Well, I have to admit: I didn't see this coming. But I guess I should have.

On Tuesday, officials from the Big Ten announced that they formally oppose any playoff system in which national semifinals would be played at on-campus sites. That idea, which had had gained widespread support among many northern college football fans, was seen as a potential competitive advantage for teams in the Big Ten, as SEC powers would be unlikely to savor January trips to, say, Ann Arbor, Columbus, Happy Valley or Madison. Hence, it was assumed that Big Ten officials, led by commissioner Jim Delany, would back that proposal.

Alas, Delany and gang haven't--and really, it's not difficult to see why.

At the end of the day, the Big Ten is the most tradition-focused of all of college football's power conferences, and as they made clear yesterday, league officials are opposing the campus-site proposal not because they're opposed to the idea in general, but rather because they believe the bowls--specifically, the grand old Rose Bowl--should remain at the center of the game even after the playoff is introduced. As Nebraska athletic director Tom Obsborne told the Associated Press: "It would be a competitive advantage to have semifinal games at home fields, but the bowls have been good to us."

Added Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis: "For us it's critical to keep the Rose Bowl in the equation. From kids' perspective, the bowl experience is the one thing they want to keep. Semifinals at bowl sites provide that, it's where fans can gather."

Though I disagree with the Big Ten's position on this--on-campus semifinals would be, quite clearly, absolutely outstanding for the game--I have to commend them (I guess) for remaining loyal to their longtime bowl partners. While people often bash the bowls, the fact is, these games have served college football extremely well for a century now. Perhaps, then, it's only fair that they remain key to the game's future.

Photo: No, the Big Ten isn't ready to let go of the Rose Bowl. (Getty Images)

Well, the good news just keeps on coming for the Big East.

Just days after commissioner John Marinatto was forced out because of his general mismanagement of the league, Pitt announced that it had filed a lawsuit against the Big East in hopes of moving up the timeline for its departure.

Last fall, both Pitt and Syracuse announced that they would leave their longtime home for the ACC, but later agreed that they would remain in the Big East at least until the summer of 2014.

But now, Pitt claims that because the Big East has allowed both West Virginia and TCU to leave for the Big 12 immediately that it should be allowed to leave for its new home by next season. Specifically, Pitt says that by letting the Mountaineers and Horned Frogs leave early, the Big East has "knowingly and intentionally waived any right to enforce a twenty-seven month withdrawal period." Pitt makes its case in a lawsuit filed in a lawsuit filed in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County.

According to Big East officials, negotiations have already occurred about Pitt's desire to leave the conference sooner than originally planned, and a league spokesman on Friday said the league found Pitt's legal action "disappointing." But Pitt officials said in response that the negotiations have stalled out and they had little hope that they would be concluded anytime soon.

Photo: Pitt wants out of the Big East. Like, now. (Getty Images)

I'm not sure if this counts as good news or bad news for the conference we could have once in all sincerity called "The Big East."

John Marinatto, the man who took on the impossible task of leading America's most endangered BCS football conference back in 2009, announced on Monday that he would step down from the position. The announcement was hardly a surprise to anybody.

Marinatto endured a stormy and endlessly difficult tenure in Providence--one that ought to serve as a warning for anyone who thinks they might be able to do better. During Marinatto's time in charge, the Big East saw its top football-playing members lured away by more stable conferences and its basketball-only members grow even more discontented by what they saw as too-narrow strategic focus on football alone (apparently, those schools haven't received the memo: football is king).

Most recently, the struggling league saw flagship members Pitt and Syracuse jump ship for the ACC, while West Virginia was lured away to the Big 12. So, too, was TCU, which Marinatto had previously recruited to the Big East; unfortunately for the league and Marinatto, however, the Horned Frogs left before even playing a single game in the conference.

In a statement, Marinatto said he decided to step down "after a great deal of thought and prayer." But reports suggested that the commissioner was asked to step down by the conference's university presidents on Sunday.

"I have been associated with this league for my entire adult life and have had the tremendous honor of serving as its Commissioner since 2009," Marinatto said. "Our recent expansion efforts have stabilized the Conference for the long term, and we are likewise well positioned for our very important upcoming television negotiations. As a result, I felt this was the right time to step aside and to let someone else lead us through the next chapter of our evolution. I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish and would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank both our membership and my staff for their unwavering encouragement, support and loyalty -- especially during this past year. I am extremely confident about the future of this league that I love very much."

With Marinatto out, the Big East can now go about the work of finding a more capable leader--somebody cutthroat enough, that is, to stand toe-to-toe with the Jim Delanys and Mike Slives of the world. That's the good news.

The bad news is that, no matter what anybody up in Providence says, this is a league in full crisis mode, and having no strong leadership in the short term is only going make this crisis grow deeper.

If we have learned anything over the past few years in college football, it is that anything--anything--is possible. So the presidents of the Big East had better act quick, and had better bring in one dynamic new commissioner, or they may indeed see their league face extinction.

I have no doubt that Big East basketball will live on and remain strong for years and decades to come.

But as for Big East football?

Well, the clock is ticking. It's ticking down to zero. And it's ticking awfully fast.

Photo: John Marinatto thought he had recruited TCU into the Big East. But in the end, he hadn't. (Getty Images)

If somebody asked you to list the best coaches in the country, I'm guessing you'd come up with some fairly obvious answers.

You'd mention Nick Saban. And Les Miles. And Urban Meyer.

You'd probably talk about Chris Petersen. And Chip Kelly. And Bob Stoops.

You might throw in Brady Hoke. Or Frank Beamer. Or Brent Bielema. Or Steve Spurrier.

There's one name you probably wouldn't mention, however: Mark Dantonio.

And you know what? That's a shame. Because Dantonio has done some fairly impressive work up in East Lansing, establishing the Spartans as a consistent Big Ten contender for the first in years, if not decades.

But in 2012, Dantonio faces one of his biggest challenges yet, as he looks to break in a new quarterback, not to mention a fleet of new receivers, and somehow keep his team in the Big Ten title hunt.

Can he pull it off? Find out here, in our 2012 Michigan State preview.

2012 Michigan State Preview

Photo: Mark Dantonio faces a stiff challenge in 2012. (Getty Images)