Mike Kern: Hard to tell conferences without a scorecard

Potential litigation aside, Texas A&M is headed to the Southeastern Conference. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State appear Pac-12 bound, with Texas and Texas Tech then likely going somewhere else as well. So much for the Big 12.

And rumblings are Virginia Tech might bolt the Atlantic Coast for the SEC, and perhaps even bring a Florida State and/or Miami with it. That would mean the ACC has to find replacements. It of course could go after some of the usual suspects from a state-of-flux Big East. The Big 10 always could try to do the same thing. It also could be targeting a stray Missouri or Kansas. And so on.

Bet you thought all this expansion stuff had pretty much settled down for a while.

Welcome to the new world order, where seemingly nothing is implausible or off-limits.

So where and when will it ultimately end? I probably have a better shot of going 15-0 in the weekly pick-em stuff than nailing that. Because when those dominoes start tumbling, it's every vested interest for itself.

Follow the bottom line. It's how you increase power bases. And the real serious cash flow revolves around football/television revenues.

Who knows what the Big East looks like in even 5 years? The smart money speculates that at some point there will be four or five mega conferences, each roughly 16 strong. So use your imagination. And be creative. To keep those riches mostly to themselves, they could decide to go their own way. What happens to everyone else? It's a conundrum the Temples and Villanovas of the food chain must ponder constantly, gazing forward.

Who wants to be NIT material?

If you'd asked me 5 months ago, I would have said that Villanova football was headed to the Big East. Now I'm not so sure it couldn't be the ACC, depending upon how this sorts out over the next whatever. Don't laugh. If Texas Christian can align itself with the Northeast, and Colorado can call the Left Coast home, how does anyone define anymore what exactly makes practical sense? And it finds a way of filtering down.

Those on the Mendoza line can only hope there's an open chair for them when the music stops.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT

When Penn State last beat Alabama, in 1990, who was responsible for all the game's points? See Answer man.

SMALLS STUFF

-- Delaware Valley beat Muhlenberg, 10-9, in overtime on a 30-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-15. "I already had my headsets off,'' said DV coach Jim Clements. "Heck, I took them off when it was second-and-15.''

-- Ursinus, coming off the first home night game in its 118-year history, is at Gettysburg, which it beat the last 2 years by scores of 55-50 and 49-39. "The punters have been pretty lonely," said coach Pete Gallagher.

-- In his first college game, Widener freshman Anthony Davis returned two punts for scores.

HAVE YOU NOTICED?

-- Every team in the Big East is 1-0, the first time that's happened since the conference was formed in 1991.

-- Oregon has lost four of its last five games against ranked teams outside the Pac-12. In those losses, the Ducks have averaged 18 points, or 27 less than they averaged in the other 23 games in that span.

-- Notre Dame plays Michigan and then Michigan State. The last time they swept that twosome was 2004. The Irish were swept in 2007 and last year.

RANDOM THOUGHT

If Boise State goes 12-0, which appears very doable, I (and probably a bunch of other folks) still can't see the Broncos getting into the national-title game ahead of a team from the SEC or even Big 12 and maybe Big 10 that finishes with a single blemish. But, of course, everyone will be talking about it for the next 3 months. Bet you can't wait for those first BCS standings to come out.

ANSWER MAN

Craig Fayak, with three field goals.

SPOTLIGHT ON FRAUD FIVE

Because it's been way too long without a Fraud Five. And we crave our steady fix. The rest of the way I'll be taking care of that Jones in Monday's weekend wrap. So away we go:

Notre Dame: You were expecting maybe Duke? Not the way Irish Nation envisioned the start to such a seemingly promising season. Not even divine intervention was enough to save the day.

Georgia: It's OK to lose to Boise State, even in Atlanta. But you shouldn't be giving up 28 consecutive points after taking a 7-0 lead, especially in those "Power Ranger" uniforms.

Oregon State: Can't be losing to FCS Sacramento State.

Texas Christian: It's not necessarily a felony to go down at Baylor, but you shouldn't be trailing by 24 going into the fourth quarter.

Boston College: Losing to Northwestern at home wouldn't seem quite as offensive if the Wildcats at least had Dan Persa playing quarterback.

And yes, we'd mention Duke losing to Richmond, but it's Duke and this ain't hoops. Ditto Indiana losing to Ball State, which isn't even supposed to be a factor in the MAC.

MAC ME UP

-- Toledo, 1-0 for the first time since 2005, is at Ohio State before hosting Boise State. The Rockets visit South Philly on Oct. 1.

-- Ohio's Frank Solich, one of only two conference coaches who have been at their school more than 3 years, goes for career win No. 100 vs. Gardner-Webb.

-- Dave Doeren became the first Northern Illinois coach to win his debut since 1985. The Huskies are 1-0 for the first time in 8 years.