Realignment related:

Article from Oklahoma columnist regarding the Sooners' last trip to Allen Fieldhouse. And again, for the 22nd time in 31 years, it ended in a loss (the other 9 years, the Sooners did not visit Lawrence due to division scheduling of Big 12 1.0).

A lot of memories in that building. The article includes comments from OU's athletic director and play-by-play broadcaster.

https://selloutcrowd.com/oklahoma/2024/0...se-behind/

I look forward to the SEC, and I won't miss the Big 12. But I still miss the old Big 8.

Understand your sedimen! Listen Oklahoma did what they had to do, because of money. But while I’m sure all the Oklahoma fans are happy about being in a power 2 ocnfernce. Are you ever going to be as excited to play half of the traditional sec schools as you were for playing traditional big 8 rivals?

I’m a Xavier basketball fan and thrilled to be in the Big East but truth be told I miss playing Dayton and Saint Louis from the MCC days and even St Joseph’s and Temple from the A10 Days. Don’t get me wrong I love that we are in the strongest league that we’ve ever been in, but not playing traditional (or at least long term) rivals suck. I’m in Providence this weekend caught the XU Providence game. Great experience and the Providence fans were awesome but woke the energy at the game was awesome I know that no Providence fan considers X a rival. And would gladly trad X for BC Syracuse or pitt in a heart beat.

I know we can never go back but I miss the old confernce/local rivals

(01-15-2024 03:49 PM)pki1998 Wrote:  Understand your sedimen! Listen Oklahoma did what they had to do, because of money. But while I’m sure all the Oklahoma fans are happy about being in a power 2 ocnfernce. Are you ever going to be as excited to play half of the traditional sec schools as you were for playing traditional big 8 rivals?

I’m a Xavier basketball fan and thrilled to be in the Big East but truth be told I miss playing Dayton and Saint Louis from the MCC days and even St Joseph’s and Temple from the A10 Days. Don’t get me wrong I love that we are in the strongest league that we’ve ever been in, but not playing traditional (or at least long term) rivals suck. I’m in Providence this weekend caught the XU Providence game. Great experience and the Providence fans were awesome but woke the energy at the game was awesome I know that no Providence fan considers X a rival. And would gladly trad X for BC Syracuse or pitt in a heart beat.

I know we can never go back but I miss the old confernce/local rivals

As a Mizzou fan, I echo this. I love being in the SEC just because of the conference prestige. But growing up in the Big 12, I miss playing those schools. Which is also why I am stoked to have Oklahoma and Texas in the SEC. With every Big 12 add, it gets closer and closer to feeling like normal.

Unimportant side note, I still wish Mizzou got invited to the Big 10. Mizzou feels more like a Big 10 school than an SEC school. Felt like we could have had more natural rivals there too, considering we already have a rivalry with Illinois.

(01-15-2024 03:49 PM)pki1998 Wrote:  Understand your sedimen! Listen Oklahoma did what they had to do, because of money. But while I’m sure all the Oklahoma fans are happy about being in a power 2 ocnfernce. Are you ever going to be as excited to play half of the traditional sec schools as you were for playing traditional big 8 rivals?

I’m a Xavier basketball fan and thrilled to be in the Big East but truth be told I miss playing Dayton and Saint Louis from the MCC days and even St Joseph’s and Temple from the A10 Days. Don’t get me wrong I love that we are in the strongest league that we’ve ever been in, but not playing traditional (or at least long term) rivals suck. I’m in Providence this weekend caught the XU Providence game. Great experience and the Providence fans were awesome but woke the energy at the game was awesome I know that no Providence fan considers X a rival. And would gladly trad X for BC Syracuse or pitt in a heart beat.

I know we can never go back but I miss the old confernce/local rivals

It was a football move, and we look forward to the SEC, especially in football. The Big 12 lost most, if not all of its meaning for us when Nebraska and others left. As long as basketball gets to play Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri, our folks will be ok.

Big 8 and now Big 12 basketball was and is special. But it was more fun in the days of the Big 8. There's something to be said for leaving 100+ years of history behind, which is what we're doing by leaving KU, KSU, and ISU.

(01-15-2024 04:06 PM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 03:49 PM)pki1998 Wrote:  Understand your sedimen! Listen Oklahoma did what they had to do, because of money. But while I’m sure all the Oklahoma fans are happy about being in a power 2 ocnfernce. Are you ever going to be as excited to play half of the traditional sec schools as you were for playing traditional big 8 rivals?

I’m a Xavier basketball fan and thrilled to be in the Big East but truth be told I miss playing Dayton and Saint Louis from the MCC days and even St Joseph’s and Temple from the A10 Days. Don’t get me wrong I love that we are in the strongest league that we’ve ever been in, but not playing traditional (or at least long term) rivals suck. I’m in Providence this weekend caught the XU Providence game. Great experience and the Providence fans were awesome but woke the energy at the game was awesome I know that no Providence fan considers X a rival. And would gladly trad X for BC Syracuse or pitt in a heart beat.

I know we can never go back but I miss the old confernce/local rivals

As a Mizzou fan, I echo this. I love being in the SEC just because of the conference prestige. But growing up in the Big 12, I miss playing those schools. Which is also why I am stoked to have Oklahoma and Texas in the SEC. With every Big 12 add, it gets closer and closer to feeling like normal.

Unimportant side note, I still wish Mizzou got invited to the Big 10. Mizzou feels more like a Big 10 school than an SEC school. Felt like we could have had more natural rivals there too, considering we already have a rivalry with Illinois.

All of this. And in basketball, the Big 8 was even more fun than the Big 12.

You guys would have been better off in the B1G, but things happened like they happened. Be glad you got to the SEC. I wish we had gotten there sooner.

These are reasons why I'm a proponent of KU to the SEC. I hate losing to them, but we have 125 years or so of history with them. Hopefully they'll get to come someday.

(01-15-2024 03:38 PM)johnintx Wrote:  Realignment related:

Article from Oklahoma columnist regarding the Sooners' last trip to Allen Fieldhouse. And again, for the 22nd time in 31 years, it ended in a loss (the other 9 years, the Sooners did not visit Lawrence due to division scheduling of Big 12 1.0).

A lot of memories in that building. The article includes comments from OU's athletic director and play-by-play broadcaster.

https://selloutcrowd.com/oklahoma/2024/0...se-behind/

I look forward to the SEC, and I won't miss the Big 12. But I still miss the old Big 8.

Short term you definitely will have a bit of an easier go in the SEC. At some point I suspect SEC basketball will surpass the Big 12 in quality, but for now it will be a slight step down overall.

(01-15-2024 03:38 PM)johnintx Wrote:  I look forward to the SEC, and I won't miss the Big 12. But I still miss the old Big 8.

Well said.

If there was some magical way to restore the conference alignment of about 1975-1991, college sports overall would be in a much better place. Teams that were Independent at that time, plus teams that have moved up to FBS since that time, would (of course) be able to form their own leagues.

And yes, I know full well that none of that is ever going to happen.

(01-15-2024 04:12 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 04:06 PM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 03:49 PM)pki1998 Wrote:  Understand your sedimen! Listen Oklahoma did what they had to do, because of money. But while I’m sure all the Oklahoma fans are happy about being in a power 2 ocnfernce. Are you ever going to be as excited to play half of the traditional sec schools as you were for playing traditional big 8 rivals?

I’m a Xavier basketball fan and thrilled to be in the Big East but truth be told I miss playing Dayton and Saint Louis from the MCC days and even St Joseph’s and Temple from the A10 Days. Don’t get me wrong I love that we are in the strongest league that we’ve ever been in, but not playing traditional (or at least long term) rivals suck. I’m in Providence this weekend caught the XU Providence game. Great experience and the Providence fans were awesome but woke the energy at the game was awesome I know that no Providence fan considers X a rival. And would gladly trad X for BC Syracuse or pitt in a heart beat.

I know we can never go back but I miss the old confernce/local rivals

As a Mizzou fan, I echo this. I love being in the SEC just because of the conference prestige. But growing up in the Big 12, I miss playing those schools. Which is also why I am stoked to have Oklahoma and Texas in the SEC. With every Big 12 add, it gets closer and closer to feeling like normal.

Unimportant side note, I still wish Mizzou got invited to the Big 10. Mizzou feels more like a Big 10 school than an SEC school. Felt like we could have had more natural rivals there too, considering we already have a rivalry with Illinois.

All of this. And in basketball, the Big 8 was even more fun than the Big 12.

You guys would have been better off in the B1G, but things happened like they happened. Be glad you got to the SEC. I wish we had gotten there sooner.

These are reasons why I'm a proponent of KU to the SEC. I hate losing to them, but we have 125 years or so of history with them. Hopefully they'll get to come someday.

Your lips to God's ear!

I feel similarly. Everyone is still in the Big Ten, but we used to be playing all but too opponents in a traditional Midwestern schedule. Now even conference schedule feels a lot different. Dont dislike any opponents but is not the same either. Still best could be, but miss the 11 teams days too.

Yeah, I think more about the new PAC teams coming in than the sh!t kickers walking out the door.

(01-15-2024 07:16 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  Yeah, I think more about the new PAC teams coming in than the sh!t kickers walking out the door.

Without them walking out the door UC is still in the AAC.

I for one love Texas and Oklahoma.

(01-15-2024 07:35 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 07:16 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  Yeah, I think more about the new PAC teams coming in than the sh!t kickers walking out the door.

Without them walking out the door UC is in the PAC.

I for one love Oregon and Washington.

Texas was stuck in the SWC. Then TV and other factors mandated a Texas / Texas AM exit.

I was excited about our overture to the B10 back in the 90s before the formation of the B12. I was stunned when the B10 said “no”. Sh*t happens.

Then the PAC immediately thereafter seemed okay, but Stanford messed that up, so “no” again. Sh*t happens x2.

Here comes the B12. The B12 was an okay conference, being with Oklahoma and A&M, plus some nice state schools like Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado. The road trip to Colorado was always excellent, the Rockies and all that. I liked Iowa State, too. Then the B12 fell apart. Yeah, yeah, yeah, blame it on Texas, whatever.

After the B12 defections, there was some B12 reformations and I have a great time in Fort Worth. So, the TCU addition was good by me. WVU was a land too far away for what I perceived I would get. I never visited WVU.

So, after the original B12 crumbled, it was time for Texas and Oklahoma to go. And, finally, go we did.

After it became clear Texas would bail from the B12, I would have been happy enough in the B10, I think. But every time I thought about the SEC, I always concluded the SEC would be best.

I never thought Texas / Oklahoma would split up, so, in either the B10 or the SEC, Texas would keep Oklahoma. But in the SEC, Texas would also get back Arkansas and A&M. In the SEC, Texas would not lose any rivalries, to the contrary, it would regain historical rivalries. Plus, the regionality of the SEC. The best recruiting ground. On and on. Plus, I’ve always felt the day would come when the ACC realigned and the SEC would someday benefit from that.

No doubt, the SEC is the best landing conference for Texas, period, end of story. The B10 still has its good points, sure, but the correct answer for Texas is the SEC.

(01-15-2024 07:16 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  Yeah, I think more about the new PAC teams coming in than the sh!t kickers walking out the door.

That's because you weren't part of the Big 8.

(01-15-2024 04:12 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 04:06 PM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 03:49 PM)pki1998 Wrote:  Understand your sedimen! Listen Oklahoma did what they had to do, because of money. But while I’m sure all the Oklahoma fans are happy about being in a power 2 ocnfernce. Are you ever going to be as excited to play half of the traditional sec schools as you were for playing traditional big 8 rivals?

I’m a Xavier basketball fan and thrilled to be in the Big East but truth be told I miss playing Dayton and Saint Louis from the MCC days and even St Joseph’s and Temple from the A10 Days. Don’t get me wrong I love that we are in the strongest league that we’ve ever been in, but not playing traditional (or at least long term) rivals suck. I’m in Providence this weekend caught the XU Providence game. Great experience and the Providence fans were awesome but woke the energy at the game was awesome I know that no Providence fan considers X a rival. And would gladly trad X for BC Syracuse or pitt in a heart beat.

I know we can never go back but I miss the old confernce/local rivals

As a Mizzou fan, I echo this. I love being in the SEC just because of the conference prestige. But growing up in the Big 12, I miss playing those schools. Which is also why I am stoked to have Oklahoma and Texas in the SEC. With every Big 12 add, it gets closer and closer to feeling like normal.

Unimportant side note, I still wish Mizzou got invited to the Big 10. Mizzou feels more like a Big 10 school than an SEC school. Felt like we could have had more natural rivals there too, considering we already have a rivalry with Illinois.

All of this. And in basketball, the Big 8 was even more fun than the Big 12.

You guys would have been better off in the B1G, but things happened like they happened. Be glad you got to the SEC. I wish we had gotten there sooner.

These are reasons why I'm a proponent of KU to the SEC. I hate losing to them, but we have 125 years or so of history with them. Hopefully they'll get to come someday.

When I've had a chance to speak to people about realignment one of the things I've always stressed is that it is one thing to land a big-name school, it is quite another to land them and why they are a big named school.

I cite Penn State. They now have Rutgers and Maryland which they can relate to. Obviously, PSU was a great addition for the Big 10, but they were in alien corn. The other 10 had historical relationships. It would have been like watching the Omega House pledge rush from Animal House, "There you are Lonnie, here you sit with Mohammed, Jugdish, Seymour, Sidney, and Clayton."

Well Texas A&M in the SEC would have been the same if not for a historic rivalry with LSU and an old SWC foe in Arkansas. Toss in Missouri, who was still new to A&M and the SEC had made a nice expansion, but not one that captured the essence of the history that made these schools great, and great additions. Texas and Oklahoma almost complete it. If the SEC has two more slots to spend to the West then Kansas is the last jewel from the Big 8/Big 12 to pluck, and Colorado for all the reasons Xoverx stated would complete a nice set. Can't do anything to bail out either of the corn state schools.

Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M makes for one helluva solid SEC West. These schools help define one another.

Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, L.S.U., Mississippi, Mississippi State
They stay the unit which has been quite formidable for 3 decades now.

Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
keep their history.

Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia
finish it out.

Now will it wind up this way? Who knows about the East, but the West certainly could.

The point is if you are a conference, and you want to glean the total value of a great addition you also take those schools that keep that school's history palpable. Otherwise, all you get is a name that doesn't blend and in time will suffer.

New rivalries will grow, but the graft will take if the branch is in its natural state. The SEC needs to consider Westward and Eastward expansion in terms of taking two healthy and natural branches intact.

That kind of growth will be hard to split, and what made them successful comes with them.

I realize most don't think that way, but to do so would be a wise and more permanent way to do it. We are in a consolidation so taking everyone is not in order. Second and third state schools are not practical, but most of those are not key rivals of the best brands. Iowa State has great fans and is a good school, but it is outside the SEC's natural boundary, even the new one. Realignment still needs to make geographical and historical sense. Colorado works that way. The Arizona's do not.

Anyway, that's how I see it.

The East is more complicated. Virginia, North Carolina, N.C. State, Duke, Georgia Tech, Clemson would be the natural core grouping. But part of the unhealthiness as a business mode was so much duplication in so few states. Clemson Florida State, Miami, Duke, North Carolina and Virginia would work better brand wise. But historical connections would be impacted. It's a stickier wicket than the West.

(01-15-2024 10:54 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 04:12 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 04:06 PM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 03:49 PM)pki1998 Wrote:  Understand your sedimen! Listen Oklahoma did what they had to do, because of money. But while I’m sure all the Oklahoma fans are happy about being in a power 2 ocnfernce. Are you ever going to be as excited to play half of the traditional sec schools as you were for playing traditional big 8 rivals?

I’m a Xavier basketball fan and thrilled to be in the Big East but truth be told I miss playing Dayton and Saint Louis from the MCC days and even St Joseph’s and Temple from the A10 Days. Don’t get me wrong I love that we are in the strongest league that we’ve ever been in, but not playing traditional (or at least long term) rivals suck. I’m in Providence this weekend caught the XU Providence game. Great experience and the Providence fans were awesome but woke the energy at the game was awesome I know that no Providence fan considers X a rival. And would gladly trad X for BC Syracuse or pitt in a heart beat.

I know we can never go back but I miss the old confernce/local rivals

As a Mizzou fan, I echo this. I love being in the SEC just because of the conference prestige. But growing up in the Big 12, I miss playing those schools. Which is also why I am stoked to have Oklahoma and Texas in the SEC. With every Big 12 add, it gets closer and closer to feeling like normal.

Unimportant side note, I still wish Mizzou got invited to the Big 10. Mizzou feels more like a Big 10 school than an SEC school. Felt like we could have had more natural rivals there too, considering we already have a rivalry with Illinois.

All of this. And in basketball, the Big 8 was even more fun than the Big 12.

You guys would have been better off in the B1G, but things happened like they happened. Be glad you got to the SEC. I wish we had gotten there sooner.

These are reasons why I'm a proponent of KU to the SEC. I hate losing to them, but we have 125 years or so of history with them. Hopefully they'll get to come someday.

When I've had a chance to speak to people about realignment one of the things I've always stressed is that it is one thing to land a big-name school, it is quite another to land them and why they are a big named school.

I cite Penn State. They now have Rutgers and Maryland which they can relate to. Obviously, PSU was a great addition for the Big 10, but they were in alien corn. The other 10 had historical relationships. It would have been like watching the Omega House pledge rush from Animal House, "There you are Lonnie, here you sit with Mohammed, Jugdish, Seymour, Sidney, and Clayton."

Well Texas A&M in the SEC would have been the same if not for a historic rivalry with LSU and an old SWC foe in Arkansas. Toss in Missouri, who was still new to A&M and the SEC had made a nice expansion, but not one that captured the essence of the history that made these schools great, and great additions. Texas and Oklahoma almost complete it. If the SEC has two more slots to spend to the West then Kansas is the last jewel from the Big 8/Big 12 to pluck, and Colorado for all the reasons Xoverx stated would complete a nice set. Can't do anything to bail out either of the corn state schools.

Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M makes for one helluva solid SEC West. These schools help define one another.

Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, L.S.U., Mississippi, Mississippi State
They stay the unit which has been quite formidable for 3 decades now.

Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
keep their history.

Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia
finish it out.

Now will it wind up this way? Who knows about the East, but the West certainly could.

The point is if you are a conference, and you want to glean the total value of a great addition you also take those schools that keep that school's history palpable. Otherwise, all you get is a name that doesn't blend and in time will suffer.

New rivalries will grow, but the graft will take if the branch is in its natural state. The SEC needs to consider Westward and Eastward expansion in terms of taking two healthy and natural branches intact.

That kind of growth will be hard to split, and what made them successful comes with them.

I realize most don't think that way, but to do so would be a wise and more permanent way to do it. We are in a consolidation so taking everyone is not in order. Second and third state schools are not practical, but most of those are not key rivals of the best brands. Iowa State has great fans and is a good school, but it is outside the SEC's natural boundary, even the new one. Realignment still needs to make geographical and historical sense. Colorado works that way. The Arizona's do not.

Anyway, that's how I see it.

The East is more complicated. Virginia, North Carolina, N.C. State, Duke, Georgia Tech, Clemson would be the natural core grouping. But part of the unhealthiness as a business mode was so much duplication in so few states. Clemson Florida State, Miami, Duke, North Carolina and Virginia would work better brand wise. But historical connections would be impacted. It's a stickier wicket than the West.

I definitely like your list of 24. It would be rough for Big 10 if they couldn't grab any of the desirable ACC schools you listed though. Colorado would be an interesting choice, not sure where they fit best. I don't have a list of schools in front of me so I can't think of alternatives at the moment.

Assuming it goes the way you listed, the B10 would have 6 slots left. Possible options include Stanford, Cal, GT, VT, and ND (if someone decides to stop their nonsense). That's not a great list though.

(01-15-2024 04:06 PM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 03:49 PM)pki1998 Wrote:  Understand your sedimen! Listen Oklahoma did what they had to do, because of money. But while I’m sure all the Oklahoma fans are happy about being in a power 2 ocnfernce. Are you ever going to be as excited to play half of the traditional sec schools as you were for playing traditional big 8 rivals?

I’m a Xavier basketball fan and thrilled to be in the Big East but truth be told I miss playing Dayton and Saint Louis from the MCC days and even St Joseph’s and Temple from the A10 Days. Don’t get me wrong I love that we are in the strongest league that we’ve ever been in, but not playing traditional (or at least long term) rivals suck. I’m in Providence this weekend caught the XU Providence game. Great experience and the Providence fans were awesome but woke the energy at the game was awesome I know that no Providence fan considers X a rival. And would gladly trad X for BC Syracuse or pitt in a heart beat.

I know we can never go back but I miss the old confernce/local rivals

As a Mizzou fan, I echo this. I love being in the SEC just because of the conference prestige. But growing up in the Big 12, I miss playing those schools. Which is also why I am stoked to have Oklahoma and Texas in the SEC. With every Big 12 add, it gets closer and closer to feeling like normal.

Unimportant side note, I still wish Mizzou got invited to the Big 10. Mizzou feels more like a Big 10 school than an SEC school. Felt like we could have had more natural rivals there too, considering we already have a rivalry with Illinois.

As a Big 10 fan, I always thought that Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa St belonged in one unified Midwestern league with the Big 10 schools.

(01-15-2024 10:20 PM)EdwordL Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 07:16 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  Yeah, I think more about the new PAC teams coming in than the sh!t kickers walking out the door.

That's because you weren't part of the Big 8.

Dude, how long ago was that? Time to move on.

(01-15-2024 03:38 PM)johnintx Wrote:  Realignment related:

Article from Oklahoma columnist regarding the Sooners' last trip to Allen Fieldhouse. And again, for the 22nd time in 31 years, it ended in a loss (the other 9 years, the Sooners did not visit Lawrence due to division scheduling of Big 12 1.0).

A lot of memories in that building. The article includes comments from OU's athletic director and play-by-play broadcaster.

https://selloutcrowd.com/oklahoma/2024/0...se-behind/

I look forward to the SEC, and I won't miss the Big 12. But I still miss the old Big 8.

It's funny that you say that, I have similar feelings about the SWC. I have no ill will towards the old Big 8 schools, but the rivals in my day were Texas, Baylor, Houston, TCU, SMU, Texas Tech, etc etc, and the rivals now are the usual suspects in the SEC. We spent 15 years after I graduated stuck in the Big 12, and now 12 happy years where we always wanted to go, the SEC.

(01-15-2024 04:06 PM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  

(01-15-2024 03:49 PM)pki1998 Wrote:  Understand your sedimen! Listen Oklahoma did what they had to do, because of money. But while I’m sure all the Oklahoma fans are happy about being in a power 2 ocnfernce. Are you ever going to be as excited to play half of the traditional sec schools as you were for playing traditional big 8 rivals?

I’m a Xavier basketball fan and thrilled to be in the Big East but truth be told I miss playing Dayton and Saint Louis from the MCC days and even St Joseph’s and Temple from the A10 Days. Don’t get me wrong I love that we are in the strongest league that we’ve ever been in, but not playing traditional (or at least long term) rivals suck. I’m in Providence this weekend caught the XU Providence game. Great experience and the Providence fans were awesome but woke the energy at the game was awesome I know that no Providence fan considers X a rival. And would gladly trad X for BC Syracuse or pitt in a heart beat.

I know we can never go back but I miss the old confernce/local rivals

As a Mizzou fan, I echo this. I love being in the SEC just because of the conference prestige. But growing up in the Big 12, I miss playing those schools. Which is also why I am stoked to have Oklahoma and Texas in the SEC. With every Big 12 add, it gets closer and closer to feeling like normal.

Unimportant side note, I still wish Mizzou got invited to the Big 10. Mizzou feels more like a Big 10 school than an SEC school. Felt like we could have had more natural rivals there too, considering we already have a rivalry with Illinois.

Just let us know if you guys want out. I can think of a school in the Greater Tallahassee Metropolitan Area that would pay a couple hundred million $$ for your spot...