The PAC 10 expansion groundswell

[BlueHair]

A lot of folks love to play the martyr card on this one, but I think the reality is that the reason BYU's academics suck is because of the religious affiliation. The two don't seem separable. Therefore, those so inclined can look at the situation as religious persecution, while the rest of us can see it as a crappy school rightfully not gaining admittance to a conference that is trying to be academically elite.

I don't know why academics should matter in an athletic conference. Are academic powerhouses like Washington State afraid they can't kind compete with the moron athletes at BYU?

[LA Ute]

I don't know why academics should matter in an athletic conference. Are academic powerhouses like Washington State afraid they can't kind compete with the moron athletes at BYU?

It is frankly a pretty elitist attitude among certain PAC10 schools (UCLA , Stanford, Cal, mainly, with Washington in the semi-wannabe category). If this mega-conference deal goes through they can all kiss that little ego trip good-bye.

EDIT: ColoUte offers some pretty good comic relief from all this.

[Babs]

We were considering it, but then we heard Texas was flaky and might not show up.

I heard they sent regrets when they found out it was a fake name, after all.

[BlueHair]

It is frankly a pretty elitist attitude among certain PAC10 schools (UCLA , Stanford, Cal, mainly, with Washington in the semi-wannabe category). If this mega-conference deal goes through they can all kiss that little ego trip good-bye.

EDIT: ColoUte offers some pretty good comic relief from all this.

That was a good read. Just for fun I looked up some rankings (US News & World Report. All schools ranked are considered Tier 1 schools).

Current PAC 10
#4 Standford
#21 Cal
#24 UCLA
#26 USC
#42 Washington
#102 Arizona
#106 Washington State
#115 Oregon
#121 Arizona State
Unranked Tier 3 School! - Oregon St

Here's the rankings for the Big 12 schools that might be headed to the PAC 10
#47 Texas
#61 Texas A&M
#77 Colorado
#102 Oklahoma
Unranked Tier 3 School - Texas Tech
Unranked Tier 3 School - Oklahoma State

Outside looking in:
#71 BYU
#80 Baylor
#88 Iowa State
#96 Kansas
#126 Utah
Unranked Tier 3 School - Kansas State

It's interesting that everyone thinks BYU's academics suck, but they would be among the top of the PAC 16 if they were included. Why in the world would Baylor be left out in favor of Texas Tech or Oklahoma State?

I have no problem if the PAC 10 doesn't want a religious school. Saying the reason is academics is just not true.

[FMCoug]

That was a good read. Just for fun I looked up some rankings (US News & World Report. All schools ranked are considered Tier 1 schools).

Current PAC 10
#4 Standford
#21 Cal
#24 UCLA
#26 USC
#42 Washington
#102 Arizona
#106 Washington State
#115 Oregon
#121 Arizona State
Unranked Tier 3 School! - Oregon St

Here's the rankings for the Big 12 schools that might be headed to the PAC 10
#47 Texas
#61 Texas A&M
#77 Colorado
#102 Oklahoma
Unranked Tier 3 School - Texas Tech
Unranked Tier 3 School - Oklahoma State

Outside looking in:
#71 BYU
#80 Baylor
#88 Iowa State
#96 Kansas
#126 Utah
Unranked Tier 3 School - Kansas State

It's interesting that everyone thinks BYU's academics suck, but they would be among the top of the PAC 16 if they were included. Why in the world would Baylor be left out in favor of Texas Tech or Oklahoma State?

I have no problem if the PAC 10 doesn't want a religious school. Saying the reason is academics is just not true.

Those rankings are obviously flawed. At a minimum, they have Utah and BYU backwards. And really Utah should be Top 25. Just ask SU.

[myboynoah]

BYU is not in this discussion AT ALL 100% because of academics.

One reason the rumored Pac 16 won't happen is academics. I don't believe the Pac 10 presidents would approve Texas Tech, Baylor or even some others.

Remember, Scott is just a briefcase, a consultant. He's an idiot. His blackboarding scenarios is not reality.

Scott also is not a man of his word. He told Utah it had a deal with the Pac 10.

As I said in the edit to my post, Kansas is a big elephant. Strong academics, certainly roughly comparable to A&M, platinum basketball tradition, football tradition with big potential, and some big metropoluses close by. Kansas will be in the Pac 10.

Well, they just gave that idiot briefcase the power to move forward on expansion without having to go back to the board for approval.

Scott gets authority to pursue expansion

[BlueHair]

The Big 12 should let Missouri go to the Big 10 and Colorado to the PAC 10. Then steal USC and UCLA from the PAC 10.

[Surfah]

The Big 12 should let Missouri go to the Big 10 and Colorado to the PAC 10. Then steal USC and UCLA from the PAC 10.

Ha. That'd be funny.

[Babs]

Then steal USC and UCLA from the PAC 10.

That's pretty funny. I typed this same thing earlier, but decided not to post it lest I incur the wrath of the HuskyFree. lol.

My BiL is a huge Huskies fan. It'd be kinda fun if we were in the same, gigantic, nonsensical conference. (Incidentally, in what sense are you in the same "conference" if you don't actually ever play each other?)

[jay santos]

The Pac is gonna crucify Larry Scott. They're gonna tear him limb from lim and feed him to the dogs. In the end the decision will be on academics and hisgtorical basketball standings.

[Maximus]

A lot of folks love to play the martyr card on this one, but I think the reality is that the reason BYU's academics suck is because of the religious affiliation. The two don't seem separable. Therefore, those so inclined can look at the situation as religious persecution, while the rest of us can see it as a crappy school rightfully not gaining admittance to a conference that is trying to be academically elite.

The academics that are better than Utah's and a few Pac 10 schools?

[myboynoah]

Well, they just gave that idiot briefcase the power to move forward on expansion without having to go back to the board for approval.

Scott gets authority to pursue expansion

And Scott has reportedly recommended that they add the six Big 12 schools.

Pac-10 commissioner reportedly recommends expansion

I guess we now wait to see if Nebraska, Colorado, and Missouri will renew their Big 12 wedding vows. It sounds like that may be the only thing standing in the way of this deal.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

That's pretty funny. I typed this same thing earlier, but decided not to post it lest I incur the wrath of the HuskyFree. lol.

My BiL is a huge Huskies fan. It'd be kinda fun if we were in the same, gigantic, nonsensical conference. (Incidentally, in what sense are you in the same "conference" if you don't actually ever play each other?)

The last report from OrangeBloods said that there would be 9 conference games with 2 divisional crossovers, with that you would play the other teams pretty often.

I'm not worried about Oregon being left out at this point, and see no reason to start. I am excited for the Sooners first visit to Autzen as a conference member. If Larry Scott has any sense of humor that will be the first game in the new P16, September of 2012!

[OrangeUte]

I love that the Texas legislator is so worried about Baylor, but no concern about the Horned Frogs. This whole thing is ridiculous and about to get incredibly out of
control.

[Surfah]

I love that the Texas legislator is so worried about Baylor, but no concern about the Horned Frogs. This whole thing is ridiculous and about to get incredibly out of
control.

Like I said in the prediction thread:

I feel much the same way. This is bad for college football. I really think this is much ado about nothing though. I think a few conferences can and will expand by a team or two. But 16 team superconferences? I just don't see it happening. There is too much politicking for any of it to happen.

We'll see though.