PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- The Big Ten Conference is not looking at another expansion - for now.
The 12-team league said Friday that its Council of Presidents/Chancellors met recently and there is no plan to "actively" engage in expansion now "or at any time in the foreseeable future, barring a significant shift in the current intercollegiate athletic landscape."
Of course, there is that possibility. Texas A&M confirmed this week that it is interested in leaving the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference. The SEC, which has won the last five BCS championships in football, on Sunday reaffirmed its 12-school membership while leaving the door open to expansion.
The Big 12 has said it wants to keep Texas A&M, but if the Aggies leave it would "aggressively move forward to explore expansion," presumably by adding one or three schools if possible.
Duke: Duke's annual "Meet the Blue Devils" will be held today at Wallace Wade Stadium at 5:30 p.m. A portion of the team's practice will be open to the public and players will sign autographs and take photographs for fans at the end.
The Blue Devils will open the season on Sept. 3 at Wallace Wade Stadium against Richmond.
Miami: Center Tyler Horn and running back Mike James said Friday they were trying to focus on the coming season and not possible sanctions after a dozen teammates were implicated in a scandal that could alter the future of Hurricanes football.
Former university booster Nevin Shapiro claimed that he provided money, prostitutes, cars and gifts to some current and former Hurricanes Tuesday. The NCAA has been investigating Miami for five months.
"Well, of course, it was a shock to hear those allegations," Horn said. "But we're focused on football. That's all we can focus on. That's all we can control."
Neither Horn nor James are among the current players implicated in the report.
Coach Al Golden opted to take a day off, clearly weary of discussing the scandal. Golden was not implicated in the story, since all the events allegedly took place between 2002 and 2010. Golden was hired in December.
Oregon: Quarterback Darron Thomas says he was asleep in the car when a teammate was pulled over for driving 118 mph earlier this summer.
Thomas also denies he was smoking marijuana. A police dashboard camera video revealed that the officer who pulled over cornerback Cliff Harris thought he smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the car.
Harris was cited for speeding and driving on a suspended license on June 12 Albany, Ore. No other citations were issued.
Texas Tech: The Texas Supreme Court wants more information in Mike Leach's lawsuit against Texas Tech, a fresh sign of life for the fired coach's claims against the school.
In 2009, the university fired Leach two days after suspending him amid allegations of mistreating a player with a concussion. Leach later sued for wrongful termination. News Services
