It's looking like the Big-10's expansion plans will leave the Pac-10 no choice but to expand itself, or to "partner" with the Big-12 or another conference. If you do some Googling you'll find articles and discussions of all the possible scenarios and permutations of these two conferences adding teams. My hunch is that Notre Dame, Nebraska, Missouri, and two other teams will join the current 11-team Big-10 to make a new 16-team conference.
Although talks are underway between the Pac-10 and Big-12 on partnering to sell TV rights and to increase interconference scheduling, for the sake of discussion, let's assume that both the Big-10 and Pac-10 steal teams from the Big-12 and that it's Pac-10 expansion we need to be concerned about. Let's say the Pac-10 adds Colorado, Utah, Texas, Texas A&M, and two other teams to create another 16-team conference. The implications for football and basketball are thoroughly discussed elsewhere, but I haven't read a word about other sports. Any thoughts on that?
For example, would Bruin baseball have a harder time earning a bid to postseason play in a conference that included more nationally ranked teams, such as Texas? And the same could be asked about Bruin gymnastics in a conference with Utah.