Because I'm a glutton for punishment...

There are 2 very simple solutions to solving the problem that the Big 12 poses at the moment.

1. The SEC and ACC split the 8-10 teams and thus nullify the GOR. There are numerous combinations for accomplishing this. ESPN wins, the SEC wins, the ACC wins, and at least 8 of the Big 12 schools are better off.

2. Merge the SEC and the Big 12. This also nullifies the GOR and ensures no one is left out. While the SEC can't maximize markets, they can maximize content and create a conference semi-final to determine the champion.

West: Texas, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State

Central: Texas A&M, Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, Iowa State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt

East: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia

Play 11 conference games, 3 division winners and a wildcard form the conference semi-final.

7 division games, 1 permanent rival from each of the other divisions, 1 rotating match-up from each of the other divisions.

The problem is that no SEC school really wants to play the likes of KU/KSU/ISU/TT/BAY.

What if you could convince the PAC to take Kansas, Iowa St., TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech (and Houston)?

That gets the PACN firmly into Texas (4 Texas teams), includes two hot football brands (Baylor and TCU), includes two AAU schools (Kansas and Iowa St.) to balance the academics, and strengthens PAC basketball (Kansas! Iowa St., Baylor). It also simply requires a new 6-team East division.

SEC grabs Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., and Kansas St. The SEC gets UT and OU, but not KU (although the SEC still gets into the Kansas market), and brings the Red River and Bedlam rivalries; can build up the Missouri-Kansas St game.

(West Virginia begs to join the ACC)

(11-23-2015 09:10 AM)vandiver49 Wrote:  The problem is that no SEC school really wants to play the likes of KU/KSU/ISU/TT/BAY.

But they are just jumping at the chance to play TCU?

(11-23-2015 02:41 PM)BaylorFerg Wrote:  

(11-23-2015 09:10 AM)vandiver49 Wrote:  The problem is that no SEC school really wants to play the likes of KU/KSU/ISU/TT/BAY.

But they are just jumping at the chance to play TCU?

Not really. SEC expansion would be more to balance divisions and fix scheduling issues.

(11-23-2015 09:10 AM)vandiver49 Wrote:  The problem is that no SEC school really wants to play the likes of KU/KSU/ISU/TT/BAY.

Don't want to play KSU ever again. Wasn't thrilled when we say them in a bowl game.

The simplest solution was the one ESPN had worked out in 2010-11:
N.C. State and Virginia Tech to the SEC along with Missouri and A&M.

Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Notre Dame to the ACC. No Louisville at that time.

ESPN felt that those 3 brands from the Big 12 plus N.D. would make the ACC a conference of stature and on par economically with the SEC and Big 10.

The SEC was to get 4 huge market additions of almost 53 million potential viewers.

That was the simplest and best solution because there was no stinking GOR to require conferences to have to take the schools that couldn't add to the bottom line.

Realistically the SEC and ACC could take 4 each and N.D. could remain independent. But the war would come over who do we get. I think Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and West Virginia for the SEC. Let the ACC take Texas, T.C.U., Kansas, and Iowa State.