Big12 chatter

[TIGER-PAUL]

Paul Finebaum
Paul Finebaum – Verified account ‏@finebaum

According to @ESPN_Colin "The Big 5 in CFB is ready to be the Big 4... BigXII will evaporate, Oklahoma is SEC bound & the Pac12 wants Texas"
3:01 PM - 30 Jun 2015

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

TIN FOIL ALERT IN WEST BY GOD VIRGINIA!!!!

 

[OH Pete]

Unless the rumored Power 4 secede from the NCAA or have an entirely new division created where only they are members, WVU and the rest of the B12 teams will have a seat at the big time football table. It would be impossible to maintain D1 FBS and have less teams outside of the power conferences than inside due to the "one school, one vote" rule. The majority has conspired to keep the rest of the non-Power 5 teams out.

So basically, if this rumor comes to pass, it won't be the only major change that college football sees.

 

[PittMan 72]

Paul Finebaum
Paul Finebaum – Verified account ‏@finebaum

According to @ESPN_Colin "The Big 5 in CFB is ready to be the Big 4... BigXII will evaporate, Oklahoma is SEC bound & the Pac12 wants Texas"
3:01 PM - 30 Jun 2015

Vermin and "the Dude" to initiate emergency damage control protocol in 3 . . .2. . .1 . . .

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Paul Finebaum
Paul Finebaum – Verified account ‏@finebaum

According to @ESPN_Colin "The Big 5 in CFB is ready to be the Big 4... BigXII will evaporate, Oklahoma is SEC bound & the Pac12 wants Texas"
3:01 PM - 30 Jun 2015

FWIW, this is in no way good for Pitt and the ACC if it happens. Any SEC expansion will soon be met by Big Ten expansion and guess where the Big Ten will be looking for new members?

Assuming some ACC schools dont bolt for the Big Ten or SEC, perhaps the Big 12 teams would go to the following leagues:

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State: SEC
Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Baylor: Pac 12
Texas: ACC but with an "ND independent football deal" so they can maintain LHN
TCU, Iowa State, WVU: American

Perhaps the Big 4 will want to decide to split off to keep all the revenue and will require each league to have 16 teams. So, then TX and ND become full ACC members with the Big Ten adding Connecticut and somebody else.

 

[JHud986]

The dud (dude) has already secured the mountainqueers into the SEC! This is a secret deal as to not upset
the rest of the b12. Texas is wanting to go along with the "queers" but dana in his drunkin stuper said we're going
alone. Alabama will be issuing a statement in the near future to ask permission of the queer's to keep the confederate flag.

 

[ThePanthers]

Yeah, the Dude has WVU to the SEC and said they were in discussions in 2013; and they and OU decided the GOR was too much to move. This after he said the Big XII is rock solid and the best conference ever!

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Yeah, the Dude has WVU to the SEC and said they were in discussions in 2013; and they and OU decided the GOR was too much to move. This after he said the Big XII is rock solid and the best conference ever!

FWIW, Oklahoma aint going nowhere without little bro (OKST) even if they wanted to. And I dont think the SEC would want OKST as a hanger-on unless it was part of a larger deal to bring in Texas. I dont believe these rumors. Probably just OK smoke to get Texas to agree to turn LHN into B12N, which they wont do. Texas doesn't care about the Big 12. They view themselves as an independent like ND and will be an independent if it meant keeping LHN. OU may think they can get Texas to concede by saying "Hey, we're going to the SEC." Bevo doesn't care. Much like ND, they can do whatever they want and go to whatever conference they want, whenever they want.

 

[pittdan77]

Honestly, this is the kind of thing that pretty much implodes the system.

By the way, are we still upset about missing out on the BigXII invite?

 

[JHud986]

I'm really, really sad about having to take the ACC over the b12, (not)!

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

This is all BS. Like the ACC, the B12 is going nowhere. I definitely like the ACCs future prospects better than the Big 12s future prospects and that is primarily for market size reasons. However, I think they are both safe as long as they maintain their core pieces.

 

[pittdan77]

This is all BS. Like the ACC, the B12 is going nowhere. I definitely like the ACCs future prospects better than the Big 12s future prospects and that is primarily for market size reasons. However, I think they are both safe as long as they maintain their core pieces.

This is probably the truth but I doubt any of us could have predicted any of what's already gone on.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

This is all BS. Like the ACC, the B12 is going nowhere. I definitely like the ACCs future prospects better than the Big 12s future prospects and that is primarily for market size reasons. However, I think they are both safe as long as they maintain their core pieces.

Just a game of bluffs. That league is seriously dysfunctional. Everybody wants expansion but Texas so this stuff will continue until a major move is made.

Eventually, it may come down to the others telling Bevo we are expanding with or without you and Bevo saying "If you do, we're going Independent, Big Ten, or ACC." Maybe the B12 calls their bluff and expands without them. Then things get really interesting? Does TX stay in Big 12 then?

 

[PittMan 72]

Just a game of bluffs. That league is seriously dysfunctional. Everybody wants expansion but Texas so this stuff will continue until a major move is made.

Eventually, it may come down to the others telling Bevo we are expanding with or without you and Bevo saying "If you do, we're going Independent, Big Ten, or ACC." Maybe the B12 calls their bluff and expands without them. Then things get really interesting? Does TX stay in Big 12 then?

Don't necessarily think that expansion is the only issue causing the Big XII to be dysfunctional. Maybe not even the biggest issue. That would be the lack of a conf. championship game. Why? Because as last year so graphically showed, when the top teams in your conf. are only playing 12 games and those in the other P5 confs. are playing a 13th game (a CCG), it will put the Big XII at a highly visible and tangible disadvantage vs. the winners of the CCG's in the other P5 conferences in most years. 13-0 or 12-1 is likely to get the nod over 12-0 or 11-1 from the committee.

Will these issues cause the dysfunction to become outright hostility again? TX clearly calls all of the shots in that league. TAMU finally had enough of that and did something about it. So did Mizzou. Prior to that, so did NU and CU. That's 3 of the old Big 8 that had enough of having to kiss Bevo's behind that they explored other opportunities and then agreed to change leagues rather than stay put.

 

[JHud986]

In hind sight, I think the b12 would like to dump the mountainqueers and try and land another program or two.
I wonder want the other b12 teams think?

 

[NTOP]

In hind sight, I think the b12 would like to dump the mountainqueers and try and land another program or two.
I wonder want the other b12 teams think?

They'd probably prefer to admit the team from the "Longest Yard". Higher quality people.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Paul Finebaum
Paul Finebaum – Verified account ‏@finebaum According to @ESPN_Colin "The Big 5 in CFB is ready to be the Big 4... BigXII will evaporate, Oklahoma is SEC bound & the Pac12 wants Texas"
3:01 PM - 30 Jun 2015

DEFCON 3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL EXPANSION DEFCON 3 ALERT!
The College Football Expansion DEFCON Warning System.
Alert status for 8 A.M. Monday, July 2nd, 2015.
Condition Green To Yellow!
DEFCON 5 Condition Green To DEFCON 3. Condition Yellow.
DEFCON 3 Current Status.

I was at a Medieval Church Event in Warren, Ohio Christ Episcopal Church a few Saturdays ago and will be going to another one at Pennsic July 24 – August 9, 2015 , they expect 10,000! LINK:
http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn44/

There I met several Ohio State, Youngstown State, WVU, Akron, and even Oklahoma Football Fans and that I would consider Insiders Boosters with pretty good knowledge of their Programs and interesting discussions at a later dinner took place later in Boardman, Ohio with great connections to the NFL 49ers. He in particular, seemed to have pretty good knowledge on what was going on in the PAC-12 and talking to the rest separately put a bigger picture of rumors in the process.

At that time, one shared with me and asked not provide any sources but did explain big changes will be happening sooner not later not just in Conference Expansion, but within the relationship of the NCAA and the College football Playoff System, very much dependent on current Court Cases, NCAA Organization, USWA College Football Coalition Union, and some others with current unknown status of where it is all going to be resolved for the future of CFB.

This is why I posted up Info on possible Big-12 Developments once Twitter by OU President Boren that broke some news cycles now that someone else did it. I was asked to solicit just Blogger Chatter from many sources and not just on the Lair.

This reminded how it happen way back in 2000s, the same with augmenting how Big East Expansion changed Links in another posts below on VT, so accuracy prevails over poor memories.

Something is brewing and not just at Oklahoma, but at PAC-12 and BIG-12, and especially the College Playoff Committee and it will involve changes at the NCAA, based on what i heard and later sought after feedback elsewhere on particular Blogs on CFB!

I caution much information is rumors and innuendo but, in my opinion, on the level of putting such rumors and innuendo that actually done on purpose to provide info prior to more warnings, much as the same we witness a few years as Miami kept complaining about Big East Expansion and the Commissioner doing nothing until the ACC adopted and officially put into action their Consultant's Expansion Plans.

It is interesting to see if the Big-12 Commissioner is doing more listening to OU now and is making the rounds of Big-12 Presidents but this could be the time to resolve more changes and expansion, and it often happens way before it was expected, as usual out of fear whom will and how will make the first move????

Finally, this could impact on all 5 Conferences as well. Notre Dame may have to make a move too, sooner not later.

I have no inside information and do not pretend to be an Insider but I was able to share to only by a request of a close friend what he was hearing and he has a short tongue right now but very long ears within the NFL.

DEFCON YELLOW IS THE APPROPRIATE ALERT!

All Conference Bombers Are On 15 Minutes Readiness, that means "15 Minutes of Fame" as Pittsburgh's Native, Andy Warhol once predicted would happen to all of us in the future in the Brave New World Of Fast Media that has been made Faster by Instant Media Technology???

I put it another way, "One Leak Will Cause Many "LINKS" Sooner Not Later! Big-12 on the Clock or OU on the Run? It is still heading towards Four 16 Team or 18 Teams Conferences and "For Profit League", but a way to go yet, but changes are under way, and the saying..... "I Don't Know Where We Are Going, But No Reason To Be Late," in my opinion.

It is weird, but that is how it starts now, a few Shots Warnings over a Big-12 Bow and if no one is listening, some other Conference Commissioner is and maybe too late to stop the cascade of fate from deaf ears?

We shall see???

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

FWIW, Oklahoma aint going nowhere without little bro (OKST) even if they wanted to. And I dont think the SEC would want OKST as a hanger-on unless it was part of a larger deal to bring in Texas. I dont believe these rumors. Probably just OK smoke to get Texas to agree to turn LHN into B12N, which they wont do. Texas doesn't care about the Big 12. They view themselves as an independent like ND and will be an independent if it meant keeping LHN. OU may think they can get Texas to concede by saying "Hey, we're going to the SEC." Bevo doesn't care. Much like ND, they can do whatever they want and go to whatever conference they want, whenever they want.

Boone Who?

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

This is all BS. Like the ACC, the B12 is going nowhere. I definitely like the ACCs future prospects better than the Big 12s future prospects and that is primarily for market size reasons. However, I think they are both safe as long as they maintain their core pieces.

I agree with your assessment especially since you studied previous expansion!

Yet, it is not just what may happen in the Big-12 or ACC on ACCN, it is what the PAC-12 still wants to do to expand TV to Central Time Zones, and how the Big-12 & Texas responds, and if the SEC & B1G decides they will have to make moves based on what happens or causes moves to happen?

The Best Laid Plans do not always determine the outcome but how others react and if they move just based on such rumors of Plans.

In my opinion, and you know I don't post to boast, just love to learn and share, but OU Boren did not Twit for the sake of Twittering, and the Youngstown Boys Connection to OU is well known, same with Bowden & Akron Via WVU, and Tressel at YSU with Pelini and never count out Ohio State!

There is no question CFB is going through future changes, and it is not a matter of just what but when too. They can work out the whats, but the whens, is very much dependent on how others decide to move, especially the OU President's continued shots over the TEXAS/BIG-12 Bows and that is what Miami was doing for years until the ACC made its move!

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

In hind sight, I think the b12 would like to dump the mountainqueers and try and land another program or two.
I wonder want the other b12 teams think?

In hindsight, I think they realize they should have taken West Virginia AND Louisville AND Cincinnati when they had the chance. The Cardinals and Bearcats would have been outstanding additions for that league and would have set it up going forward. Instead, they took the least forward thinking approach possible and now face major problems down the road.

If I were the B12 and I had a deal in place whereby my cut didn't shrink if we added more teams - which is reportedly the case - I wouldn't go to 12 teams, I'd go to 14 or maybe even 16 teams.

Why?

Because the only thing that would be diluted would be the championship game profits, but that is not a ton of money whether it is split 10 ways, 12 ways or 14 ways. We are talking about a few hundred thousand dollars each - max, in a $50-60 million budget.

Also, by adding more teams, it would allow the league to lessen Texas' control of the league by lording The Longhorn Network over everyone's heads. If you expanded to enough of the right markets, why couldn't you have a Longhorn Network AND a Big 12 Network?

What if the B12 added Cincinnati (#34 DMA), Central Florida (#19 DMA), Connecticut (#30 DMA) and BYU (#33 DMA)? That would give you access to four top 35 DMAs and you would have in your stable the LDS's answer to Notre Dame and a huge, affluent state like Connecticut and all the benefits it gives you by being so close to ESPN's campus. Also, you dramatically improve your basketball league.

Honestly, if I was the B12, that is definitely the road I would strongly consider taking.

Big 12 East
Baylor
Central Florida
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Iowa State
Texas Christian
West Virginia

-----

Big 12 West
Brigham Young
Kansas
Kansas State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas
Texas Tech

...or...

Big 12 North
Brigham Young
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
West Virginia

-----

Big 12 South
Baylor
Central Florida
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas
Texas Christian
Texas Tech

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

In hindsight, I think they realize they should have taken West Virginia AND Louisville AND Cincinnati when they had the chance. The Cardinals and Bearcats would have been outstanding additions for that league and would have set it up going forward. Instead, they took the least forward thinking approach possible and now face major problems down the road.

If I were the B12 and I had a deal in place whereby my cut didn't shrink if we added more teams - which is reportedly the case - I wouldn't go to 12 teams, I'd go to 14 or maybe even 16 teams.

Why?

Because the only thing that would be diluted would be the championship game profits, but that is not a ton of money whether it is split 10 ways, 12 ways or 14 ways. We are talking about a few hundred thousand dollars each - max, in a $50-60 million budget.

Also, by adding more teams, it would allow the league to lessen Texas' control of the league by lording The Longhorn Network over everyone's heads. If you expanded to enough of the right markets, why couldn't you have a Longhorn Network AND a Big 12 Network?

What if the B12 added Cincinnati (#34 DMA), Central Florida (#19 DMA), Connecticut (#30 DMA) and BYU (#33 DMA)? That would give you access to four top 35 DMAs and you would have in your stable the LDS's answer to Notre Dame and a huge, affluent state like Connecticut and all the benefits it gives you by being so close to ESPN's campus. Also, you dramatically improve your basketball league.

Honestly, if I was the B12, that is definitely the road I would strongly consider taking.

Big 12 East
Baylor
Central Florida
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Iowa State
Texas Christian
West Virginia

-----

Big 12 West
Brigham Young
Kansas
Kansas State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas
Texas Tech

...or...

Big 12 North
Brigham Young
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
West Virginia

-----

Big 12 South
Baylor
Central Florida
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas
Texas Christian
Texas Tech

Some clarifications on some prior info that was not so accurate, in my opinion, not by you, but some others. what you are saying is what Boren wants and the Big-12 may get those changes, but if they don't or some Balk, changes may be made anyway!

Carlton: Boren’s comments provide better understanding of Big 12′s expansion math
Boren noted that the contract with the Big 12’s TV partners contains a clause that bumps up the share proportionally should the Big 12 expand. Commissioner Bob Bowlsby then confirmed the “pro rata” contract language.
So let’s do the math. Bowlsby said that about 40 percent to 45 percent of conference revenue from things like the College Football Playoff, other bowls and the NCAA Tournament would be divided more ways if the Big 12 expanded. Based on revenues of $252 million this year, that represents about $110 million to $113 million.

For simple math, let’s use $108 million. Split 10 ways, that’s $10.8 million per member. At 12, it becomes $9 million. Difference: $1.8 million. And that’s not counting possible income from a conference title game in football. In the era of cost of attendance and name/image/likeness, that’s still a potential road block, just not nearly as much as most believed. So the debate can shift a little, which Boren clearly wants, although don’t press conferences anytime soon.
LINK:
http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews...understanding-of-big-12s-expansion-math.html/

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Second Link To Think For All Us Posters:

OU’s Boren: ‘The elephant in the room remains the network south of us that has struggled…’
While expressing a preference for a 12-team conference Wednesday, Oklahoma president David Boren also criticized the Longhorn Network – although not by name......Talking to reporters, Boren addressed the Big 12’s lack of a conference TV network, as opposed to other “power five” leagues like the Big Ten, SEC and Pac-12. “The elephant in the room remains the network south of us that has struggled and has in a way as long as it’s there,” Boren said, as quoted by the Oklahoman. “And we have done quite well with our network and if anything ever changed, it has value to it which we see. But someday, maybe we’ll get past that other problem as well. It’s a problem.”

LINK:
http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews...-network-south-of-us-that-has-struggled.html/

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

FWIW, this is in no way good for Pitt and the ACC if it happens. Any SEC expansion will soon be met by Big Ten expansion and guess where the Big Ten will be looking for new members?

Assuming some ACC schools dont bolt for the Big Ten or SEC, perhaps the Big 12 teams would go to the following leagues:

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State: SEC
Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Baylor: Pac 12
Texas: ACC but with an "ND independent football deal" so they can maintain LHN
TCU, Iowa State, WVU: American

Perhaps the Big 4 will want to decide to split off to keep all the revenue and will require each league to have 16 teams. So, then TX and ND become full ACC members with the Big Ten adding Connecticut and somebody else.

Good Post & Looks Like Bowlsy made a mistake like Dr. Von Yinzer said, when not taking more WVU Big East former Teams. Texas did not want to expand and dilute the CFB Playoff money and 5 States with 4 Small States and 2 of them KA & OK with multiple Teams and only 1 being Big in TX will have trouble supporting a Network, even if Texas keeps the LongHorn Network!

Just like Swofford did when taking VT, Miani, and BC, and had to go back for Pitt, Cuse, and ULou after losing UMD. Swofford First Plan did not work out and fell short, but he should have been bolder in taking WVU & Rutgers too, but then had to act and react and react again!

This at the very least will make the ACC take notice and Notre Dame!

Because the Pac-12 still wants a Central Time Zone and like said, B1G and SEC even they want to stand down, may have to stand up?

 

[Bradlib Zannamaker]

Paul Finebaum
Paul Finebaum – Verified account ‏@finebaum

According to @ESPN_Colin "The Big 5 in CFB is ready to be the Big 4... BigXII will evaporate, Oklahoma is SEC bound & the Pac12 wants Texas"
3:01 PM - 30 Jun 2015

HOLY COW guys. This is a Colin Coward quote! Can we get a grip? I love that guy because he cracks me up but he is an idiot with absolutely no inside information. NONE. Nothing. I have no idea why Finebaum is quoting him. Does anyone know how to look up a twitter handle? Its Coward.

Lord. This means nothing and this entire thread has earned the requisite "what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

HOLY COW guys. This is a Colin Coward quote! Can we get a grip? I love that guy because he cracks me up but he is an idiot with absolutely no inside information. NONE. Nothing. I have no idea why Finebaum is quoting him. Does anyone know how to look up a twitter handle? Its Coward.

Lord. This means nothing and this entire thread has earned the requisite "what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

In Defense of Tiger, Colin, Finebaum, or other Posters including myself, OU's President Boren has been very vocal and publicly I might add, and not just lately, but for a while, and the Big-12 with just 5 States and 10 Teams and CFB Contract that divides up CFB Playoff Money even less if more Teams are added?
Throw in the Long Horn Network only for Texas, PAC-12 looking for Central Time Zones in previous Expansion rumors, SEC doing great with SECN and WVU isolation, well, it is a problem OU's Boren is pointing out and doing it more often not less these days.

It is making all the Sports Media Websites & Newspapers and Rivals Websites!

Blame Boren no one else, he is going public, and no one is making anything up and that is not nothing, like you posted? OU's President Boren is pushing the debate, making the news, and going public and even the Big-12 Commish has admitted the Big-12 has to look at Expansion?

The Big Eight once was strong and then turned into the Southwest Conference that turned into the Big-12 after losing and gaining Schools, and that is a place that did not put a team in the College Playoffs, Boren is pointing out something for a reason, and that is grow, change, or possible go, we shall see, but he put it in the Media?

Tiger-Paul titled the Thread Right, he called it "Chatter" and that is what Boren wanted, in my opinion, and more!

 

[Pitt is #1]

I'm not trying to shed a bad light on any one individual...but, this is why Gallagher and Pitt have started putting money into football. They realize if they don't right this ship, Pitt could very well be on the outside looking in. Especially as technology takes off. TV sets won't be our savior this time as everything will be online content.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

I'm not trying to shed a bad light on any one individual...but, this is why Gallagher and Pitt have started putting money into football. They realize if they don't right this ship, Pitt could very well be on the outside looking in. Especially as technology takes off. TV sets won't be our savior this time as everything will be online content.

No one can doubt change came to Pitt Athletics withing 4 Months of Chancellor Gallagher's Appointment & Tenure and no one saw that coming that fast, and Dr. Juhl an Innovator himself, made some bold moves, and Pitt has to get better and stable, and recover from all the instability brought on by Coaching, Brand & Conferences Changes!

Changes are not just coming to Pitt, but everywhere, and Chancellor Gallagher is not watching but hired new people to prepare for them!

Very good observation and all of Pitt has been surprised it has happen so fast.

So Little Done & So Much More To Do!

 

[Jpripper88]

Unless the rumored Power 4 secede from the NCAA or have an entirely new division created where only they are members, WVU and the rest of the B12 teams will have a seat at the big time football table. It would be impossible to maintain D1 FBS and have less teams outside of the power conferences than inside due to the "one school, one vote" rule. The majority has conspired to keep the rest of the non-Power 5 teams out.

So basically, if this rumor comes to pass, it won't be the only major change that college football sees.

That is exactly what they would do.

 

[JHud986]

Boren would probably like to see the mountainqueers go bye bye!
He would rather see the b12 go west and south into Fla.
I really think that Boren has the gonads to force Bowlsey's hand in this matter.
Dump wvu and pickup Central Fla., South Fla., then go west for SDSU and maybe
Houston and someone else.

I want the ACC to finally land ND! Let ND select the other team they want whether it be
Navy or UConn. I really don't care what anyone else does if we land ND!

 

[bwh05]

Why do you say that Boren wants WVU gone? What's that based on?

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Another, reaction Article on the Big-12, well at least OU's President Boren has caused some Buzz!


Big 12 expansion is not just a possibility, but an inevitability:
Get ready, Big 12 fans: Expansion is coming. And if it doesn't, the conference may not survive. Last week, Oklahoma president David Boren publicly proclaimed what most of us have known for some time. In the wake of losing Nebraska to the Big Ten and Texas A&M and Missouri to the SEC, the Big 12 has become, as Boren put it, “psychologically disadvantaged.”

Of course, Boren’s “OU’s not going to be a wallflower” remark four years ago, which prompted Mizzou to bail on the Big 12 salvage operation, contributed to said psychological disadvantage. But that’s another story.

The issue at hand is whether the Big 12 can survive in the long-term with 10. The tea leaves suggest it can’t (more on why later). But that doesn’t mean the conference needs to act rashly, either. Sure, the Big 12 seems not only to be operating at a psychological disadvantage, but a tangible one, too. The playoff committee said as much when it noted in April that a 13th game and conference championship, neither of which the Big 12 has, carries weight in playoff deliberations. After this revelation (which shouldn’t have been a revelation at all) Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby used the phrase himself: “We're at a disadvantage.”

The Big 12 can survive in the interim, despite the disadvantage. After all, Baylor would’ve made the playoff last year had Ohio State’s Cardale Jones not morphed into the greatest third-string quarterback in college football history. TCU would’ve made it, too, if it weren't for Florida State's nine lives.

Ultimately, though, the Big 12’s chances of long-term survival are slim sans expansion. In 10 years, the Big 12’s so-called “ironclad” granting of TV rights agreements will be up -- about the same time the College Football Playoff contract will be up, too. The closer those granting of rights contracts come to ending (assuming they’re even as ironclad as some suggest) the easier they will be to negotiate out of. Such a climate will make the landscape ripe for another seismic conference realignment shift, at which point other commissioners will be circling Big 12 programs like a shiver of sharks, just waiting to pick schools off to form their inevitable superconferences.

To avoid being picked apart, the Big 12 will have to act pre-emptively. A novel concept for this league, yet a necessary one.

Boren revealed last week that the previously given deterrent to expansion is really not a deterrent at all. The Big 12's TV contract calls for pro-rata increases with expansion. In other words, the conference’s members won't be losing TV money, as they've stated before, with expansion.

The Big 12, however, has one luxury at its disposal: time. The granting of rights slowed the realignment wheel enough for the Big 12 to meticulously weigh its expansion options.

Ten years ago, TCU didn’t have the look of a viable Big 12 expansion candidate. It ranked 74th in attendance, well behind the likes of Memphis, Fresno State and East Carolina. But behind a visionary leadership from its chancellors, athletic directors and coach Gary Patterson, the Horned Frogs forced Big 12 inclusion.

Today, the Big 12’s expansion options don’t look so hot. But five years from now, who knows? Colorado State is building a $200 million stadium. Memphis will soon be adding new football and basketball facilities. Houston hired one of the budding stars in coaching in Tom Herman.

If the Big 12 expanded now, its options would be limited. By holding off, it can wait to see if another TCU develops. Or, in a home-run scenario, a rift could develop in another Power 5 conference. (It’s happened before; just ask Dan Beebe.)

Boren rightfully is frustrated with the trajectory of the league. But he holds the trump card to force the expansion issue. The Oklahoma brand will always have a home in another conference. Not everyone else in the league can claim the same.

Several Big 12 leaders have pushed back on expansion in the past. But the dissenters will come to realize what Boren already does: the Big 12's survival eventually will hinge on expansion. A 10-team conference isn’t just psychologically disadvantaged or competitively disadvantaged, it’s sustainably disadvantaged, too.

As Boren pointed out, Big 12 expansion should no longer be considered a matter of if but when.
LINK:
http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/100511/big-12-expansion-no-longer-an-if-but-rather-a-when

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

I think Cincinnati is in many ways the new TCU.

They have spent copiously on their facilities and they have an excellent school to sell. Also, like TCU, the Bearcats play in a football hotbed and their football and basketball programs have been at times outstanding.

I think Cincinnati is probably going to end up in the Big 12.

I think UCF has a great opportunity to become the next TCU as well. In fact, I think UCF has a lot more potential than either TCU or Cincinnati. I think it has the highest ceiling of any G5 school.

I took classes at UCF back in the late 90s and was a pretty nice school that was undergoing a change from a commuter school to a traditional four-year university. You could see that it had a lot of potential. However, it had such a long way to go that it was unclear if it would ever reach that potential. Well, I was back on campus a few months ago and holy cow, what a difference! I've never seen a transformation quite like it. I knew it had improved – even substantially – but I did not expect it to feel like a cross between Ohio State and Arizona State. That was one big/beautiful campus and it looks like a real college campus now as opposed to what it looked like when I was there.

The best analogy I can make is going through your old neighborhood and having this cute little gangly, nerdy little neighbor girl living a few doors down the block. Then coming back to that same neighborhood 15 years later and seeing that she is now a supermodel. It was honestly a jarring improvement.

The Florida schools in the ACC – as well as Louisville – understandably do not want any more competition in the Sunshine State. That is why I do not believe either USF or UCF are legitimate candidates to join the ACC as it is currently constructed. However, if the ACC ever lost Miami or Florida State, my first phone call would be to the folks in Orlando.

 

[Saboteur]

UC brings a conference the following:
a. A real airport
b. a spot in Big Ten and SEC territory
c. TV sets
d. Athletic department with gonads and the $$$$ to go with them

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

UC brings a conference the following:
a. A real airport
b. a spot in Big Ten and SEC territory
c. TV sets
d. Athletic department with gonads and the $$$$ to go with them

They did not have a problem choosing good coaches either in Mark Dantonio, Brian Kelly, Butch Jones and Tubberville unlike Pitt, they had very good Athletic Directors and still do!

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

I think Cincinnati is in many ways the new TCU.

They have spent copiously on their facilities and they have an excellent school to sell. Also, like TCU, the Bearcats play in a football hotbed and their football and basketball programs have been at times outstanding.

I think Cincinnati is probably going to end up in the Big 12.

I think UCF has a great opportunity to become the next TCU as well. In fact, I think UCF has a lot more potential than either TCU or Cincinnati. I think it has the highest ceiling of any G5 school.

I took classes at UCF back in the late 90s and was a pretty nice school that was undergoing a change from a commuter school to a traditional four-year university. You could see that it had a lot of potential. However, it had such a long way to go that it was unclear if it would ever reach that potential. Well, I was back on campus a few months ago and holy cow, what a difference! I've never seen a transformation quite like it. I knew it had improved – even substantially – but I did not expect it to feel like a cross between Ohio State and Arizona State. That was one big/beautiful campus and it looks like a real college campus now as opposed to what it looked like when I was there.

The best analogy I can make is going through your old neighborhood and having this cute little gangly, nerdy little neighbor girl living a few doors down the block. Then coming back to that same neighborhood 15 years later and seeing that she is now a supermodel. It was honestly a jarring improvement.

The Florida schools in the ACC – as well as Louisville – understandably do not want any more competition in the Sunshine State. That is why I do not believe either USF or UCF are legitimate candidates to join the ACC as it is currently constructed. However, if the ACC ever lost Miami or Florida State, my first phone call would be to the folks in Orlando.

Agree, USF & UCF would just be more Peat & Repeats! FSU & Miami are just fine and dandy in Florida & the ACC.

UCincy would bring in Ohio Cable Subscribers and right in Big Ten Heartland with ULou below and ND to the West and Pitt-UC River Rivalry would resume every year.

 

[doogie503]

FWIW, this is in no way good for Pitt and the ACC if it happens. Any SEC expansion will soon be met by Big Ten expansion and guess where the Big Ten will be looking for new members?

Assuming some ACC schools dont bolt for the Big Ten or SEC, perhaps the Big 12 teams would go to the following leagues:

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State: SEC
Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Baylor: Pac 12
Texas: ACC but with an "ND independent football deal" so they can maintain LHN
TCU, Iowa State, WVU: American

Perhaps the Big 4 will want to decide to split off to keep all the revenue and will require each league to have 16 teams. So, then TX and ND become full ACC members with the Big Ten adding Connecticut and somebody else.

I think the Big 12 will be gone in about 10 years after the Grant of Rights runs out.

Texas, Baylor, TTU, and TCU to the Pac 12
OU and OK St to the SEC
Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State to the Big 10
WVU to the ACC

Texas could decide to go independent instead of the Pac 12, but there's no way they would join the ACC. Just not happening.

Also no way WVU would be left out in a conference like the American.

I'm sure some of you will laugh at WVU to the ACC, but it would be much more likely this time round.

If our time in the Big 12 did anything it set us up for the future. We make a ton of money and made huge facility improvements like the new baseball stadium (which was a big negative for us with the SEC and ACC during the first round of expansion).

We also opened other campuses in other parts of WV, which could allow WVU to stay true to it's mission of educating as many in-state kids as possible, while raising admission standards for the main campus in Morgantown at the same time.

Oliver Luck is now the VP of the NCAA... having a guy who loves WVU in a position of power like that doesn't hurt. Maybe he can do some arm twisting to those Tobacco Road schools who didnt want us the first time around.... especially UNC who is in some hot water right now.

Also, our new AD Shane Lyons was the associate commissioner of the ACC for 10 years. He has a long history of relationships with the presidents and AD's of a lot of ACC schools.

It also gives the ACC some national rivalries. Let's be honest.. the ACC needs some football rivalries that get national attention. It has FSU and Miami and that's pretty much it. I don't see a ton of ACC games on national tv unless it's FSU, Clemson, Miami or maybe Louisville. Rivalry games between WVU and VT or Pitt would always be on ABC or ESPN.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

I think the Big 12 will be gone in about 10 years after the Grant of Rights runs out.

Texas, Baylor, TTU, and TCU to the Pac 12
OU and OK St to the SEC
Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State to the Big 10
WVU to the ACC

I'm sure some of you will laugh at WVU to the ACC, but it would be much more likely this time round.

If our time in the Big 12 did anything it set us up for the future. We make a ton of money and made huge facility improvements like the new baseball stadium (which was a big negative for us with the SEC and ACC during the first round of expansion).

We also opened other campuses in other parts of WV, which could allow WVU to stay true to it's mission of educating as many in-state kids as possible, while raising admission standards for the main campus in Morgantown at the same time.

Oliver Luck is now the VP of the NCAA... having a guy who loves WVU in a position of power like that doesn't hurt. Maybe he can do some arm twisting to those Tobacco Road schools who didnt want us the first time around.... especially UNC who is in some hot water right now.

Also, our new AD Shane Lyons was the associate commissioner of the ACC for 10 years. He has a long history of relationships with the presidents and AD's of a lot of ACC schools.

It also gives the ACC some national rivalries. Let's be honest.. the ACC needs some football rivalries that get national attention. It has FSU and Miami and that's pretty much it. I don't see a ton of ACC games on national tv unless it's FSU, Clemson, Miami or maybe Louisville. Rivalry games between WVU and VT or Pitt would always be on ABC or ESPN.

 

[doogie503]

I'm guessing you disagree with my opinion on the matter. haha

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Well, you guess wrong, and I put a "Like" on your postings. I think it added to the discussion and is well thought out! And wink back at you!

However, the PITT-Miami Game always has high ratings, and both Programs are rebuilding, and I think FSU, ND, VT, Miami, Clemson and ULou are pretty good programs that will help the ACC. Now if Pitt can rejoin that group with 9-10+ wins most of the time, it will be ok too?

PITT and the ACC have so much more to do and so little done!

 

[paulbl99]

I think the Big 12 will be gone in about 10 years after the Grant of Rights runs out.

Texas, Baylor, TTU, and TCU to the Pac 12
OU and OK St to the SEC
Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State to the Big 10
WVU to the ACC

Texas could decide to go independent instead of the Pac 12, but there's no way they would join the ACC. Just not happening.

Also no way WVU would be left out in a conference like the American.

I'm sure some of you will laugh at WVU to the ACC, but it would be much more likely this time round.

If our time in the Big 12 did anything it set us up for the future. We make a ton of money and made huge facility improvements like the new baseball stadium (which was a big negative for us with the SEC and ACC during the first round of expansion).

We also opened other campuses in other parts of WV, which could allow WVU to stay true to it's mission of educating as many in-state kids as possible, while raising admission standards for the main campus in Morgantown at the same time.

Oliver Luck is now the VP of the NCAA... having a guy who loves WVU in a position of power like that doesn't hurt. Maybe he can do some arm twisting to those Tobacco Road schools who didnt want us the first time around.... especially UNC who is in some hot water right now.

Also, our new AD Shane Lyons was the associate commissioner of the ACC for 10 years. He has a long history of relationships with the presidents and AD's of a lot of ACC schools.

It also gives the ACC some national rivalries. Let's be honest.. the ACC needs some football rivalries that get national attention. It has FSU and Miami and that's pretty much it. I don't see a ton of ACC games on national tv unless it's FSU, Clemson, Miami or maybe Louisville. Rivalry games between WVU and VT or Pitt would always be on ABC or ESPN.

It's not worth trying to pick who ends where....
But jmo WVU will be fine at the end of the day
That is, in a P4 or 5 or some super duper league