Commercial Appeal
@geoff_calkins: Bowlsby: "I think this will be a catalyst for discussion" of expansion.

Austin American Statesman
@BDavisAAS: Also, I've been told before that Big 12 would look east, not west, for expansion. Maybe find a travel partner for West Virginia.

ESPN
@Jake_Trotter: Big 12 officials told me over summer impetus to expansion would be getting left out of playoff 2-3 years in row.

The Sporting News
@tsnmike: Cincinnati is not really an Ohio State town, but betting lots of people there quietly celebrating today's selections. #Big12


@Tim_Fontenault: “As we go on, we remember all the times we had together.” Nice knowing you, American Athletic Conference as we have known it all this time.

Chicago Tribune
@BrianHamiltonSI: Congrats in advance for your admission to the Big 12, BYU or Memphis or Boise State or Houston

Sporting News
@Matt_HayesSN: Ding, ding, ding. RT @SEC_Chuck: The four Power 5 leagues with conference championship games all sent their champions to the Playoff

@Andy_Staples: Going to be a really interesting Big 12 ADs meeting in NYC tomorrow. When you've got two champs, you've got no champs.

Courier Journal
@KyleTucker_CJ: Will the Big 12 announce two new teams and a conference title game by the end of the day?

CBS
@TomFornelli: BREAKING: Big 12 announces plans to expand to 12 teams.[he was joking]

Fox
@slmandel: So let the Big 12 expansion watch begin.

Idaho Statesman
@murphsturph: If Big 12 does expand, I think BYU and Boise State have to team up, present some sort of joint bid, etc. BYU may feel it doesn't have to tho

Newsok
@JenniCarlson_OK: Bowlsby said only a few weeks ago here in OKC that expansion wasn't in the Big 12's future. Pretty sure the outlook on future has changed.

Tuscaloosa News
@CecilHurt: Cincinnati, BYU, you're on the clock.

Hello Cincinnati and byu if they accept and if they don't then Memphis.

(12-07-2014 01:13 PM)Tulsaguy Wrote:  Hello Cincinnati and byu if they accept and if they don't then Memphis.

BYU would be such a good choice. Very solid program with a national following. A no-brainer... no games on Sunday anyway.

When you factor in the mix of On-field success and media markets (not to mention recruiting area and adding eastern teams for WVU), the obvious adds are UCF and Cincinnati. Any other combination is a reach.

And the pressure mounts for expansion while the reasons why the Big 12 couldn't expand with existing options, still hangs over their heads. How long before the foundation cracks?

Maybe they should just jump to 14 and go mostly west

Big 14

E: OU, OK state, KU, K st, I st, Cincy, WVU

W: Texas, Tex Tech, TCU, Baylor, Col State, BYU, Boise ST

Boisestate is Gonzaga of CFB, small market but national following. Have finished ranked 10 of last 12 yrs and just crashed Bigbowls for 3rd time in 9 yrs!!!

CSU needs to send BYU a nice big box of chocolates right about now.

Big12 to implode in 3....2....1....

(12-07-2014 01:18 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  And the pressure mounts for expansion while the reasons why the Big 12 couldn't expand with existing options, still hangs over their heads. How long before the foundation cracks?

(12-07-2014 01:23 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  Big12 to implode in 3....2....1....

The truth. Not trying to take shots at anyone. But how long do you think that Texas will want to be in a conference with the choices that are left?

(12-07-2014 01:28 PM)hawghiggs Wrote:  

(12-07-2014 01:18 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  And the pressure mounts for expansion while the reasons why the Big 12 couldn't expand with existing options, still hangs over their heads. How long before the foundation cracks?

(12-07-2014 01:23 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  Big12 to implode in 3....2....1....

The truth. Not trying to take shots at anyone. But how long do you think that Texas will want to be in a conference with the choices that are left?

Precisely! The ugly truth that in a world driven by market share TV networks have no place for a small market conference just got mailed in in spades. Adding Memphis and Cincinnati don't address those issues and neither does B.Y.U. Outside of Texas there just isn't enough eyeballs in the middle of the country to make this work considering the pool of expansion candidates that are still around.

Texas and Oklahoma are presently rethinking their futures. It is now obvious that if they are not involved in the finals that the Big 12 will finish out of the money and the wonderful seasons for Baylor and T.C.U. and others not named Texas and Oklahoma mean little.

(12-07-2014 01:16 PM)FonzKnight Wrote:  When you factor in the mix of On-field success and media markets (not to mention recruiting area and adding eastern teams for WVU), the obvious adds are UCF and Cincinnati. Any other combination is a reach.

Sorry, UCF IS NOT OBVIOUS choice. Cincinnati, BYU and others are more obvious. I'd be surprised if your even considered. A brand new college, a directional school, on top of that a total of 18 years of division 1 football getting picked up by the blue bloods of college athletics? Texas, Oklahoma etc. would never allow that

(12-07-2014 01:16 PM)FonzKnight Wrote:  When you factor in the mix of On-field success and media markets (not to mention recruiting area and adding eastern teams for WVU), the obvious adds are UCF and Cincinnati. Any other combination is a reach.

Actually any mix of BYU and ? is obvious and they have signaled that their position has changed. I fully expect a package of BYU and CSU to be discussed.

(12-07-2014 02:36 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(12-07-2014 01:16 PM)FonzKnight Wrote:  When you factor in the mix of On-field success and media markets (not to mention recruiting area and adding eastern teams for WVU), the obvious adds are UCF and Cincinnati. Any other combination is a reach.

Sorry, UCF IS NOT OBVIOUS choice. Cincinnati, BYU and others are more obvious. I'd be surprised if your even considered. A brand new college, a directional school, on top of that a total of 18 years of division 1 football getting picked up by the blue bloods of college athletics? Texas, Oklahoma etc. would never allow that

Add in they are on Probation for a second round of recruiting violations until 2017, and the Florida Supreme court is looking into their case in respect to the death of a player, which could result in a reversal of a $10 million fine.

UCF will be discussed. Large market and recent success cant be totally overlooked but I tend to think that Cincis longer term success in multiple sports along with BYU (who wouldnt mind being on an island) seems to make the most sense.

(12-07-2014 01:40 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(12-07-2014 01:28 PM)hawghiggs Wrote:  

(12-07-2014 01:18 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  And the pressure mounts for expansion while the reasons why the Big 12 couldn't expand with existing options, still hangs over their heads. How long before the foundation cracks?

(12-07-2014 01:23 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  Big12 to implode in 3....2....1....

The truth. Not trying to take shots at anyone. But how long do you think that Texas will want to be in a conference with the choices that are left?

Precisely! The ugly truth that in a world driven by market share TV networks have no place for a small market conference just got mailed in in spades. Adding Memphis and Cincinnati don't address those issues and neither does B.Y.U. Outside of Texas there just isn't enough eyeballs in the middle of the country to make this work considering the pool of expansion candidates that are still around.

Texas and Oklahoma are presently rethinking their futures. It is now obvious that if they are not involved in the finals that the Big 12 will finish out of the money and the wonderful seasons for Baylor and T.C.U. and others not named Texas and Oklahoma mean little.

Couldnt agree more. I think the B12 will expand in a year or two, and in time when the Longwhore network fails, they will look to the Pac 12 yet once again. Adding Cinci, BYU, Memphis or whomever isnt going to dramatically increase their TV contract up to the Pac12 levels.

I see Uconn eventually being added to the ACC, Texas/Tech/ OU and OSU going to the Pac 12 and the rest of the Big 12 merging with the best pieces of the AAC and MWC.

(12-07-2014 02:42 PM)mtmedlin Wrote:  

(12-07-2014 02:36 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(12-07-2014 01:16 PM)FonzKnight Wrote:  When you factor in the mix of On-field success and media markets (not to mention recruiting area and adding eastern teams for WVU), the obvious adds are UCF and Cincinnati. Any other combination is a reach.

Sorry, UCF IS NOT OBVIOUS choice. Cincinnati, BYU and others are more obvious. I'd be surprised if your even considered. A brand new college, a directional school, on top of that a total of 18 years of division 1 football getting picked up by the blue bloods of college athletics? Texas, Oklahoma etc. would never allow that

Add in they are on Probation for a second round of recruiting violations until 2017, and the Florida Supreme court is looking into their case in respect to the death of a player, which could result in a reversal of a $10 million fine.

UCF will be discussed. Large market and recent success cant be totally overlooked but I tend to think that Cincis longer term success in multiple sports along with BYU (who wouldnt mind being on an island) seems to make the most sense.

But from a non-USF fan point of view, UCF Is a top 20 media market team in the fertile florida recruiting grounds who has won back to back conference championships and defeated the Big 12s champion last year en route to a number 10 national ranking. So, ya know.... That..

(12-07-2014 02:42 PM)mtmedlin Wrote:  

(12-07-2014 02:36 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(12-07-2014 01:16 PM)FonzKnight Wrote:  When you factor in the mix of On-field success and media markets (not to mention recruiting area and adding eastern teams for WVU), the obvious adds are UCF and Cincinnati. Any other combination is a reach.

Sorry, UCF IS NOT OBVIOUS choice. Cincinnati, BYU and others are more obvious. I'd be surprised if your even considered. A brand new college, a directional school, on top of that a total of 18 years of division 1 football getting picked up by the blue bloods of college athletics? Texas, Oklahoma etc. would never allow that

Add in they are on Probation for a second round of recruiting violations until 2017, and the Florida Supreme court is looking into their case in respect to the death of a player, which could result in a reversal of a $10 million fine.

UCF will be discussed. Large market and recent success cant be totally overlooked but I tend to think that Cincis longer term success in multiple sports along with BYU (who wouldnt mind being on an island) seems to make the most sense.

I think I'd be shocked if you didn't constantly bring this up.

(12-07-2014 01:18 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  And the pressure mounts for expansion while the reasons why the Big 12 couldn't expand with existing options, still hangs over their heads. How long before the foundation cracks?

It's a ticking time bomb.

All of the Big 12's options are even more unattractive than the ACC's options right now.

BYU is a total misfit in geography and culture. Cincinnati even more so. You already have a total WTF in West Virginia ... you really going to turn this into some original pre-AAC split Big East duct taped monster?

If Bowlsby had the balls ... he'd go to the mat for Texas to drop down to an equal share if Arkansas and TAMU come over. Both of the former are outstanding fits. And if you're going to pick a hill to die on -- at least that one is worthwhile.

Big 12 has only the AAC to really consider. Memphis and Cincy make the most sense to bridge West Virginia. Memphis and Cincy are decent size cities. If the Big 12 is worried they don't bring enough $$ then they will for the next 12 years be left out of the playoff, unless 1 is undefeated. If they don't care about having a CCG and getting into the playoff then that's fine, but it seem to be not the case.

The precedence has been set. 12 wins is better than 11 wins.