(09-03-2017 08:58 AM)Soobahk40050 Wrote: (08-21-2017 10:53 PM)Underdog Wrote: (08-17-2017 11:23 AM)Soobahk40050 Wrote: (08-17-2017 09:19 AM)Gamecock Wrote: (08-17-2017 07:07 AM)Soobahk40050 Wrote: One option not mentioned so far: Texas as a true independent.
If their T1 and 2 games are worth $35-40 mil, then this is a legitimate option.
Would mean a very direct bidding war between ESPN/Fox for those rights. Would also still in some ways come down to if Texas wanted more ACC/SEC (ESPN) schools on it's schedule or Big 10 (Fox). Independence could be a way to play Big 10 schools, keep some local rivalries and appease a fan base that wouldn't care about games against Minnesota every year.
Then SEC if they really wanted to expand would be free to take OK/St, OK/Kansas, OK/TCU, or OK/WVU.
The ACC could grab say Cincy and ND all in. Or ND/WVU, or even Houston (a good fit with their basketball pedigree too).
The PAC would still have tough decisions to make about who is worthwhile to them, but would have options.
I'd love to see Texas as an independent. They could easily fill a schedule with big time P5 teams in the early part of the schedule, Texas teams in the middle, and Army/BYU/ND in November.
I think more independents is a good thing honestly.
I know the Big 12 as a whole is overpaid, but I wonder if they could go in-mass to independence. No one would have trouble scheduling, as they could basically keep a conference schedule intact but function as independents. Would help teams like Texas, OK get more money, and would probably mean teams like Kansas State/Baylor get more than they would in the AAC/MWC.
TV contact... gone, CFP spot... gone, NCAA auto-bid... gone, etc....
Ok, so how about the Big 12 simply stops sponsoring football. They keep the basketball league to keep the NCAA auto-bid.
As to TV contract, see ND and BYU. As to CFP spot, the only Big 12 team to make it so far has been OK, and with a decent schedule and 12-0 record, or a good schedule and an 11-1 they would at least be in the running.
I admit it is far fetched, though.
Here's the hypothetical for you. Let's assume by the end of next week that Virginia Tech manages a win over West Virginia tonight and that Ohio State beats Oklahoma by 10 or more points in Columbus. Neither of those outcomes is out of the realm of possibility. All of the sudden Texas, Oklahoma, and West Virginia have suffered significant losses. Baylor's loss to Liberty is a death blow. That leaves O.S.U. as the lone possibility for a CFP invite because I seriously doubt that Texas Tech, Kansas, Kansas State, or Iowa State are going to get a look and because T.C.U. has been passed over before. But let's say that Oklahoma or Arkansas manages to beat T.C.U. and that O.S.U. suffers only 1 loss. Neither of those are out of the realm of possibility either. With what the nation perceives as the 3 or the top 4 programs in the Big 12 losing does O.S.U. with 1 loss have the S.O.S. to make the CFP? No.
What Maryland did Saturday was to drive yet another nail in the coffin of the Big 12.
Right now your major contenders for the CFP are Stanford / Washington / Colorado from the PAC, Ohio State / Penn State / Wisconsin / Michigan from the B1G, and Alabama / L.S.U. and Georgia from the SEC, and Clemson from the ACC.
The ACC nearly suffered the same fate as the Big 12 on the opening weekend. Let's say that W.V.U. and Tennessee win tonight and tomorrow. All of the sudden the ACC has lost Florida State, N.C. State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech. That will leave Miami and Clemson. Should Auburn find a way to take down Clemson their season is virtually over with for the CFP. It will be especially true if Georgia wins in South Bend. All of the sudden their S.O.S. is gone.
Somebody will likely get two teams in for the first time and in that case all of the sudden there will be a push for a conversion to a champs only model and that will do two things: 1. Kill the Big 12 and 2. Force Notre Dame to abandon independence.
All of the possible losses I have speculated about are possible, if not likely in some cases, and only improbably with regard to Clemson playing Auburn at home.
What the opening weekend has done is to virtually level the Big 12's chances from the outset and to make vulnerable the ACC in a definitive way.
