The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[Babs]

I just don't see how OK and OKSU Fans would want their teams to play most road games 1 to 2 time zones away. The Big-12 allows ready access to all venues. Makes no sense to me.

I take it you've never been to Lubbock. :igiveup:

[SeattleUte]

Oklahoma is ranked ahead of Utah academically, and has considerably more to offer athletically, so I don't see why not.

As far as the Big Ten goes, I imagine their concern must be Oklahoma State. They already let Nebraska in, and Oklahoma is the equivalent academically . . . ranked a few spots behind in undergrad curriculum, but ahead wrt grad school programs.

Historically, Utah's basketball program has considerably more accomplishment than Oklahoma's. Also, Utah's football has been more succcessful in the past decade. Re academics, it depends on what you're talking about. Utah's med and law schools are ranked a lot higher (med is 33 places higher).

[SeattleUte]

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_Sooners_men%27s_basketball"]Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg" class="image" title="Oklahoma Sooners athletic logo"><img alt="Oklahoma Sooners athletic logo" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg/75px-Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg.png"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/6/61/Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg/75px-Oklahoma_Sooners_logo.svg.png[/ame]

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Utes_men%27s_basketball"]Utah Utes men's basketball - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Kit_body_thinsidesonwhite.png" class="image"><img alt="Kit body thinsidesonwhite.png" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Kit_body_thinsidesonwhite.png"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/3/3a/Kit_body_thinsidesonwhite.png[/ame]

[SeattleUte]

No material difference (there are thousands of colleges; they are both "top tier"):

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandre...y-of-utah-3675

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandre...-oklahoma-3184

Med: Utah 53 OK 87

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsa...ankings/page+4

Law: Utah 42 OK 71

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsa...ankings/page+3

[TripletDaddy]

Also, Utah's football has been more succcessful in the past decade.

If you don't count the multiple BCS bowl wins, the myriad BCS bowl appearances, the multiple 10 win seasons, the 2 Heisman trophies, the 2 or 3 other Heisman finalists, the amount of players sent to the NFL, and this very week the Sooners becoming the first team to be ranked #1 for the one hundredth time, then I would agree that the Utes have been more successful in the past decade.

[Omaha 680]

If you don't count the multiple BCS bowl wins, the myriad BCS bowl appearances, the multiple 10 win seasons, the 2 Heisman trophies, the 2 or 3 other Heisman finalists, the amount of players sent to the NFL, and this very week the Sooners becoming the first team to be ranked #1 for the one hundredth time, then I would agree that the Utes have been more successful in the past decade.

It's actually multiple 12 win seasons. But who cares about things like that? Utah won the Sugar Bowl.

[Paperback Writer]

Apparently, Nebraska's membership in the AAU was a important factor. So I wonder if they are going to kick Nebraska out now given they are no longer a member.

Texas was influential in getting Nebraska voted out of the AAU. It's probably more accurate to state that Texas was influential in allowing Nebraska to remain in the AAU. Once Nebraska left the Big 12, Texas made sure Nebraska's AAU membership came up for a vote. Although Texas voted in favor of Nebraska knowing it's vote wouldn't matter. All Big Ten schools except one (Northwestern?) voted in favor of Nebraska to remain in the AAU but it wasn't enough to block the 2/3 majority that voted Nebraska out. It was an embarassment for Nebraska which has made steady academic improvment over the past decade.

I agree with Babs in that Nebraska and Oklahoma are close to being academically equivalent (along with Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa St.). OU's athletic excellence might be enough to get the Sooners Big Ten consideration but the Sooners would have to cut the cord with Okie St. Not sure if that is politically feasible. If OU and Okie St. are a package deal, then the SEC might be the only option.

[PolyCougar]

So I pulled out my US Map to help this make sense... it still doesn't make sense.

The closest conference away game would be an 11 hour drive to Denver, then a 15 hour drive to Mesa, 16 hour drive to Tucson, and a 19 hour drive to Salt Lake... really?

But... now that I think of it, BYU isn't exactly close to all the Big 12 schools... TTech would be our closest with a smooth 15 hour drive through the most boring part of Texas possible, followed by the Kansas schools...

I just want this to end so I can quit hoping for the best, and not deal with the emotional ups and downs that Twitter, Bloggers, and Message boards have been putting me through.

[TripletDaddy]

It's actually multiple 12 win seasons. But who cares about things like that? Utah won the Sugar Bowl.

SeattleUte is a moran.

The other day he said that Utah was going to play SC in the Rose Bowl. Then he celebrated the Utes first game in the PAC by watching the Washington Huskies. lol.

[YOhio]

But... now that I think of it, BYU isn't exactly close to all the Big 12 schools... TTech would be our closest with a smooth 15 hour drive through the most boring part of Texas possible, followed by the Kansas schools...

[MarkGrace]

Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Utah Utes men's basketball - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I had no idea OU hoop compared so favorably to Utah. More recent Final Fours, almost twice as many Elite 8 appearances, etc. Pretty impressive. But that was decent reminder of how great Utah used to be 15 years ago -- they've spent so much time as a mid-bottom tier MWC team that you forgot how great they were at one point.

[Portland Ute]

SeattleUte is a moran.

The other day he said that Utah was going to play SC in the Rose Bowl. Then he celebrated the Utes first game in the PAC by watching the Washington Huskies. lol.

The people of Utah are very appreciative of the Morans.

The have funded a wonderful eye center.

Utahns value their eyesight.

Hooray for the Morans.

[Omaha 680]

SeattleUte is a moran.

The other day he said that Utah was going to play SC in the Rose Bowl. Then he celebrated the Utes first game in the PAC by watching the Washington Huskies. lol.

I also enjoyed that in the rankings he posted defending Utah's academic bonifides, BYU is more than 50 spots ahead of Utah in University rank and tied with them in Law School ranking. Not that I think these rankings are the end-all of measure of academics.

Maybe lack of a medical school was the real reason we weren't wanted by the PAC.

[Paperback Writer]

If you don't count the multiple BCS bowl wins, the myriad BCS bowl appearances, the multiple 10 win seasons, the 2 Heisman trophies, the 2 or 3 other Heisman finalists, the amount of players sent to the NFL, and this very week the Sooners becoming the first team to be ranked #1 for the one hundredth time, then I would agree that the Utes have been more successful in the past decade.

Personally, I count National Championships as the first criteria and OU has won a few of those - 7 since 1950.

[YOhio]

Andy Staples with a good rundown of the Big 12 shenanigans.

"It's a big game of chicken," one insider said of the impasse, which began Sept. 6 when Baylor president Ken Starr left a voicemail for SEC commissioner Mike Slive threatening to sue the SEC for accepting Texas A&M's application for membership.

lol @ Ken Starr getting put straight to VM.