… and nothing has changed. Seems strange to say after the dizzying series of events that began Saturday, but, really, what’s different?

The Pac-12 added a wrinkle last night by choosing to remain at 12. But for how long? If is is permanent, then the Big XII has been preserved. For now. Missouri’s interest in the SEC and vice versa remains of interest, but surely the Tigers remain. Or not? Texas and its Longhorn Network are still big-time issues and are probably what talked the Pac-12 out of expansion. Then again, maybe this is a timeout until that uneasiness, or that conflict, can be reconciled.

Which brings us to this: The Big East is still without Pitt and Syracuse and still no more likely to keep things together after Tuesday’s summit and announcement.

It’s great they all got together and did something and said something, but what happens if the Big Twhatever calls Rutgers? What if the ACC asks Rutgers and UConn? What if the SEC doesn’t get Missouri — Aside: What of Texas A&M? — and Mike “I can get to 16 teams in 15 minutes” Slive calls WVU? It seems like a real reach to believe those schools would prefer the Big East’s leftovers and its additions, whoever they may be.

What we don’t (yet) know is what may matter most: Did the Big East raise its exit fee? Was the 27-month exit period cemented … or extended? The exit period can be broken, but you’re probably going to court if you do breach the contract and the Big East will argue damages, which would then have to be paid on top of the exit fee. And legal fees. Bumping up the fee could deter that. Were the presidents silly enough to agree to that? Was the Big East silly enough not to insist on that? Basically, was anything signed to formally preserve the Big East? That’s potentially critical because the Big East meeting was breaking and the statement was being drafted before the Pac-12 changed the game and stuck with its 12 teams.

And that leads to this final point. The Big East and the Pac-12 have nothing against one another. They are seemingly the two conferences that have no issues or history with one another. They don’t ever bump into one another like all the others tend to do. And big names in one conference are  friends with big names in other the other. Was there some communication between the two that makes this all make more sense? Or does no one trust anyone here?