The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[Uncle Ted]

Here is some wishful thinking from the OSU cowboys:

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder suggested the revamped Big 12 create two five-team divisions and have a championship game.

It's an idea that would result in Oklahoma State likely moving from the South to the North division. As the northernmost school in the South, it would be a natural move for the Cowboys to join Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Iowa State in the North division with Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Baylor in the South.

Of course, the NCAA has to approve a championship game for a ten team conference first.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Here is some wishful thinking from the OSU cowboys:



Of course, the NCAA has to approve a championship game for a ten team conference first.

Not bloody likely.

[Babs]

Now that you're a Longhorn, I'm sure you're okay with the revenue sharing as it is, right?

I was already fine with it. It's based on performance. I had no idea you were such a fan of affirmative action.

[Uncle Ted]

Not bloody likely.

I recall that Ivan Maisel claimed on ESPNU College Football that the NCAA 12 team rule initially only applied to the lower divisions but later was used for D-1A (see link below). He seemed to be of the opinion that the NCAA would approve this. I don't think the Pac-10 would have expanded if they knew they could have a conference championship with ten teams. Now they are stuck with CU.

Here is the link: (listen to the 6/15 podcast)

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/archive?id=2557385"]ESPNRadio.com - PodCenter - ESPN[/ame]

[YOhio]

I was already fine with it. It's based on performance. I had no idea you were such a fan of affirmative action.

[il Padrino Ute]

I was already fine with it. It's based on performance. I had no idea you were such a fan of affirmative action.

Like YOhio now, you seem to think that I say something I didn't. WTH?

[Uncle Ted]

Kevin Sherrington on the Big 12 and the MWC:

What is your take on the Big 12?

Depends on what you mean by my take. Will it work? Only until the next contract is up. I agree with what Tommy Tuberville said. It's a league with a lot of financial disparities and different priorities. By the time the next TV contract comes up, more schools might be amenable to a national playoff and maybe even four 16-team superconferences. If you mean, how good is it? Losing Nebraska and Colorado isn't going to hurt it any. Texas and Oklahoma have been the prime teams in the polls over the last 10 years, and that won't change. But the league must schedule tougher games in non-conference to shore up any misgivings voters may have.

Will TCU or SMU ever make it into a major conference?

Only if the Mountain West gets a BCS bid, which could happen. Otherwise, it's all about TV markets and how many TV sets you bring. Just because your school is in a big market doesn't mean you draw it, as conferences and networks are well aware.

[Uncle Ted]

On the Big 12 future... real work is just beginning:

So what we have now are 10 member schools who for various reasons have decided to stay together and publicly renew their vows and commitment to the ongoing viability of the Big 12 Conference. Aside from this, nothing has really changed concerning the divisive issues that came crashing together and very nearly led to the total collapse of one of the country’s best college conferences.

For example, although it was widely reported after the Big 12 survival announcement that the 10 remaining schools had each signed an agreement to stay in the conference (both Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins and his Kansas State counterpart, John Currie, were quoted as confirming this), Brady Deaton, chancellor of the University of Missouri and Big 12 board chairman, told Sam Mellinger of The Kansas City Star that no such agreement, signed or otherwise, exists. Deaton acknowledged that more severe penalties for leaving the conference undoubtedly will be discussed and considered, but there is no movement at the moment to change what already exists.

This is a frightening development, because according to the man who is in the true power seat in the conference, there is nothing really to prevent this nightmarish situation from happening all over again when the next conference that decides to get bigger comes calling.

This brings up something else that bothers and frustrates me. I can’t understand why the Big 12 has been the prey and not one of the predators in this whole conference expansion discussion. If the movement is toward the establishment of fewer but larger superconference structures across the college sports landscape, why shouldn’t the Big 12 be part of that future rather than a victim of it?

[DapperDan]

I recall that Ivan Maisel claimed on ESPNU College Football that the NCAA 12 team rule initially only applied to the lower divisions but later was used for D-1A (see link below). He seemed to be of the opinion that the NCAA would approve this. I don't think the Pac-10 would have expanded if they knew they could have a conference championship with ten teams. Now they are stuck with CU.

I don't see the Pac-10, Big 10, ACC, or SEC voting to let the Big 12 play a championship game with ten teams.

[U-Ute]

I don't see the Pac-10, Big 10, ACC, or SEC voting to let the Big 12 play a championship game with ten teams.

I agree. The championship game is a huge reason the PAC-10 even decided to go to 12. They didn't add Utah and Colorado because they were dying to, but because they felt they had to. If they could've stayed at 10 and had the championship game, I'm sure they would've liked that more.

U-Ute

[falafel]

I don't see the Pac-10, Big 10, ACC, or SEC voting to let the Big 12 play a championship game with ten teams.

Buyt do they even have a vote? Or is it a NCAA-only decision?

[DapperDan]

Buyt do they even have a vote? Or is it a NCAA-only decision?

As I understand it, the conferences vote on the issue.

[Uncle Ted]

The must watch Big 12 game this fall is not going to be the red river game. It is going to be the Husker-Horns game (aka. "the Bad Blood matchup"):

Factor in Nebraska's exit from the Big 12 after this season, add athletic director Tom Osborne's verbal grenades lobbed in the direction of Austin, and the Big 12 Championship rematch has a strong case as the most heated game of any on the college football schedule for the upcoming season.

The "children of the corn" are 1-8 against the horns since joining this conference and on a five-game losing streak. Texas will slam the door on their butts on the way out.

Interesting side note: It seems no one in the Big 12 cares that CU is leaving.

[myboynoah]

Interesting side note: It seems no one in the Big 12 cares that CU is leaving.

Stop it Ted, you're going to make some of the Ute Fans here feel bad.

[LA Ute]

Stop it Ted, you're going to make some of the Ute Fans here feel bad.

Nah. Who cares how the Big [insert number] feels about CU leaving? We might feel bad if no one in the MWC cared that Utah is leaving, however.