It could well be, if Nebraska jumps to the Big 10, as being reported in some Omaha papers. Aparently Nebraska has had enough of the Texas run conference, and will agree to join the Big 10, some say as early as Friday. This would open the door for Missouri to join the Big 10, and could lead to a mass exodus by the Big 12 South to the Pac 10, who is definately going to expand, one way or another.
We may be witnessing the birth of the "Super Conferences". The Big 10 and Pac 10 now appear to be on the verge of expanding to 16 teams. The Big 10 will put the Big East out of it's misery. The MWC will pick up the pieces of the Big 12 (the two Kansas Schools, Iowa State and the loser of the Baylor/Colorado rush to the Pac 10) Boise State, and a couple of WAC schools to expand to 16 and take the Big East's place as the newest BCS Conference. The MWC will become the host conference of the Fiesta Bowl, replacing the Big 12.
This leaves the SEC and ACC, with the SEC calling all of the shots. If the SEC decides to expand by 4 teams, they will raid the ACC for those teams. This puts the ACC in a tough spot. If they lose 4 teams, they would have to find 8 teams to expand to 16. They could pick up the Big East teams not taken by the Big 10, which could be as many as 6, and take two more teams. UCF certainly could be one, and there are other candidates to make up the second, and thrid (if needed) teams.
The big loser in all this? Notre Dame's hopes to keep their "Independence". They will be forced to join the Big 10 or be a school without a conference for many of their sports. They will also be a team without a Bowl tie-in because with the exception of BCS Bowl Games, the Irish are tied in to the Big East Bowls, and no Big East means no bowl tie-ins for Notre Dame. To all of my friends who are fans of the Irish, you are better off in the Big 10. Have you seen this year's Big East Bowl tie-ins?
We may be witnessing the birth of the "Super Conferences". The Big 10 and Pac 10 now appear to be on the verge of expanding to 16 teams. The Big 10 will put the Big East out of it's misery. The MWC will pick up the pieces of the Big 12 (the two Kansas Schools, Iowa State and the loser of the Baylor/Colorado rush to the Pac 10) Boise State, and a couple of WAC schools to expand to 16 and take the Big East's place as the newest BCS Conference. The MWC will become the host conference of the Fiesta Bowl, replacing the Big 12.
This leaves the SEC and ACC, with the SEC calling all of the shots. If the SEC decides to expand by 4 teams, they will raid the ACC for those teams. This puts the ACC in a tough spot. If they lose 4 teams, they would have to find 8 teams to expand to 16. They could pick up the Big East teams not taken by the Big 10, which could be as many as 6, and take two more teams. UCF certainly could be one, and there are other candidates to make up the second, and thrid (if needed) teams.
The big loser in all this? Notre Dame's hopes to keep their "Independence". They will be forced to join the Big 10 or be a school without a conference for many of their sports. They will also be a team without a Bowl tie-in because with the exception of BCS Bowl Games, the Irish are tied in to the Big East Bowls, and no Big East means no bowl tie-ins for Notre Dame. To all of my friends who are fans of the Irish, you are better off in the Big 10. Have you seen this year's Big East Bowl tie-ins?
...HOW exactly is the Pac 10 above the SEC? What is the most significant achievement in the last several years? NCAAB...BCS...CWS?? 
Size of region...agreed. And as far as the population...not sure how it plays out considering the fact that not everyone in that demographic out west is as consumed by the schools as they are in the southeast and Texas. Easy to find people with barely a high school education supporting many SEC schools as if they attended them. Academically, overall you're probably correct. I can't speak to it not having any experience with the schools out there. 
