Louisville
South: FSU, Miami, Clemson, NC State

========

In the West, the Pac12 observed the tumult and the eventual outcome, put down their popcorn and started a plan. Staring at three new conferences of 14, 16, and 20 made them seem small again. In a short time, they went from being safely ensconced on the left coast to being the new Big12, the runt of the P5. But there were no P5 left for expansion, the Big12 did not come apart as they hoped. Should they draft the best of the MWC, just to get to 16, just to keep up appearances? Would a weak quadrant really gain them more credibility with the playoff committee? Probably not.

The only schools that would add to their football resume were BSU and BYU, both nauseating in different ways. These are schools the PAC12 liked to merely date, not marry. And then the PAC had a wonderfully, awful idea. They would get their milk without buying the cows. But they would need two more desperate cows for balancing the schedule and extending the footprint.

Soon the PAC announced the first Football Associates of the Pac12: BSU, BYU, New Mexico, and Hawaii. They would be included in the PAC12 football schedule, rounding out four quadrants. PAC schools would play their whole Quad and crossover games to total 8 PAC games and 2 Associate games. Associates would play their Quad, plus one game from each other Quad, for a total of 6 PAC games. Associates would take only half-shares of the revenue, but they would be eligible for bowl positions. And they would be P5 members, sort of.

PAC12 and Associates
Rainier: WA, WSU, Utah, BSU
Hood: Oregon, OSU, Colorado, BYU
Bay: Stanford, Cal, ASU, UNM
Beach: USC, UCLA, Ariz, Hawaii

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And that is how BYU survived the big shift, getting 6 PAC games, 3 B16 a games, and 3 fillers from MWC and AAC. BYU secured bowl options, a path to the play-offs, and managed to keep a deal with ESPN for the 6 non-PAC games. Yes, Utah won't let us forget that we get a half-share, and we do have to play them every other year, but on the whole a great outcome for BYU.