I don't get all the Big12 hate. I am apparently in the minority, but I just don't get the overall rhetoric. The 12 has some of the best basketball schools in the nation, with OU likely #1.
Didn't the 12 just put a team in the final 4 in FB? OU..
Last year the 12 had two teams (Baylor and TCU) that were very close to that goal.
I like it where the 12 is forcing weaker teams to drop division one teams in favor of P5 teams. This can only help.
Here's what needs to happen. Kansas needs to spend some dollars and become competitive in FB. ISU, well, they need to continue wrestling and playing BB.
WVU, TCU and Baylor are really good programs. A lot better than Colorado, A&M and Missouri. If you don't believe that, check their final rankings in FB this year.
I hope you guy's don't get your wish on the death of this conference.
First for me, I'm sick of being stuck in a conference that is running gimmicky offenses, and defenses that lack a physical presence. I really don't see OU having a legitimate shot at beating an SEC champ, or ACC champ, etc....by showing up with a defense that is built to defend Big XII offenses. And generally, gimmicky spread or air raid style offenses don't put up the numbers against championship level defense like they do during the regular season. Because you are right K2C, OU got into the playoffs. But it didn't do the reputation of the Big XII any favors really. For all the talk about the ACC being the worst power 5 conference in the country in recent years, I think OU getting absolutely manhandled by Clemson this year didn't exactly do that apparent reputation any favors. In fact, I think that made a strong statement that it's actually the Big XII that could be the worst after getting sheet stomped by the ACC champs. But at least MSU got dominated even worse, so maybe OU and the Big XII can kinda slip under the radar a bit. And the Big XII's bowl record this year was embarrassing.
Also, I want the Big XII to burn to the ground as I want to see OU make the jump to the SEC. My opinion may not be very popular with this. I know alot of people on here hate and despise the SEC. And ya know what, I don't like it anymore than ya'll. But I'm not blind to the fact that REAL football these days is being played in the SEC. And recruits no doubt realize it as well. The SEC is having a field-day with recruiting these days. It's ridiculous. The SEC is just dominating recruiting. There is a reason the SEC has won 9 of the last 13 national titles.....
9 of the last 13!!!!
Here are the conference recruiting rankings from ESPN by how many ESPN150 recruits each conference has committed so far for the 2016 class,
SEC - 44
Big10 - 23
ACC - 17
Pac12 - 12
Big XII - 9
That is embarrassing. The SEC alone already has nearly 1/3 of the entire ESPN150.
OU's traditional bread-and-butter recruiting spot has been Texas. But in recent years, Bob has decided on a national recruiting strategy that put less focus on Texas. Couple that with teams like Baylor and TCU elevating their programs and being more attractive to Texas recruits. Also, A&M makes the jump to the SEC and starts to haul in impressive classes, along with the SEC getting more exposure in Texas (due to A&M joining the SEC) so more elite Texas talent is getting raided by SEC schools. So now OU can't even rely on reeling in Texas talent like we historically could. Most of the elite Texas kids have more options these days than just OU and UT like decades past. And the in-state talent for OU to recruit is virtually non-existent. So OU
HAS to rely on recruiting out of state. Elite talent these days wants to play in the SEC. So in that respect, OU staying in the Big XII puts it at a huge disadvantage to other conferences as the other conferences are just out-talenting OU.
I think that's where joining the SEC makes a ton of sense...at least to me. OU would look FAR more attractive to elite talent by the simple virtue of being in the SEC. Also, OU will get to play in SEC country and raid that part of the country for recruits, just like the SEC is doing in Texas. Let OU build up a team with talent that can once again physically match up with any program in the country.
Evidently, Boren got an open invite from the SEC back when realignment was taking place. Who knows if that offer is still open. But the SEC wanted OU, and likely still does.
My 2nd option would be joining the Big10, but I don't think that would improve OU's recruiting stock as much as we would like if you use Nebraska's experience as any kind of barometer on that kind of move.
And the Pac12?? Let's be honest here...does anyone really want to join the Pac12 and deal with west coast kickoff time??
The ACC I guess could be an option, but it doesn't have a reputation that much better than the Big XII. So that would really at best, a lateral move for OU. But at least it would get OU playing games down in the same country that the SEC recruits in. So there's that I suppose.
So I really think if OU is going to go through the trouble of changing conferences, may as well take a huge step up and join the bigtime and get in the SEC. Play for championships and reap the benefits in recruiting such a move would make. And I can't forget wanting to ditch Texas and leave them and their dumpster fire LHN. Let the Big XII crumble and watch Texas scurrying around like filthy rodents trying to find a conference that will let them keep their precious little LHN.
