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Maize · 05-07-2016 05:59 AM

From the article:

1. Cincinnati: The school has been the most public and most aggressive in Big 12 expansion. Some of that is the result the fine reporting in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Some credit goes to the wife of a former Big Eight and interim Big 12 commissioner.

To me, Cincinnati is this year's TCU. The Horned Frogs had been good for about five years when the realignment merry-go-round stopped at their doorstep in October 2011. The Big 12 didn't necessarily need TCU but it needed a willing partner with a football pulse.

Cincinnati sort of fits that profile. Under Brian Kelly, Butch Jones and now Tommy Tuberville, the Bearcats have been serviceable, going to back-to-back BCS bowls and winning 70 percent of their games in the last nine years.

Cincinnati has upgraded its facilities. But it would be an urban school in a league full of land grants and state schools. Good fit?

Here's the one image I can't get past: A 9-3 Cincinnati upsets an 11-1 Texas or Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game. Suddenly, a “Big 12 champions” flag is flying over southern Ohio while the Longhorns or Sooners are knocked out of the playoff.

How's that for psychologically disadvantaged?

2. Central Florida: I can't give you a good reason why UCF should be the other expansion candidate except it seems to be more footbally than anyone else at the moment.

It's in SEC territory. It's not isolated. It wants to be Florida or Florida State, but probably never will be. However, getting to the Big 12 could brand UCF the way no research grant could.

Given the day of the week, UCF is either first or second nationally in enrollment. It has gone full throttle trying to portray itself as a major-college football program. It's done a fairly good job under the at-times controversial George O'Leary.

Blake Bortles came out of the program as a first-round draft choice. New coach Scott Frost brings all sorts of young, upwardly mobile momentum. I don't know if you admit a school because it runs Chip Kelly's offense, but why not? It works for the moment.

What I know for sure: You don't invite UCF because the Big 12 needs to be in Florida. News flash: Everyone recruits in Florida. There's a load of talent there.

This isn't about TV “eyeballs” or “footprint” or any of that malarkey. It's about an emerging football school in the state of Florida.

There are worse options. Read on ...

3. Houston: The Cougars aren't going to the Big 12 for a lot of reasons.

The Big 12 is firmly entrenched in Texas. For the same reason, it doesn't need to be in Orlando to recruit Florida, it sure as hell doesn't need to be in Houston to recruit Texas.

Texas -- the school -- would probably be against getting the Southwest Conference band back together.

But the Cougars have money, a new stadium and under Tom Herman are starting to recruit with the big boys. Houston is the No. 1 Group of Five choice to crack the playoff this season. The Cougs will start the season in the top 10.

One of their biggest boosters – a Houston billionaire -- has his own reality show.

Traditionally, Houston is a fifth option in its own market. Success by Kevin Sumlin and Herman has changed that. If nothing else, it would be great theater to watch the recruiting wars that would go on among Texas, TCU and Baylor.

5. South Florida: Central Florida is a better fit. Almost no buzz about USF at this point.

The Bulls play in a pro stadium but have made few football national headlines since moving up to No. 2 in the BCS in 2007.

6. Memphis: Traditionally has gotten by in a recruiting-rich area with SEC leftovers.

Memphis isn't a market, nor does it have a national brand. Justin Fuente showed what could be done there, but left recently for Virginia Tech. Memphis' athletic department revenue ($43 million) would be last in the Big 12.

That's a bad optic.

7. UConn: Here's another bad optic: Texas travelling to Storrs to play on a cold, windy night Thursday night before 27,000.

At some point, Texas officials would have to ask, “What the heck are we doing here?” Judging by Twitter, UConn fancies itself the favorite in the clubhouse.

Uh, no. UConn doesn't “deliver” the New York market. UConn might be the best player never to win a major. (Translated: Best school not in the Power Five) But it's a long way back to the big time. It's not always what you deserve; it's what you can deliver.

West Virginia AD Shane Lyons said his school doesn't need a travel partner. Storrs is a seven-and-a-half hour car trip from Morgantown.

There's great basketball at UConn, but this isn't about basketball. It's about better football candidates being closer to the heart of the Big 12. Theoretically, there would be teams flying to BYU and UConn in the same season.

The Big 12 doesn't need that to be more competitive in the CFP.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball...ue-expands

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