(01-05-2018 06:54 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(01-05-2018 06:37 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(01-05-2018 06:23 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(01-05-2018 01:44 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(01-05-2018 01:37 PM)OdinFrigg Wrote:  What the political people, higher educational boards, and oSu boosters, may be concerned about is not so much conference separation between OU and oSu; rather, if OU leaves, oSu is not left in a financially weakened, and much less prestigious conference situation. So, the hope would be oSu gets picked up by another P5, and not remain in a potentially more depleted Big12.
OU and oSu, if they do have a conference separation from each other, would still want to play each other (ooc) in multiple sports, fb and bb certainly included.
OU likely cannot keep Texas and oSu yearly scheduled in fb without one of them coming along with them. The BIG's scheduling methodology, for example, has limited flexibility.

I tend to view oSu as being under-valued by the sports media and chat. oSu has a solid, sustained, and winning program. They get over-shadowed by OU's marquee name and lofty success. The point being, oSu would be regularly and respectedly competitive in any other P5 conference. That cannot be said about everyone else in the B12. Of course I am referencing athletics, and not necessarily market factors, academics, cultural identity, etc.

Future scheduling is a huge part of the problem for OSU and OU. If they are separated then OU needs two OOC games for UT and OSU. So yeah, that's why they are more likely to move together than not. And if OSU is left out of the P5 movement which is possible due to a small market and not having big brand status then it does become a political issue when they suffer a loss of revenue.

This is where the SEC has an advantage. They have the flexibility to invite both OU and OSU if they wish. I don't know if the SEC would be willing to invite OSU in order to attract OU, but I know it's an option.

OSU, as the second school in a state of 3.9 million people, punches way above its weight on the field and on the court. They don't have the market metrics, brand name, or academic pedigree, but they do very well. They would acquit themselves well in any conference. They, as well as OU, would fit in well in the SEC. [I can't believe I just advocated for OSU]

OU and the B1G would mutually benefit each other. The B1G would get a football brand name in the west, OU would gain prestigious academic associations.

OU, both institutionally and athletically, is more like an SEC school. It is currently institutionally similar to the flagship universities of the southern states. Athletically, it is a mega-football school with success in men's and women's basketball, softball, gymnastics, golf, and baseball (in the past). OU is good or has been good where the SEC is good. A move to the SEC would be very good for OU.

OU needs to continue to play both OSU and Texas. If OSU moves with OU, then only Texas would be a demanded non-conference opponent. It would be hard to play both Texas and OSU in non-conference football games.

I think there is a very good chance that we play that card. ESPN has suggested it via their talking heads a couple of times. After all, with OU we don't need Texas to access the % of DFW that we want. In some ways OSU is a slight double dip into that market with OU, and with A&M we carry it.

Besides it leaves Texas in a quandary. Do they head West? Do they head North and leave the Texas folks with options at L.S.U., A&M an the two Oklahoma's to keep their kids closer to where they can see them play more games? Or do they try to reload the Big 12 with lesser brands?

With Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and L.S.U. waiting to fill DKR Stadium will they succumb to their ego, or go with the flow? Especially if they could bring Tech along as well?

Face it. If the SEC can land just one of Oklahoma and Texas they stay on top in an relatively unchallenged way. So with the remainder of the Big 12 for a traveling companion for OU is there really any difference between OSU, WVU, TTU, and TCU? Not really. So if landing OU becomes even more of a lure for Texas it's a smart gamble to take OSU which as you pointed out is not a bad sports product at all. Besides T. Boone might be grateful.

From a gamesmanship perspective taking the Oklahoma pair would be a huge coup for the SEC. It hems in the Big Ten in a huge way and it isolates Texas. Texas can't go north to the Big Ten--the Big Ten can't take them and all of their non-AAU companions. If Texas wants to bail on the Big 12 (and let's face it they won't be heartbroken to leave Kansas, K St, Iowa St, and WVU behind) they have to go west which is undesirable for a number of reasons or they have to grovel their way into your 18+ member southern football confederacy.

About the only thing the SEC can't work with where the Big 10 is concerned is penetration of the Deep South. Should the day come when the two conferences split Virginia and North Carolina there wouldn't be much of an uproar about it. Maybe even Georgia Tech because Georgia carries 85% of that state anyway. But Florida is another matter. If we landed Oklahoma and Oklahoma State we carry enough of Texas's key markets that we don't have to have Texas, but with them the advertising rates in the area go up. So we might be a bit covetous of that as well. We'll see.