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LINCOLN — It's the ultimate twist for Nebraska football and Tom Osborne.
As a coach, Osborne adamantly argued that the Big 12 shouldn't create an extra hurdle to win a national championship by adopting a conference title game. The measure passed anyway 11-1.
Now with Nebraska leaving for the Big Ten in 2011, the Big 12 won't be eligible to hold a title game because it won't have at least six teams in two divisions.
Even Osborne, in an interview last week, had to chuckle at that result.
But that's not the only crazy coincidence.
As NU's athletic director, Osborne will attend Big Ten meetings Monday and Tuesday in which that league — now with 12 teams — is expected to solidify plans to start a conference championship football game.
Will he argue against it this time?
“I'll talk to them about the plusses and minuses,'' Osborne said. “From what I'm gathering, there's pretty strong sentiment that that's what they're going to do.
“I'm not going to be in position to tell them what to do or not to do. If they want to know about our experience, I can share that. We can serve as a reference.''
Nebraska doesn't become a voting member in Big Ten business until next July. But Osborne said he's keenly interested in this week's discussion on a title game and on how the Big Ten will split into divisions.
Somebody keenly interested to get Osborne's input is Ohio State A.D. Gene Smith.
“I'm eager to have Tom in the room,'' Smith said from Columbus, Ohio. “He's a good critical thinker and has great experience. We will have thoughtful dialogue, and Tom will contribute greatly to that. That's how we operate.''
For Smith and Osborne, this will be like old times.
In 1994 and 1995, as the Big 12 was formulating policies to begin a new league, Smith was A.D. at Iowa State and Osborne was Nebraska's assistant A.D. These two have spent time together in meeting rooms before.
“It's great to have Nebraska on board,'' Smith said. “I've been blessed to have been around Cornhusker fans and that institution for a lot of years.
“They have everything we aspire to in the Big Ten. We're glad they're part of the family.''
Look for the Big Ten family to approve a championship game.
“I'd be surprised if there's not one,'' Smith said. “In the athletic directors' talks, the sense in the room is that we're going to move in that direction.''
Still, Smith offers a warning that involves Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany.
“Our commissioner is pretty doggone good,'' Smith said. “He may walk in with a bombshell of an idea that we haven't thought about. You never know.''
As for divisional alignment, multiple possibilities will be discussed.
“I've played around with four models,'' Smith said. “The important things are to preserve competitive fairness, protect our long-term highly successful rivalries and take care of the needs of our television partner.''
Whatever is discussed, Smith said, he expects it to occur amicably.
“I've never been in a league as collegial as this one,'' said Smith, who has worked in the Mid-American, Big Eight, Big 12, Pacific-10 and Big Ten Conferences. “We work on a philosophy that we need all our ships to rise.''
Contact the writer:
444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com
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