2011 Preview: Conference Shifting Is Now the Norm

From the season's kickoff on Thursday to the Bowl Championship Series title game in New Orleans on Jan. 9, college football offers a wealth of teams, trends and characters to follow. <a href="http://www.guccibags-discount.com/prada-gray-lychee-grain-skin-handbag-2002550-p-6786.html"><strong>prada black bags</strong></a> Colorado is in the Pacific-10 — sorry, the Pacific-12. So is Utah. Boise State is in the Mountain West. Nebraska threw away a century-plus of rivalries for inclusion in the Big Ten. What are we going to do without the Victory Bell? (That was awarded to the winner of the Nebraska-Missouri game, but alas.)Texas Christian is joining the Big East, although not until 2012. Fresno State, Hawaii and Nevada will join Boise State in the Mountain West in 2012, and will play out the string in a Western <a href="http://www.nfljerseys-onlinebuy.com/nfl-jerseys-carolina-panthers-c-237_243.html"><strong>nfl shirts</strong></a> Athletic Conference facing significant questions about its future. The conference will add Texas-San Antonio and Texas State in 2012.Brigham Young is going independent after 12 years in the Mountain West. Notre Dame remains an independent. Are you still following?This may just be the beginning. Texas A&M, unhappy about Texas' <a href="http://www.cheapbeatsbydre-sales.com/beatsâ„¢-proâ„¢-high-performance-professional-headphonesblack-p-279.html"><strong>drÂ*beats</strong></a> Longhorn Network, wants out of the Big 12. If the Southeastern Conference adds the Aggies as a 13th team, it will look for an another member to keep its divisions balanced.The Atlantic Coast Conference could then lose a power like Florida State, which would lead the A.C.C. to look to replenish its ranks. That might affect the Big East, which in turn might affect Conference USA, then the Sun Belt and so on. The dominoes are lined up, and it might take just one nudge to knock them down.