Now that the college football postseason has been decided, at least for a few years, rumors will once again surface regarding conference realignment. Since May, Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame have all been linked to the Big 12, but, Big 12 officials shot those rumors down at the Big 12 meetings.
Still, it appears that the Big 12 would be willing to take on another member or two -- if it meant Notre Dame joined the conference. According to the Oklahoman, interim Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas sent out a memo saying that Notre Dame is the only school that the conference could add that would "enhance the Big 12 value for television."
Neinas said all three agreed a 10-member conference was preferred, but they would live with expansion to 11 or 12 teams. He also said both TV partners were in support of Notre Dame becoming a partial member of the Big 12 if the Irish would play a specific number of football games at Big 12 venues.
Though it's still highly unlikely that the Irish will surrender its football independence, a move to 12 teams in the conference, with Notre Dame and potentially Florida State, would likely appease all the members of the conference -- including Texas, who, as we've mentioned here at SB Nation Dallas, is likely not to favor expansion, unless Notre Dame is involved.