1. The Big-12 must stay together for the money.

2. With or without ESPN it will likely survive out of necessity.

3. It will need to expand, although most pundits think Boise State is ahead of San Diego State.

SDSU Media Footprint 6 million vs 350k
SDSU Pro Sports Competition MLB vs none
SDSU Academics #184 vs #569
SDSU Facilities brand new on campus vs aging and smallish.
SDSU Fall-Winter Climate is Southern California vs Frigidaire or Amana, pick your ice box.
SDSU competing in greater So Cal Market 25 million vs BSU in greater 1 million market.

I really think that a lot of people are putting too much stock into the value of a blue cement hard turf and NFL everything mascot, perhaps a trick win over Oklahoma over a decade ago. Boise is adding Kansas State with even worse weather.

4. BYU is always mentioned as the marquee name w/national prestige, massive stadium and fan base, huge basketball arena, P5 facilities everywhere and instant credibility. It's also easiest to add without any conference buy-outs. It could be tricky because ESPN is to BYU what NBC is to Notre Dame. Right now the Big-12 and ESPN are not on good terms. But, BYU might be the right agent to smooth over ruffled feathers in three years as well.

My point is, writers in that area think the league seems more solid than perhaps before out of necessity. They believe it needs to expand. It needs more national eyeballs, and other P5 conferences are not wanting them or any members. The AAC may have made the most boneheaded move of all. It was little brother telling big brother come over here and I will take care of you. It was taken as an insult, not a life raft.

From what is coming out several days after the shock wave, is that the remaining eight must stay together, collect the financial rewards for doing so, add four media markets (UCF, HOUSTON, BYU and Another TBD) accept a smaller P5 roll but kick butt in basketball, get better in football and grow the Big-12 brand from the ashes.

I agree!

P.S. I purposefully did not post links. Grow up boys and do your own research. It's not rocket science.