The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[TripletDaddy]

BYU - 68. we would fit nicely in the Big 12 and easily take up the academic whole that nebraska left.

BYU would currently rank 2 in the B12.

Maybe the B1G will poach us now to boost its academic profile, along with Nebraska.

[oxcoug]

Chicago?

J/K. Where are they? DC? Atlanta?

There are more ND fans in New York than there are for any other school. There are big pockets up and down the eastern seaboard.

[statman]

Chicago?

J/K. Where are they? DC? Atlanta?

Every metro area in the Northeast & Midwest. Not so much the South.

Sports casters in Chicago consider ND to be their hometown college team.

[Paperback Writer]

Northwestern - 12
Michigan - 29
Wisconsin - 41
Penn State - 46
Illinois - 46
Ohio State - 56
Purdue - 65
Minnesota - 68
Michigan State - 72
Iowa - 72
Indiana - 83
Nebraska - 101

I don't dispute where Nebraska was ranked within the B12, a conference almost entirely bereft of academic reputation.

Looking at how Nebraska stacks up in the B1G makes it pretty clear that academics didn't factor into that decision. Nebraska ranks dead last in the conference. It was not added for its academics, it was added in spite of its academics.

And I don't dispute where Nebraska ranks in the Big Ten. But that doesn't prove your point that academics didn't factor into the decision because academics factored into the decision heavily on both sides. Nebraska's chancellor stated as much. Specifically, he wrote that if Nebraska had not been an AAU member at the time, they probably wouldn't have been invited to join the Big Ten. If Nebraska had Texas Tech's academic ranking, the Big Ten would not have been interested. Conversely, Nebraska hopes to improve its academics by being a member of the Big Ten and the first thing that happened in the transition was Nebraska joining the Big Ten's research consortium (CIC). That's the main reason why the voting was unanimous for Nebraska's Board of Regents - the academic advantages of the Big Ten were more important than the athletic advantages and any increased revenues.

But I agree that Nebraska was not added to the Big Ten based on academic reputation. The Big Ten knew what they were getting - a decent Big 12 school who would rank last in the Big Ten. Nebraska was added because Notre Dame turned down the Big Ten, it was academically acceptable, and a traditional football power with a large fan following.

My original statement was that academics matter to Notre Dame and that's why the Irish are now in the ACC. And that the Big 12's academic reputation was worsened by the departures of Texas A&M, Colorado, Nebraska, and Missouri.

[TripletDaddy]

And I don't dispute where Nebraska ranks in the Big Ten. But that doesn't prove your point that academics didn't factor into the decision because academics factored into the decision heavily on both sides. Nebraska's chancellor stated as much. Specifically, he wrote that if Nebraska had not been an AAU member at the time, they probably wouldn't have been invited to join the Big Ten. If Nebraska had Texas Tech's academic ranking, the Big Ten would not have been interested. Conversely, Nebraska hopes to improve its academics by being a member of the Big Ten and the first thing that happened in the transition was Nebraska joining the Big Ten's research consortium (CIC). That's the main reason why the voting was unanimous for Nebraska's Board of Regents - the academic advantages of the Big Ten were more important than the athletic advantages and any increased revenues.

But I agree that Nebraska was not added to the Big Ten based on academic reputation. The Big Ten knew what they were getting - a decent Big 12 school who would rank last in the Big Ten. Nebraska was added because Notre Dame turned down the Big Ten, it was academically acceptable, and a traditional football power with a large fan following.

My original statement was that academics matter to Notre Dame and that's why the Irish are now in the ACC. And that the Big 12's academic reputation was worsened by the departures of Texas A&M, Colorado, Nebraska, and Missouri.

lol. knock it off.

[Art Vandelay]

BYU - 68. we would fit nicely in the Big 12 and easily take up the academic whole that nebraska left.

I'm surprised BYU ranks that high. Aren't most of these ranking based primarily on the quality of the graduate programs? The few that BYU has are generally highly ranked, but there aren't a lot of doctorates being offered, compared to most universities.

[statman]

lol. knock it off.

When Missou left the Big 12 for the SEC, both conferences got significantly smarter...

[Jeff Lebowski]

I'm surprised BYU ranks that high. Aren't most of these ranking based primarily on the quality of the graduate programs? The few that BYU has are generally highly ranked, but there aren't a lot of doctorates being offered, compared to most universities.

Doubt not, but be believing.

[Paperback Writer]

I'm surprised BYU ranks that high. Aren't most of these ranking based primarily on the quality of the graduate programs? The few that BYU has are generally highly ranked, but there aren't a lot of doctorates being offered, compared to most universities.

It's top heavy with large research universities that are typical of the Big Ten, ACC, and PAC-12. But its clear undergraduate programs, difficulty of admission, etc are also factored. Also ranked are schools like Notre Dame, Brandeis, William & Mary, and Miami that do not primarily emphasize reasearch and doctorate programs.

[Paperback Writer]

lol. knock it off.

That made me chuckle.

[The_Douger]

The Dude of WV is all over Twitter saying that this will only speed up the FSU to B12 move. He's saying that the big exit penalty isn't yet in effect.

https://twitter.com/theDudeofWV

This guy has been nothing but wrong repeatedly through all of this.

[myboynoah]

This guy has been nothing but wrong repeatedly through all of this.

The guy needs to change his moniker to aDopefromWV.

BYU should up its demands for accepting a Big 12 invitation to include sending WVU back to the BE.

[The_Douger]

Meh, I would like to play WVa.

[fbguru]

I'm surprised none of these supposed insiders have been mentioning BYU and Air Force football only. It makes more sense for the Big XII than inviting 2 new full members. The Big XII increases their per-team payout by inviting schools to get them to the conference championship game, and likely up their conference per-year payout by $50 million or so- but only pay the new schools something like $17 million of it. Gets the Big XII schools another million per year plus. Also, I think 10 works better for olympic sports than 12.

This arrangement would probably be great for Air Force, who is hesitant to sacrifice their poor olympic sports to the Big XII hounds but should jump at the football only invite. They would have plenty of options for their olympic sports that would fit competition wise.

And while BYU would like the full invite, we are aware there is a Sunday play issue that might keep that from happening. Besides, BYU is actually doing quite well as a WCC member. The WCC is a better conference than the MWC for basically everything but men's basketball. Women's volleyball has grown the last two years, women's soccer is also doing quite well. Men's basketball showed that their weakest team in the last 4 years can finish 3rd in the conference and still make the NCAA tournament. I think I saw that the WCC is adding softball, the only sport other than men's basketball that took a step down during the transition. And I wouldn't be surprised to the BYU add women's rowing so they can add men's soccer as a NCAA sancioned sport- which should automatically be top 25 and possibly compete for a national championship occasionally.

I think football membership in the Big XII, olympic membership in the WCC, and a basketball agreement with the Big XII would be great for BYU. And it would give the Big XII more money per school and a conference championship game which would basically work as a guarantee for the winner to be in the postseason championship tournament. Seems like a win-win.

[YOhio]

gswaim reveals his sources.