Colorado Saving Pennies For Early Big 12 Exit?

Colorado, rather than muddle through two seasons strung between two misnomered eleven-team conferences, is exploring the possibility of leaving the Big 12 in 2011, a year ahead of schedule. Chasing down "ambiguities" in the conference bylaws, it turns out, could save them some serious coin:

Big 12 bylaws require CU to forfeit half its Big 12 revenue distributions for the next two school years in order to leave the league. According to IRS tax records examined by The Associated Press, the Big 12 paid out $10,135,802 to Colorado in 2008-09.

That would make the buyout around $10 million, although Bohn said the cost for leaving after one year is undefined.

Even if they manage to shave half the cost off the ship-jumping price tag, this is still a tall order for the gang that couldn't scrape together a cool $3 million to fire Dan Hawkins last November. Best of luck turning over couch cushions, fellas!