Will the Big 12 implode?

[Palantir]

Is this the end for the Big 12 Conference?
(Almost all discussions on the topic revolve around the 12 football programs & KU basketball program)

With the Pac 10 and Big 10 both looking to expand and having their eyes on the Big 12 this could mean the end of the 14 year old conference.


The Big Ten has Nebraska & Missouri in their sights since Notre Dame announced they will remain Independent.

Nebraska reported that:
Nebraska officially can’t be announced a member of the Big 10 Conference until the NU Board of Regents votes on Friday, but that meeting appears to be nothing but a formality at this point as all signs point to the Huskers ending their 14 year relationship with the Big 12. http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=rivals-379634

And the Pac Ten has indicated they want to grab all the Southern Division teams ( Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Colorado/ Baylor) and join them with Arizona & Arizona State to form 2 divisions in the Pac Ten. {Some reports mentioned the PAC 10 didn’t want to add Baylor over “religious” reasons but reports also show that the other Texas teams won’t leave without Baylor coming along- interesting.}

The main reason is of course money, both the Pac/Big Ten have better revenue sharing & TV contracts and money talks more than tradition or realistic alignment of teams in conferences. (Does Oklahoma State really have a connection with the Pacific Ocean?)

The lynch pin in the whole expansion deal is Nebraska, if they do leave the dominos will start to fall rapidly and Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne will be credited as the man who killed the Big 12.


Where does this leave the remaining Big 12 teams: Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State and Colorado/Baylor?
Will they go out and invite some Mountain West teams (BYU/Air Force) & Big East teams (Cincinnati/Louisville) to fill out the conference? Or will they get invited to join other smaller conferences?

And why isn’t the PAC 10 considering inviting Boise State (which seems more logical than Oklahoma), Utah or even Texas Christian to join its conference?

There are also reports of the SEC wanting to expand & bring in Florida State which could set off another expansion war with the ACC & Big East if they also lose teams.

If the Big 12 does disappear it may start a trend with the fans being the loser as we will soon have just a couple of mega-conferences qualifying for the “BCS” and vying for the National Championship. I’d expect though after a few decades the mega-conferences would themselves implode under their own weight.


As a lifelong Big 12 (Big 8) fan if it disappears it will be a sad day...

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=dw-expansion060610

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/05/1995767/four-scenarios-for-the-big-12s.html

http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1092612

 

[Dave68124]

Growing up in Nebraska and going to school there, I have following it pretty closely. Osborne has been against the Big 12 since the get go, and I think finally the bubble burst. The Big 12 has always been built around Texas and that will not change anytime in the future. Big 12 cannot get it's own network because Texas wants it own network. Without Texas, then not enough draw to support a Big 12 network.

As for your other points, RE: Pac 10 and Boise State, I think you have to factor academics into the conference alignments as well. Looks like right now that the two schools who will get hit the hardest is Kansas and Baylor. It should be an interesting next couple of years, but really look forward to the first Nebraska-Ohio State game.

 

[wrongway149]

It should be an interesting next couple of years, but really look forward to the first Nebraska-Ohio State game.

Although it looks like Texas-USC will not be a big deal for a few years at least.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/06/10/usc.sanctions.ap/index.html?eref=sihp

 

[Palantir]

Colorado first to bolts Big 12 to Pac 10!

http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1093010

This was a surprise, I figured Colorado would be last following the Texas teams & Nebraska heading to the Big 10. Friday could be a wild expansion day.

Heard Lou Holtz on ESPN say Notre Dame needs to re-think their independence stance quickly or get left out of all kinds of deals.

They will certainly be left out of the conference back-room bowl deals & alone they'll have no say on a playoff system.

 

[Palantir]

The "Big 12" will live another year.

Question now is will they try and pickup new 11th & 12th teams?

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=AohF2rHxblLoFwaPQWiadp8cvrYF?slug=ap-big12-texas

 

[Dave68124]

The "Big 12" will live another year.

Question now is will they try and pickup new 11th & 12th teams?

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=AohF2rHxblLoFwaPQWiadp8cvrYF?slug=ap-big12-texas

Sounds like everyone got blackmailed by Texas.

A person with direct knowledge of discussions among the Big 12’s remaining members said Texas is clear to set up its own TV network and keep all proceeds in exchange for remaining in the Big 12.

Texas gets the ok to set up its own TV deal plus keep all proceeds? I have nothing against Texas, but sure sounds like they backed the other schools into a corner, especially the Kansas schools, Iowa State and Baylor. Maybe this will work for the short-term, but that is all I see as the Big 12 has now become the Longhorn Conference and the 9 Other Suckers. Oklahoma has to be raising hell internally. My guess is that Oklahoma eventually replaces Nebraska as being the next largest conference nay sayer and eventually bolts for the SEC.

 

[Palantir]

There’s always been a slight distaste for Texas from the Big 8 teams since the Big 12 was created and suddenly everything revolved around UT. Nebraska in particular disliked this arrangement which is why they were eager to bolt to the Big 10.

It’s rather a sad commentary on the pride of those “Tag-along” universities (OU OSU TT TAM) that they blindly follow whatever Texas does.
Texas: “We’d like to announce we’ve decided to join the Puerto Rico Conference.”
OU/OSU/TT/TAM: “Me too!”

It’s easy to see it was all about the money & nothing about what was good for academics or the students.

And how many road trips do you think the Oklahoma State students would make for conference games vs. Washington & Oregon? Makes more sense for road trips to regional conference opponents like Kansas or Missouri. I’m doubt either that you’ll see a lot of Washington State students crossing the Rockies to cheer at Boulder. {Heck even the NFL tries to keep their divisions regional}

If the conference expansion gets completely out of control can you see Florida State going to the Pac 10 for “academic” reasons?


Utah is the next team expected to head to the Pac 10 which makes more sense than any Big 12 schools and even Oklahoma to the SEC fits. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Big 12 ask Arkansas & Memphis to join them to fill back out to 12 teams.

 

[Palantir]

Utah is going to join the Pac-10/12. They may finally get a well deserved chance to play in the big game.

Utah is poised to become the 12th member of the Pac-10 as the conference quickly pivoted Wednesday to invite the Utes after being turned down by Texas and four other members of the Big 12 two days ago.

Utah officials did not immediately say whether the invitation would be accepted, but it would be shocking if the Utes didn’t leave the Mountain West Conference for the Pac-10.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=txpac10utah

Pac-10: "Bah we never really wanted to add 5 new teams including Texas, we're perfectly happy with just big old Utah in our conference." Sure they are. :lier: