Conference expansion spares Terps

Less than two weeks after experts and fans alike anticipated a landscape-changing storm of moves and new allegiances, an apparent halt in large-scale conference expansion has left many of the NCAA's power leagues and major players — this university included — completely unchanged.

When the Big 12 Conference lost Nebraska to the Big Ten Conference and Colorado to the Pacific-10 Conference in a span of 24 hours late last week, the Big 12's collapse seemed all but inevitable.

Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State appeared set to follow Colorado to the Pac-10 and form the NCAA's first "superconference." With the Big 12 seemingly in ruins, the Big Ten appeared poised to add more schools, with the Terps mentioned as a possible defector by ESPN college football reporter Joe Schad.

But as she had for several weeks, Athletics Director Debbie Yow downplayed the possibility of Maryland leaving the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"The discussion is a waste of time," Yow said in an e-mail June 9. "No communication has occurred. ... I never ‘speculate' on possible scenarios. Bad form to comment on things/situations that do not exist."

When asked if she expected any further conference realignment, Yow shot down any additional speculation about the Terps' direction.

"I guess I could be surprised," Yow said. "But, really, how does a founding member of the ACC leave it? Better to just be ready with our own choices if someone should leave for more money elsewhere."

Dollars were the driving force behind conference expansion, something that Maryland officials were quick to denounce.

"It's the almighty dollar that's running the show," Board of Regents member Tom McMillen told The Baltimore Sun. "For Maryland to go into the Big Ten, [consider] just the travel. You might as well forget about those kids going to class."

As the Big 12 mulled its options, rumors that the Southeastern Conference might look to add ACC members Florida State and Miami quickly spread.

But when Texas announced it would remain in the Big 12, effectively heading off major conference expansion, the ACC and much of the NCAA remained the same. The realignment that was supposed to change the face of college athletics hadn't happened — at least not yet, and certainly not to the extent anticipated.

While small-scale expansion is still underway — Utah is expected to soon accept an offer from the Pac-10 that would bump the conference's roster to 12 teams — the status quo appears largely intact.

And while the Big Ten has long coveted the membership of Notre Dame, and schools such as Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Missouri, Rutgers and this university were considered possible additions to the league, the Terps were never offered membership.

"The ACC is our home," said Yow.

schneider@umdbk.com