Oklahoma and Oklahoma St were founders of the SWC in 1915, but after a few short years, they both joined the MVC. After Oklahoma St’s 2nd season, Oklahoma and 5 of the other big schools left to form the Big 6 after some hard feelings regarding Oklahoma St winning the 1927 title despite not playing most of the strong schools. But where would things be had there not been mutual interest between the Oklahoma schools and the MVC?

The SWC—in 1923, TCU becomes the SWC’s 9th member. This line up remains unchanged until 1956, when Texas Tech becomes #10. This arrangement stays in place for the next few decades:

Oklahoma, Okla St, Arkansas, SMU, TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor, Texas, TAMU, Rice

The MVC—there’s no split in 1928; Grinnell, Drake, and Wash U get to hang with the big state schools. By 1937 Grinnell drops out and Tulsa gets their spot. (Creighton, St Louis, and Washburn are passed on). Wash U drops its football program and leaves by 1947 and is replaced by Colorado. Drake is the head scratcher—they left the MVC in 1951 because of the Johnny Bright incident but with no Oklahoma St there’s no Johnny Bright incident to send them packing. It’s possible they hang on until 1951 in this tougher league but I think there’s a real possibility that they struggle to compete. Somewhere in the 1951-1976 range, I think Houston joins the MVC for a line up of:

Iowa St, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Kansas St, Colorado, Tulsa, & Houston

(There’s an off chance they go bigger than that but I’m going to stick with those 8 as the real Big 8 never felt a compulsion to go bigger.)

This brings us to 1990, when the SEC was on the prowl for some expansion. I have to think the SWC, with the Oklahoma schools (particularly the Switzerland Era Sooners) aren’t as weak. It’s a flawed conference, but not fatally. The Razorbacks rebuff the advances.

This begs the question: does the SEC end up going to 12 that year? If they are looking at Houston and South Carolina as their lead (willing) candidates, is it worth it all? Maybe they go for the Canes?

With Arkansas, Texas, A&M, and Oklahoma all under one roof, maybe the mechanics of leaving the other 6 SWC schools behind is easier.

(01-10-2023 05:57 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Oklahoma and Oklahoma St were founders of the SWC in 1915, but after a few short years, they both joined the MVC. After Oklahoma St’s 2nd season, Oklahoma and 5 of the other big schools left to form the Big 6 after some hard feelings regarding Oklahoma St winning the 1927 title despite not playing most of the strong schools. But where would things be had there not been mutual interest between the Oklahoma schools and the MVC?

The SWC—in 1923, TCU becomes the SWC’s 9th member. This line up remains unchanged until 1956, when Texas Tech becomes #10. This arrangement stays in place for the next few decades:

Oklahoma, Okla St, Arkansas, SMU, TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor, Texas, TAMU, Rice

The MVC—there’s no split in 1928; Grinnell, Drake, and Wash U get to hang with the big state schools. By 1937 Grinnell drops out and Tulsa gets their spot. (Creighton, St Louis, and Washburn are passed on). Wash U drops its football program and leaves by 1947 and is replaced by Colorado. Drake is the head scratcher—they left the MVC in 1951 because of the Johnny Bright incident but with no Oklahoma St there’s no Johnny Bright incident to send them packing. It’s possible they hang on until 1951 in this tougher league but I think there’s a real possibility that they struggle to compete. Somewhere in the 1951-1976 range, I think Houston joins the MVC for a line up of:

Iowa St, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Kansas St, Colorado, Tulsa, & Houston

(There’s an off chance they go bigger than that but I’m going to stick with those 8 as the real Big 8 never felt a compulsion to go bigger.)

This brings us to 1990, when the SEC was on the prowl for some expansion. I have to think the SWC, with the Oklahoma schools (particularly the Switzerland Era Sooners) aren’t as weak. It’s a flawed conference, but not fatally. The Razorbacks rebuff the advances.

This begs the question: does the SEC end up going to 12 that year? If they are looking at Houston and South Carolina as their lead (willing) candidates, is it worth it all? Maybe they go for the Canes?

With Arkansas, Texas, A&M, and Oklahoma all under one roof, maybe the mechanics of leaving the other 6 SWC schools behind is easier.

The SWC is stronger with that 10 school lineup, without a doubt. But, the scandals of the 80's still occur. The schools still point fingers and turn each other in to the NCAA. OU and OSU both had probations in the early 90's recruiting the same players that the Texas schools did. One player, Hart Lee Dykes (star WR for OSU) was involved in infractions for four different schools: OSU, OU, A&M, and Illinois.

So in this scenario, Texas (minor violations) and Arkansas (no violations) use the scandals as cover and become the 11th and 12th members of the SEC. Never mind that the SEC had cheating issues of their own.