Big 12 has whittled list of prospective new teams to 13.....

[CTOkie]

Air Force
BYU
Cincinnati
Colorado State
Houston
Memphis
Rice
SMU
South Florida
Temple
Tulane
UCF
UConn

At least half of these choices should not be considered. For me, only BYU, Houston and Cincinnati are the best of a non-stellar lot. Rice, SMU, Tulane, Temple, UConn ?? Really ?
Here in Connecticut, I keep reading about UConn desperately wanting entry into the Big12. While the thought of OU playing a game 18 miles from my house is pretty cool, I do not see UConn ever being anything other than a basketball school and probably not ever being anything more than another Kansas-type football program. Very few here follow college football. Pro sports and UConn basketball get 95% of people's interest here.

Somehow, I don't see any of these teams elevating the Big12 to the level of the SEC, Big10, Pac12 or the ACC.
I understand that two could join and over a period of time become formidable....as in Houston's case (if Coach Herman can sustain his team's upsurge) and of course BYU with its consistent level of competitiveness...but I think that eventually, OU migrates to another conference regardless of expansion or keeping the Big 12 at ten teams.

 

[K2C Sooner]

Air Force
BYU
Cincinnati
Colorado State
Houston
Memphis
Rice
SMU
South Florida
Temple
Tulane
UCF
UConn

At least half of these choices should not be considered. For me, only BYU, Houston and Cincinnati are the best of a non-stellar lot. Rice, SMU, Tulane, Temple, UConn ?? Really ?
Here in Connecticut, I keep reading about UConn desperately wanting entry into the Big12. While the thought of OU playing a game 18 miles from my house is pretty cool, I do not see UConn ever being anything other than a basketball school and probably not ever being anything more than another Kansas-type football program. Very few here follow college football. Pro sports and UConn basketball get 95% of people's interest here.

Somehow, I don't see any of these teams elevating the Big12 to the level of the SEC, Big10, Pac12 or the ACC.
I understand that two could join and over a period of time become formidable....as in Houston's case (if Coach Herman can sustain his team's upsurge) and of course BYU with its consistent level of competitiveness...but I think that eventually, OU migrates to another conference regardless of expansion or keeping the Big 12 at ten teams.

And what I read was UConn would not even bring their flagship basketball teams. They would apply with the ACC.

HuH?

 

[CTOkie]

And what I read was UConn would not even bring their flagship basketball teams. They would apply with the ACC.

HuH?

Safe to say UConn should not be in the mix.
No basketball, 1,500 miles from Norman, a stadium capacity of 45,000....not gonna happen.

 

[BillyRay]

Somehow, I don't see any of these teams elevating the Big12 to the level of the SEC, Big10, Pac12 or the ACC.
I understand that two could join and over a period of time become formidable....as in Houston's case (if Coach Herman can sustain his team's upsurge) and of course BYU with its consistent level of competitiveness...but I think that eventually, OU migrates to another conference regardless of expansion or keeping the Big 12 at ten teams.

There really are ZERO options out there for the Big XII to consider that will elevate this conference to the level of those conferences. I really think the best move the Big XII can make at this time is choose options that will increase the exposure and recruiting footprint of the conference.

 

[runningback43]

Great post Billy. None of the schools on the list bring anything to the table.

 

[Schoonerman]

Yeah, I agree with Billy Ray that none of these teams does much for the status of conference, but I like the idea of having a service academy (Air Force) in the conference. BYU is not bad, but too far away. I hate the idea of a conference that stretches 2,000 miles across the country.

 

[BillyRay]

Yeah, I agree with Billy Ray that none of these teams does much for the status of conference, but I like the idea of having a service academy (Air Force) in the conference. BYU is not bad, but too far away. I hate the idea of a conference that stretches 2,000 miles across the country.

In the current footprint of the Big XII, I completely agree with you Schoonerman.

But I've said this before, and I still think it would be a BOLD move by the Big XII in expansion....create the FIRST "coast-to-coast" super conference. I know it would involve inviting a large number of teams, but I think it's the perfect way the Big XII could upstage the SEC and actually take the lead on conference expansion. Inviting a couple of programs at this point the Big XII is really just playing "catch up" to other conferences.

But...create a conference that involves programs from the west coast all the way to the east coast. Create a western division and an eastern division, and have zero cross-divisional games so it would help eliminate the need for 2000+ mile distances for games. And then just set a conference title game for each divisional winner, and you never have to worry about a "rematch" between teams that met in the regular season.

I know it's not going to happen. But that would really immediately put the Big XII above all other conferences and really make a strong national statement that the Big XII is leading the way for other conferences to follow. Being the first "coast-to-coast" super conference I think would really be a solid selling point the Big XII could have in it's pocket.

 

[Oklabama]

Great post Billy. None of the schools on the list bring anything to the table.

Double "Like".

 

[Dastardly Deed]

So they've "whittled" it from 19 to 13?

Must be using a damn dull knife.

 

[OUSOONER67]

Scratch Memphis off that list and one other per ESPN. They said the list was at 11 now with Memphis out. How Memphis was ever on the list is beyond me. Crappy city, crappy stadium etc etc etc.

 

[CTOkie]

That other is Temple.
Good.

 

[Mister Moses]

I had forgot about Ann Richards poliical involvement in the big 12. Houston was originally going to be big 12 member. Governor Richards was a Baylor grad and Houston lost out to Baylor. That's the story I read anyway. Houston had some good years in the SWC. I would like for us to move on so I don't care about expansion.