If Big East, Big Twelve merge, Villanova might consider joining new conference

Monday's headlines in College Sports Leagues Up In Smoke: Oklahoma and Texas prepare to move, Big East basketball schools hold a conference call between presidents, the day after the Big East football schools hold a separate conference call.

A big topic in both conference calls: Merging the remnants of the Big East and Big Twelve. A source told the Associated Press that "conversations are alive and ongoing" between schools from the two leagues. On Monday, a Big East source said Villanova's current position is that it "would consider moving up" to a football league with remaining Big East and Big 12 schools "if asked."

But the same source noted Villanova's "caution" about that scenario based on the lack of a television contract or even a handle on who would be in that league.

Villanova's name has come up in reports linking it with the Atlantic Coast Conference, but it appears that Villanova is a backup to the backups. At this point, Big East schools still are talking about trying to remain together as one league, with talks reportedly starting with Big Twelve schools such as Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Iowa State, who may be looking for a home if other Big Twelve schools go to the Pac-12.

On Monday, regents at Texas and Oklahoma gave their presidents the authority to find a new home.

University of Oklahoma president David Boren said he is focused on either keeping the Sooners in the Big Twelve or moving to the Pac-12. And while he said it is not inevitable that Oklahoma will leave, he said the league must share television revenue equally among its members for the Sooners to stay.

Texas regents gave president Bill Powers the authority to negotiate a move out of the Big Twelve to a new conference, with any decision requiring their final approval.

Oklahoma State's regents have called a special meeting on the topic Wednesday and Texas A&M has already said it plans to leave the Big Twelve for the Southeastern Conference by July if legal issues can be addressed.