In expansion talks, just what does OU really want?

Five years ago, Oklahoma president David Boren stood at the construction site of a new campus dormitory and declared that the Sooners would be no "wallflower "during this second round of conference realignment. Boren's comments sent a clear message that Oklahoma was no longer necessarily committed to making the Big 12 work in the age of the Longhorn Network. A sudden shift that destabilized the Big 12, ignited a panic throughout the league and prompted Missouri to jump ship for the SEC.

Five years later, the Big 12 faces another fork in the road. And once again, the Sooners are on the spot. Only this time, Oklahoma is loaded with leverage - to dictate what happens to the conference's grant…