anothertigerfan
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I Root For: T.I.G.E.R.S
Location: Memphis
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RE: AAC bracing for realignment to Big12 soon?
(10-07-2014 06:48 AM)TripleA Wrote: (10-07-2014 12:42 AM)Tigermaniac Wrote: Big 12 isn't gonna go from 10 to 14. Without BYU. First 2 adds will be Cincy and Memphis.
If BYU wants in 1 other AAC team will get an invite to get to 14. It won't be ECU. More than likely UCF.
There is always a possibility the B12 will add teams, for whatever reason, at some time in the future. But right now, it doesn't look likely, and not necessarily the ones most message board posters ever consider.
Early this year, the other P5 conferences, and then ESPN and Fox, put pressure on the B12 to add 2 teams to get to a CCG, b/c the other P5 conferences felt a lack of a CCG gave the B12 an advantage in getting into the new playoffs.
The B12 started a screening process, and eventually got it down to 4 candidates, for 2 spots: Cincinnati, Memphis, SMU and Houston. We were told that Cincy was a lock, and we were fighting it out for the second spot with the other two. The B12 was split, with most of the non-Texas schools wanting us, and the Texas schools wanting either Houston or SMU. But there weren't enough votes on either side yet, to break the deadlock.
Unfortunately, before the deadlock could be broken, a proposal was made by the ACC petitioning the NCAA to change the existing rules requiring conferences to have 12 teams and 2 divisions to conduct a CCG, and simply let conferences decide their champion by whatever method they prefer.
This proposal has been included as part of the new autonomy package, and is expected to pass with the overall vote in November. B12 commish Bowlsby has said publicly that they support that proposal, b/c it would allow them to remain at 10 teams, and still conduct a CCG.
And that killed the push, for now, to add two teams.
But we did learn things during that process. First, they were ONLY going to add TWO teams, and go to 12, NOT 14 or 16.
Second, the final 4 were Memphis, Cincy, SMU and Houston.
I'm not sure what other teams were considered, but I was told by one source that Tulane and Rice were also considered. I could find no mention from anyone that UConn, ECU, UCF, USF or BYU were seriously considered, or even considered at all.
And in the end, it was about to boil down to Cincy + either Memphis or a Texas team. Much different than what most message board posters always assume.
I would hope that if the subject comes up again with the B12, for whatever reason, they will still have the same mindset.
Meanwhile, all we can do is keep winning, keep supporting the football team, and have the admin continue to keep up with facilities.
One other interesting point. Basketball apparently had no influence on this decision. It was all about football, budgets and facilities.
Excellent stuff. We were so close yet so far...
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