What do the other conferences do?

Try to get Texas and G5 schools beg to replace Oklahoma.

Not much would change nationally.

I'm sure the PAC 12 would like to get into the central time zone, but Texas will want to go to ACC.

Honestly, I'm not too sure Houston wouldn't be a good choice for the PAC if Texas is off the table. I could see Texas and perhaps Baylor both being brought into the ACC.

If the BigXII blows up and Texas is off the table, frankly I think Houston's in a good spot to end up in a P5 while Tech gets left out. Sorry Tech fans...

Why do they need to do anything?

If this does somehow happen, here is another thing that should happen: force OU into the East division.

Yep, you heard me right.


The West division has no mega-programs. Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska are as close as it gets. None of them (yes, that's correct NU fans) are mega-programs. At least, not anymore (Nebraska).

The B1G's mega-programs are in the East (Michigan, Ohio St and Penn St ... maybe Mich St, now). So force OU to the East. It belongs over there, with the other mega-programs.


Kansas's football program is very much more of a West type program. It much more resembles Minnesota, Illinois and Northwestern. They'd be a good fit for the West.

(01-31-2016 09:09 PM)XLance Wrote:  What do the other conferences do?

B12 (Cincinnati, Houston)
BE (Memphis, UConn)
MWC (SMU, Rice)
MAC (Temple, USF)
CUSA (Tulsa, Tulane)
Colonial (East Carolina)
Atlantic Sun (Central Florida)

Basically the AAC is carved up like a turkey dinner while the B12 stays at 10.

(01-31-2016 10:24 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  If this does somehow happen, here is another thing that should happen: force OU into the East division.

Yep, you heard me right.


The West division has no mega-programs. Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska are as close as it gets. None of them (yes, that's correct NU fans) are mega-programs. At least, not anymore (Nebraska).

The B1G's mega-programs are in the East (Michigan, Ohio St and Penn St ... maybe Mich St, now). So force OU to the East. It belongs over there, with the other mega-programs.


Kansas's football program is very much more of a West type program. It much more resembles Minnesota, Illinois and Northwestern. They'd be a good fit for the West.

The reasons you listed just give more reason to have Oklahoma in the West. They would routinely be the favorites to win the division (and likely to face OSU/Mich/MSU regularly in the B1G Championship game, which would equal big $$$ and ratings). Nebraska was expected to be a big player in the West when they went with the East/West split; unfortunately, they have not maintained their high level since moving to the B1G. The B1G still needs that Western power.

If OU/KU bolt to the B1G, then I view the remaining eight Big 12 members doing everything in their power to maintain their power status by looking at G5 members (no other power schools will switch to the Big 12). Unfortunately, other than UConn and BYU, I don't think there is anyone left, nationally, to help them move the needle institutionally or athletically. At that point, I think the members start turning on each other and look at saving themselves (Old Big East-style).

I think Texas can get away with being an Independent (even without an ND/ACC scheduling agreement). Baylor/TCU would be good fits for the ACC (rich Private schools that are good in football). I think K-State/OK State/Texas Tech/ISU could be taken in by the PAC-12 (going to 16). Unfortunately, I think that leaves West Virginia out in the cold - which obviously isn't fair to them. Perhaps they begin negotiations with the AAC? Or maybe they start talking with Cincinnati/UConn/Temple/Buffalo/Navy/UMass/Navy/Marshall to form a new Northeastern Conference? I don't think the SEC "needs" them.

In any event, I don't think there are enough "slots" in the power conferences to accommodate all. Unfortunately, some school(s) will be left out.

I doubt the big ten goes west anymore. I think they rather get into the higher population on the east coast. If they went west the only schools that are AAU is Iowa State and Kansas. I could maybe see them grabbing Kansas and UVA. It will be hard to break up both of those conference's GOR.

Texas sold its birthright for a bowl of stew.

If they had cared more about thumping chests and a short-term windfall, they'd have set themselves up in a strong conference for the next 50 years back in 2010. They had a chance to create a nearly perfect scenario in the new-realignment world. Take four travel partners with them to the Big Ten or the Pac-12. Academically, financially, and even geographically (again, if they'd taken travel partners like OU/KU/Mizzou/TAMU)...they could have been in a smart situation.

Big Ten West...UT, OU, Mizzou, TAMU, Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin.
Or
Pac-16 South...UT, TAMU, OU, Kansas, USC, UCLA, Ariz., ASU.

This rant is in response to the post...and basically, it's a pure mess for UT if OU/Kansas leave. And if it's a mess for UT, it's a mess for the rest of the Big 12 leftovers too...

(02-01-2016 01:53 AM)allthatyoucantleavebehind Wrote:  Texas sold its birthright for a bowl of stew.

If they had cared more about thumping chests and a short-term windfall, they'd have set themselves up in a strong conference for the next 50 years back in 2010. They had a chance to create a nearly perfect scenario in the new-realignment world. Take four travel partners with them to the Big Ten or the Pac-12. Academically, financially, and even geographically (again, if they'd taken travel partners like OU/KU/Mizzou/TAMU)...they could have been in a smart situation.

Big Ten West...UT, OU, Mizzou, TAMU, Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin.
Or
Pac-16 South...UT, TAMU, OU, Kansas, USC, UCLA, Ariz., ASU.

This rant is in response to the post...and basically, it's a pure mess for UT if OU/Kansas leave. And if it's a mess for UT, it's a mess for the rest of the Big 12 leftovers too...

A&M didn't want to go to West, the SEC talks began as soon as the Pac rumors. Could have been a Pac 16 East of Arizona, Arizona St, Colorado, Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and [probably] Kansas. They may have still took Utah, but I think they'd have invited Kansas first.

I really do think they'd have gone an original Pac 8 in one division, and all the 'Eastern' expansions in the other instead of North/South.

I like to think that UCLA/USC/Cal/Stanford will always stick together, but I suppose there might be some combination of schools out there that could break up the band. If there is, I bet Texas would be part of it... and maybe Notre Dame. But it's all very far fetched. The east-west divisions make much more sense, but would also have to be done over the strong objections of the Arizona schools and, probably, Colorado. I think pods would have been the only way to go and even that might have been a hard sell.

Texsa could do a deal with the ACC to bring TCU and Baylor along in exchange for a few football games a year.

The rest pick up AAC schools to fight on as a tweener conference.

(02-01-2016 03:46 AM)GiveEmTheAxe Wrote:  I like to think that UCLA/USC/Cal/Stanford will always stick together, but I suppose there might be some combination of schools out there that could break up the band. If there is, I bet Texas would be part of it... and maybe Notre Dame. But it's all very far fetched. The east-west divisions make much more sense, but would also have to be done over the strong objections of the Arizona schools and, probably, Colorado. I think pods would have been the only way to go and even that might have been a hard sell.

Aren't they split into separate divisions now in a 12 team conference?

(02-01-2016 12:51 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(02-01-2016 03:46 AM)GiveEmTheAxe Wrote:  I like to think that UCLA/USC/Cal/Stanford will always stick together, but I suppose there might be some combination of schools out there that could break up the band. If there is, I bet Texas would be part of it... and maybe Notre Dame. But it's all very far fetched. The east-west divisions make much more sense, but would also have to be done over the strong objections of the Arizona schools and, probably, Colorado. I think pods would have been the only way to go and even that might have been a hard sell.

Aren't they split into separate divisions now in a 12 team conference?

Yes they are in separate divisions but they have agreement that all the Cali schools play each other every year.

Exactly. The four CA schools still play each other every year. It's probably the main reason the Pac-12 stuck with a 9-game conference schedule. The ninth game allowed enough inter-divisional games to rotate through the remaining schools in the opposite division in a timely manner despite 2 inter-divisional games being locked every year.

The question is Kansas may not have a home to go to. They are in a small market, and that would kill them right there.

Why wouldn't the Big 10 take them? I understand why SEC doesn't want them, but the Big 10 can't expand any further east.

Someone on here, I won't name names unless he wants to come forward, said something that made a great deal of sense to me.

NCState + Virginia Tech to the SEC to get them to 16.
Texas, Notre Dame(all in), Baylor, +1 (WVU? TCU?) to bring the ACC to 16.

This would "balance the sheets" a bit for ESPN and allow them to bundle an ACC Network with an SEC Network with shared markets that would have cross over games (SEC vs. ACC basketball games OOC on each other's networks, Rivalry Week in football between the SEC and ACC schools, ect...) This would put both conferences in better markets and make each network more appealing in those markets. Overall, I think it makes a lot of sense to be honest.

Oklahoma and Kansas to the B1G. The rest of the conference, I dunno. PAC and AAC I guess?

I'd guess the Texas schools would choose between the SEC and Pac-12.

(02-01-2016 03:23 PM)Rabbit_in_Red Wrote:  Someone on here, I won't name names unless he wants to come forward, said something that made a great deal of sense to me.

NCState + Virginia Tech to the SEC to get them to 16.
Texas, Notre Dame(all in), Baylor, +1 (WVU? TCU?) to bring the ACC to 16.

This would "balance the sheets" a bit for ESPN and allow them to bundle an ACC Network with an SEC Network with shared markets that would have cross over games (SEC vs. ACC basketball games OOC on each other's networks, Rivalry Week in football between the SEC and ACC schools, ect...) This would put both conferences in better markets and make each network more appealing in those markets. Overall, I think it makes a lot of sense to be honest.

Oklahoma and Kansas to the B1G. The rest of the conference, I dunno. PAC and AAC I guess?

Why would Oklahoma and Kansas have to go to the Big 10? The ACC is an ESPN conference lock stock & barrel. If they wanted to augment their value then why not have Texas, Oklahoma & Kansas join if N.D. would go all in. Then giving up N.C. State & Virginia Tech would be truly worth it.

Miami flies everywhere they play (except FSU) so you could make the divisions work like this:
Boston College, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse
Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest
Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville
Kansas, Miami, Oklahoma, Texas.

Texas has had an interest in recruiting trips to Florida. At least that is what they claimed when showing interest in Florida State.

Those would be two fantastic conferences to package.

If OU can get out of the Big 12's GOR then there is no need to accommodate the others. Scoop the meat & leave the fat.