The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[Marvelous]

Makes me sick. Reminds me of when Oklahoma/Nebraska went to 2 on/2 off with the advent of the Big 12. Everyone said moving the game from Thanksgiving wouldn't matter and that not playing every year would only make the games more intense. Instead one of the greatest rivalries in sports fizzled and died. It's a shame and so is this.

Was going to also write this. This wouldn't
be the first time OU has dumped a rivalry. The Huskers tried to continue the anual game with the Sooners but there was no interest in Norman. I guess OU will always have Okie St. to play.

I hate what is happening to college football. I LOVE the regional rivalries. I love that bragging rights are ultimately what makes or breaks a season. I too am sick at the thought of all these rivalries being thrown away.

:condom:

[Cougarmandias]

Shoganai,

I think you have a point that an independent BYU has less room to gamble with having a loosing record.

But, if you recall, this whole conversation started with an argument about the desirability of independence.

So now you're saying that independence makes it desirable to have a suckier schedule and take fewer risks at winning some really big games? Gotcha.

[Flystripper]

I agree with the sentiment that emulating some aspects of the Notre Dame model is a good idea.

But I think it's pretty short-sighted to just assume that scheduling a murderer's row slate every year is the way to independent glory.

You can still schedule up, while finding a happy medium.

playing a BCS schedule is not murderer's row

[Viking]

this is bizarre.

aggy not going anywhere. ou and aggy get TV.

BYU coming to b12 with TCU.

[New Mexican Disaster]

I am just not going to believe anything until it's all finished.

[shoganai]

Shoganai,

I think you have a point that an independent BYU has less room to gamble with having a loosing record.

But, if you recall, this whole conversation started with an argument about the desirability of independence.

So now you're saying that independence makes it desirable to have a suckier schedule and take fewer risks at winning some really big games? Gotcha.

If you go back and read carefully, that's not exactly what I've been saying. But, to clarify, I do believe that the benefits and cultural fit of being independent make it worthwhile to have a schedule that is not as good as it might be in a BCS conference.

You choose to use the word "sucky." I suppose that's all a matter of perspective. If having a better schedule than we ever had in the WAC or MWC, but maybe not as good as if we played in the glorious Big 12 means it is "sucky," than I suppose I would have to agree with you.

I, for one, do not feel that is an appropriate adjective, however.

[YOhio]

I am just not going to believe anything until it's all finished.

You cynical bastard.

[Babs]

Unbelievable to me how nonchalant he is about dropping a tradition like that.

A lot of Sooners feel like the tradition is a lost cause, anyway, since they're likely moving the game to JerryDome after the contract with the state fair expires.

[shoganai]

playing a BCS schedule is not murderer's row

Bronco Mendenhall's record against all BCS teams - home, away, and neutral; winning record and losing record - is 8-9 over six years.

That number does not include his record against TCU and Utah. Adding those games in makes the record 13-16.

You can make your own conclusions...

[Babs]

Was going to also write this. This wouldn't be the first time OU has dumped a rivalry. The Huskers tried to continue the anual game with the Sooners but there was no interest in Norman. I guess OU will always have Okie St. to play.

It's amazing what kind of mythology some fanbases come up with.

[Omaha 680]

It's amazing what kind of mythology some fanbases come up with.

FTR, I'm not claiming to know who pushed for the divisional split without a guaranteed crossover rivalry game or blaming Oklahoma for the demise of the rivlary. I'm just really disappointed it turned out the way it did.

[Sizzle]

There is no excuse for scheduling them in the first half of the season. The fact that they did this is probably the single biggest warning sign that Indy scheduling will not work in the long run.

No, it is probably the single biggest sign that BYU has other conference plans.

[Babs]

FTR, I'm not claiming to know who pushed for the divisional split without a guaranteed crossover rivalry game or blaming Oklahoma for the demise of the rivlary. I'm just really disappointed it turned out the way it did.

Yes, it is really sad. There's now an entire generation of collegiate sports fans who doesn't realize OU-Nebraska was ever a rivalry.

[New Mexican Disaster]

You cynical bastard.

I don't believe you said this.

[Flystripper]

Bronco Mendenhall's record against all BCS teams - home, away, and neutral; winning record and losing record - is a grand 8-9 over six years.

That number does not include his record against TCU and Utah. Adding those games in makes it worse.

You can make your own conclusions with those numbers...

I am under no delusions as to what BYU is, or what their performance has been against BCS teams. A .500 record versus BCS programs is an 8 win season when you are scheduling 4wins every year. I am not afraid of a few 6-6 and 7-5 seasons, especially when the ceiling is the Poinsettia Bowl or San Francisco Bowl (unless BYU is in the top 2 BCS which will never happen in either scheduling philosophy.)