The Big 12 looks like it is on the road to adding a championship game.

Yet Iowa State should be hoping the conference decides to expand, writes Randy Peterson of the Des Moines Register. The conference should look to add a team like BYU, Central Florida or Cincinnati, suggests Peterson.

Why?

It makes Iowa State's road to bowl eligibility much easier. A 12-team conference with two divisions could mean a more manageable schedule for Paul Rhoads program instead of the current round-robin gauntlet that featured seven bowl teams in 2014.

It's probably the best idea for the Cyclones. Right now.

But it begs the question: Should ISU want to make decisions that would help their bowl eligibility chances in the short term (while lowering its cut of the conference earnings)? Or focus on the long-term steps that could help them spark a program turnaround similar to Baylor's?

It's an intriguing dilemma, and I'm not sure I know the best long-term answer for the Cyclones.