The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[USUC]

I just can't see either of these schools moving from where they are at or what they currently have to the Big 12. Notre Dame loves being independent and they breathed a sigh of relief when the Pac-10 didn't become the Pac-16. They value their independence. Arkansas would have to be promised a ton of money to leave the SEC. That conference is top dog right now in competition as well as revenue. I just don't see either of those two schools joining. I don't blame the Big 12-2 for wanting them. They would be great pick ups for the league.

Although Arkansas is sitting pretty financially in the SEC, apparently they are having some problems recruiting. Back in the day they got a lot more players out of Texas. They have historical ties to the SWC. If they can make a similar amount of money and get a chance at those Texas recruits, it wouldn't surprise me to see them jump ship.

But again, I'm just not hearing a lot of serious talk about BYU being one of the teams included, outside of forum/board chatter.

[SeattleUte]

lol

http://www.cougarboard.com/noframes/...tml?id=5629343

As one poster said, this stuff IS Micky Mouse. Who cares about Bronco Mendenhall, the Frank Burns of college football. But this stuff is symptomatic of aspects of BYU's culture that are holding it back in countless ways.

[Spicy McHaggis]

I don't see ND turning down the Big 10 in favor of the B-12. I'm sure Texas would love to add ND, but I don't see it happening.

[Uncle Ted]

Ark makes sense, but ND? If they didn't join the 11, Why the hell would they join the Big 12. They can start their own tv network without the Big 12.

Yes, I agree. If ND joins a conference it will be the Big Ten+2, IMHO. There is a lot of history between ND and those teams. Given they haven't made the jump to the Big Ten then I don't expect to go to any conference unless their TV contract was coming to an end and wasn't going to get renewed.

The Big 12-2 has the contracts in hand and no incentive to share the money with two more teams right now. The only way they would expand in the near term is if the networks turned up the heat to get a conference title game. Maybe Jerry Jones can get the BYU vs. Texas game moved to cowboys stadium to make up for the lack of a conference title game in 2011.

[chrisrenrut]

If Arkansas wants in so bad, the SEC and Big 12-2 should trade Arkansas for A&M. A&M fans and boosters are still very upset about what might have been, to the point that some big boosters are threatening to withhold donations.

If that happened, it would make it more feasible to add one more Texas school like Houston, as well as an expansion market like BYU, Cinci, Louisville, etc.

Note, this is all speculation on my part, no inside info whatsoever.

[Donuthole]

If Arkansas wants in so bad, the SEC and Big 12-2 should trade Arkansas for A&M. A&M fans and boosters are still very upset about what might have been, to the point that some big boosters are threatening to withhold donations.

If that happened, it would make it more feasible to add one more Texas school like Houston, as well as an expansion market like BYU, Cinci, Louisville, etc.

Note, this is all speculation on my part, no inside info whatsoever.

I don't think that makes the addition of another Texas school any more feasible. Suddenly, every team in the SEC West can recruit Texas and promise the recruits a game there every other year. Then you have another Texas school (Houston, TCU) able to better compete for Texas recruits.

And for what tradeoff? The ability for the rest of the Big 12 to recruit the state of Arkansas?

[SCcoug]

Chip Brown is of the opinion if Big 12-2 decides to expand to 12 then it would be Arkansas and Notre Dame. Arkansas because of the Jerry Jones connection and Notre Dame because they could start their own network like UT, increase their recruiting footprint, and the Big 12 North would have good proximity with South Bend. There is apparently some history that ND has with UT. He believes, however, that the Big 12-2 is not going to expand for at least seven years or when the agreements with ABC/ESPN and FSN expire.

I can see Arkansas perhaps joining. They have history with many current Big 12 teams and if the money is right could see the move as a chance to become relevant in football instead of the 3 or 4th place team in the SEC west.

No way ND goes Big 12. They fit perfectly geographically with the Big 10 and have a long and storied history playing many Big 10 teams and stood to receive lots of money but turned them down. I don't think the Big 12 offers as much to ND as the Big 10 did.

I also can't imagine the Big 12 waits at least 7 years to expand. The FSN deal is up after next year and will need to be renegotiated. Will ESPN not put pressure on the Big 12 to get back to 12 so they can broadcast the conference championship game? What about Jerry Jones or Dr Pepper? The CCG has been good to the Big 12 getting its teams to the BCS title game and getting at large BCS bids. Now that the Big 10 and PAC 10 have CCG I don't see the Big 12 getting any more at large spots unless they expand.

I'll admit I'm a believer that BYU goes to the Big 12. I may get my heart ripped out when this is all said and done but I am optimistic.

[SeattleUte]

One of the biggest challenges in attracting Arkansas is convincing it that the Big 12-2 isn't the Ottoman Empire circa 1910, that it's a stable conference with a good financial future. To me it seems crazy that any team would leave the SEC to go to the Big 12-2 given recent developments. But what do I know about this?

[Flattop]

lol

http://www.cougarboard.com/noframes/...tml?id=5629343

As one poster said, this stuff IS Micky Mouse. Who cares about Bronco Mendenhall, the Frank Burns of college football. But this stuff is symptomatic of aspects of BYU's culture that are holding it back in countless ways.

Cougarboard is the Frank Burns of the Internet, so its a perfect match, apparently.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

One of the biggest challenges in attracting Arkansas is convincing it that the Big 12-2 isn't the Ottoman Empire circa 1910, that it's a stable conference with a good financial future. To me it seems crazy that any team would leave the SEC to go to the Big 12-2 given recent developments. But what do I know about this?

That's the rub of it. Arkansas would be better competitively if it joined the Big 12, but doing so would make it Texas's you know what. The SEC is a very stable, well-balanced league. It doesn't have a behemoth like Texas that can pull the rug out from under everyone. Florida probably doesn't have half the power inside the SEC that Texas has inside the Big 12.

The problem of course is Arkansas is going to perennially play third fiddle to Alabama and LSU and often also be behind Auburn and Ole Miss. In the Big 12 North it would be making Big 12 championship games at least ever other year and even make a BCS bowl game here and there.

It is a tough choice for Arkansas, but I would still be surprised if they bolted the SEC. The risks are too great and they'll look long and hard at what Texas almost forced on Missouri (a program of similar stature right now).

[SeattleUte]

That's the rub of it. Arkansas would be better competitively if it joined the Big 12, but doing so would make it Texas's you know what. The SEC is a very stable, well-balanced league. It doesn't have a behemoth like Texas that can pull the rug out from under everyone. Florida probably doesn't have half the power inside the SEC that Texas has inside the Big 12.

The problem of course is Arkansas is going to perennially play third fiddle to Alabama and LSU and often also be behind Auburn and Ole Miss. In the Big 12 North it would be making Big 12 championship games at least ever other year and even make a BCS bowl game here and there.

It is a tough choice for Arkansas, but I would still be surprised if they bolted the SEC. The risks are too great and they'll look long and hard at what Texas almost forced on Missouri (a program of similar stature right now).

I don't think the supposed prospect of playing third fiddle in football standings is at all important in these situations. Teams want to be in the most presitgious, financially secure, lucrative and stable conference. Isn't that obvious?

[WashingtonCoug]

I don't think the supposed prospect of playing third fiddle in football standings is at all important in these situations. Teams want to be in the most presitgious, financially secure, lucrative and stable conference. Isn't that obvious?

I agree. If it were all about football standings, the Utes would have stayed in the MWC. Where they would have only been behind Boise and BYU. Now they'll be behind USC, Cal, UCLA, Washington, Oregon and Oregon State. Instead they took the pay day.

[SeattleUte]

I agree. If it were all about football standings, the Utes would have stayed in the MWC. Where they would have only been behind Boise and BYU. Now they'll be behind USC, Cal, UCLA, Washington, Oregon and Oregon State. Instead they took the pay day.

Have fun being permanently screwed in the Mountain West Confernce. lol

[kccougar]

...

Ha.

Se we can expect the smoke to start leaking out once all the boosters get back on Wed?

[WashingtonCoug]

Have fun being permanently screwed in the Mountain West Confernce. lol

Lol, it's worked so far.