The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[All-American]

I predict they will not have divisions.

[jadesroom]

So it is it too soon to speculate on the divisions in the new Big 12? How about this?:

West (or BYU and the Texas guys):
BYU
TTU
TCU
Baylor
Houston
OSU*

The Texas teams get to play each other each year. And lots of great road trip games for Uncle Ted and Moli.


East (or the rest):
KU
KSU
ISU
WVU
Cincy
UCF

Keeps KU/KSU together. Maybe WVU and Cincy will become rivals.



*Yes, OSU is in Texas....

How much do the teams in the proposed East depend on Texas (the state not the university) for recruiting? If they recruit Texas heavily, then they may not want to skip playing in the Lone Star State for a year. In that case the Texas schools would probably be split: two in one division and two in the other.

[Pelado]

I predict they will not have divisions.

Why do you think that?

[Uncle Ted]

How much do the teams in the proposed East depend on Texas (the state not the university) for recruiting? If they recruit Texas heavily, then they may not want to skip playing in the Lone Star State for a year. In that case the Texas schools would probably be split: two in one division and two in the other.

It seems Mike ("The mullet") Gundy thinks otherwise...

On the Big 12 maintaining a strong presence in Texas: “I want the Texas people with us because I think it ties us into that recruiting base. Anybody that’s in here knows that’s pretty important. There’s a lot of people that play football down there and it gives us numbers to recruit to.”

https://www.deseret.com/2021/9/6/226...-12-coach-says

Football "mamas" want to be able to see their football "babies" play ball. It would appeal to those mamas to not have to travel to far away places to watch them play. A lot of the time the "babies" listen to their "mamas" when it comes picking a team.

BYU's honor code and morals also make the "mamas" happy. They don't want their "babies" to get seduced by the devil!

[Uncle Ted]

I predict they will not have divisions.

Yes, given the strength of the new Big 12 having only one non-conference (push over) game won't hurt their strength of schedule too much... At least one Big 12 team will be in the playoffs every year!

[Paperback Writer]

I think it is the other way around. Instead of Texas recruits considering BYU more seriously because BYU will hopefully be in the Big 12 with other Texas schools; BYU coaching staff will more seriously recruit Texas once in the Big 12.

[Uncle Ted]

Iowa St's AD confirms a lot of the recent rumors...

Iowa State AD On Big 12 Expansion: ‘Things Have Moved Really Quickly’

The pieces are coming together on the Big 12 expansion front. Numerous reports have stated that BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF will apply for membership into the Big 12.

Once the applications are in the Big 12 presidents will then have a vote on the membership.

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On Monday, Yahoo! Sports’ Pete Thamel reported that the Big 12 presidents had an informal meeting “to go over the impending applications” of the four reported schools. The vote from the presidents is still believed to happen on Friday.

Then on Monday evening, Iowa State held their weekly “Behind The Mic” program and athletic director Jamie Pollard was on. He was asked about what he can share regarding Big 12 expansion.

At no point in the interview does Pollard deny the numerous reports regarding Big 12 expansion, including the one from Thamel.

No denial to Big 12 expansion reports from Iowa State AD

”You know, there’s not much I can really say,” Pollard said. “As I told our coaches Friday night, we were asked to give our word that we wouldn’t talk about what was going on. And I gave my word. So my word is my word, and I can still say I kept my word.

Pollard added, ”But it’s safe to say what’s been reported by certain members of the media, Pete Thamel, has got it pretty well wired because he must be talking to somebody that didn’t keep their word. So, I’ll just say it’s exciting for Iowa State because there was just a lot of uncertainty. There’s clearly going to be some uncertainty in how we put this puzzle altogether. But the players that will be in the game playing to put the puzzle together have come together a lot quicker than I could have ever imagined. So I give a lot of credit to Commissioner Bowlsby because he worked like a coaching search, stealth behind the scenes. We’re not to the finish line yet. But things have moved really, really quickly.”

Pollard could be referring to the puzzle being brought all together when the reported four schools join the Big 12 Conference. According to Thamel, 2023 is the likely target date. However, the Action Network’s Brett McMurphy joined the Cougar Tracks Podcast here on KSL Sports and said BYU could join the Big 12 as soon as 2022 if AD Tom Holmoe can move around the schedule for next year.

Football more competitive, better basketball by adding the four reported members

Pollard didn’t mention BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, or UCF by name but indirectly praised what those programs bring to the Big 12’s football and basketball leagues.

“What really excites me is I think that you could make a really strong argument that in football, from top to bottom, will be more competitive,” Pollard said. “One team will stay unnamed; currently, a member of the Big 12 has only won two football championships in their whole time in the Big 12. So, you know, not the record they seem to think they are. Some of those programs have really storied football traditions, some of them have been really good over the last several years. And then if you flip it over in like basketball, and you go, ‘My gosh!’ Basketball probably got three times harder. I think that’s really exciting for Iowa State.”

[....]

On what defines expansion in today’s climate

Pollard then got on the conversation of what defines expansion today. He referenced what controlled expansion in 2012, and it was television sets. Now it’s more circumstantial.

“I would say today expansion is more about circumstances because you could make the argument that there are some schools in some of those leagues that are on the ‘good side of things’ right now that couldn’t hold the water of anybody. …It was just circumstances, right? And likewise, the teams that are coming to our league now, it was only circumstances that kept them on the other side of the wall, so to speak before. I’m excited for them to come to this side. Because I think their programs are going to be bolstered by this too. Seven years from now, we may look at those 12 and say, ‘wow, we passed by this league or that league,’ and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if that happens.”

After that, Pollard indirectly pointed towards the Pac-12 Conference and said this new Big 12 Conference with the reported four additions could be just as good.

“Just look at this past weekend. You don’t want to judge everything on weekends of success because it can flip on you the next weekend, right? But, you know, I know this. The Big 12 institutions fill their stadiums, have robust environments, and it’s exciting. We may not be in the greatest television markets, but it’s an exciting product that’s very sustainable. I know another league further to the west that’s having a hard time filling their stadiums –didn’t win this past weekend– and also are struggling with their television markets. And so, that’s what I love, we’ve solidified especially our western front, by doing what we’re doing.”

This week has the makings to be a historic one for Big 12 expansion and BYU athletics.

https://kslsports.com/467530/big-12-...eally-quickly/

LOL@Pac12

Love from Iowa St for adding BYU... Nice. It was quite evident from being at the UA/BYU game that the Pac 12 is making a serious mistake by letting the Big 12 expand into their market/timezone with BYU. BYU fans by far out numbered the UA fans in the record setting college game in Vegas. The mountain time zone will be owned by the Big 12.

[Uncle Ted]

The Dude of WV!

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LOL... If true, BYU will be getting more than Utah.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Lol @ the dude. I don't believe anything that guy says.

[Uncle Ted]

I think it is the other way around. Instead of Texas recruits considering BYU more seriously because BYU will hopefully be in the Big 12 with other Texas schools; BYU coaching staff will more seriously recruit Texas once in the Big 12.

You know, it may not be too late for Nebraska to come back to the fold... Maybe then they could recruit some good players from Texas and beat illinois!

BTW, how did Illinois lose to UTSA? Maybe because UTSA is getting Nebraska's recruits?

[Omaha 680]

You know, it may not be too late for Nebraska to come back to the fold... Maybe then they could recruit some good players from Texas and beat illinois!

BTW, how did Illinois lose to UTSA? Maybe because UTSA is getting Nebraska's recruits?

We destroyed Fordham on Saturday. DESTROYED them!

[Art Vandelay]

The only downside of the B12 is their are not many exciting destinations for roadies. I might be down for Stillwater if someone could get me on Karsten Creek. I will absolutely go to Allen Fieldhouse at least one time, though not sure what else there is to do in Lawrence. Baylor? maybe worth another visit to Torchie's Tacos. Lubbock, Morgantown, Ames? Hard pass.

[Applejack]

The only downside of the B12 is their are not many exciting destinations for roadies. I might be down for Stillwater if someone could get me on Karsten Creek. I will absolutely go to Allen Fieldhouse at least one time, though not sure what else there is to do in Lawrence. Baylor? maybe worth another visit to Torchie's Tacos. Lubbock, Morgantown, Ames? Hard pass.

Nothing

[Katy Lied]

Baylor? maybe worth another visit to Torchie's Tacos. Lubbock, Morgantown, Ames? Hard pass.

Take your wife
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[Uncle Ted]

The only downside of the B12 is their are not many exciting destinations for roadies. I might be down for Stillwater if someone could get me on Karsten Creek. I will absolutely go to Allen Fieldhouse at least one time, though not sure what else there is to do in Lawrence. Baylor? maybe worth another visit to Torchie's Tacos. Lubbock, Morgantown, Ames? Hard pass.

We're going to Waco in October for the Baylor game... I may visit the branch davidian memorial park or the Dr Peper Museum. My wife wants to go to visit Chip & Joanna Gaines' place, the Magnolia Silos. Hard pass for me.

We have Torchie's all over the place so I'll pass on the tacos but I will plan to stop in West, TX to get some jalapeno sausage kolaches at the Czech Stop. That is a must.