More expansion talk (not Big Ten)

Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott said if his conference is going to expand it will be on a shorter timetable as the Big Ten, which announced an exploratory process of 12 to 18 months in December.

Scott said "serious evaluation" of expansion will happen in the next six to 12 months. He spoke Tuesday on a conference call to announce the hiring of former Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg as his new deputy.

The hiring of Weiberg, the Big 12's second commissioner and who came from and left for the Big Ten, gives the Pac-10 an experienced hand in conference affairs.

But Pac-10 expansion from 10 to possibly 12 teams doesn't make much sense from a football championship standpoint. The geography doesn't work in the West.

Utah and Colorado have been suggested as targets, but it would have to make financial sense for the Buffs to consider a move. I don't see an expanded Pac-10 acquiring better media deals than what the Big 12 can command during its next round of negotiations.

A Pac-10 official told me at the BCS National Championship Game last month that his conference wouldn’t expand simply because of the Big Ten’s plans. But something has changed and the conference is open to new ideas.

Still, I don’t see expansion happening in the West.