Blue Horse

Then pray they don't fire Seth mid-season. If that happens, PB is your defacto interim head coach, and if he accidentally wins some games, your boosters might take a liking to him.

Please. Southern Money-based-whitecollar-crime University.

But you won't tell me how much they'd make as independents.

Congratulations! You've created your own worst case scenario! If the Big 12 expands by 4-6 and SMU isn't among them, the AAC will backfill with cusa teams not named North Texas.

Okay, so let's say they don't join such a conference. Who do they schedule? To maintain Texas recruiting, which is what they thrive on, they're just going to have to schedule the schools you say they don't want to be in a conference with anyway. A&m and Texas didn't leave the big 12 so they could keep scheduling Oklahoma State. Oh, and I'm not trying to strengthen the SMU brand. Truth be told, what you're suggesting is a suicide pill for Oklahoma State. I'm actually okay with that.

My gosh, can you guys make a single post without mentioning SMU? And someone beat you to this joke, albeit worded slightly different. Also, SMU going independent would be idiotic. I'm not arguing for that. I'm asking about Texas tech.

Okay, now we're making some progress. 1. Let's say Oklahoma State goes independent. Where are they putting their basketball? The only conference that would accept them for basketball only could potentially be the mountain West conference, and that would likely require them to engage in a scheduling alliance with teams that are far worse than the ones in the AAC. 2. Oklahoma State needs to win a championship game to have the best shot they can have at making the playoff. Removing themselves from a conference at this juncture would require them to be something around top six to make the playoff. If Oklahoma State is that much better than everybody else, all the more reason to stick around a couple years, own the whole conference, and after five consecutive playoff appearances get taken by someone else. Going to the AAC provides a future elsewhere. 3. Money. Right now the American conference makes around $7 million a year per school. Yes, that is a big hit. However you cannot just not be on television. To say that a TV contract doesn't matter and Oklahoma State will just have to be principled and not joining with certain schools is misreading the situation. 4. Scheduling as an independent is actually very challenging. Look at the schools that last is independents. They either have limitless money or a national following. Oklahoma State does have certain boosters, but without a national following it decreases the likelihood that they are going to play marquee programs in Stillwater through an independent schedule that you say isn't even on television 5. Recruiting is last. If Texas tech and Oklahoma State were not members of a conference, they would not be playing the games in the larger Texas areas that produce talent. Without consistent games being played in these areas they would not be as relevant they would be in a conference. The best evidence I can give in this regard is Arkansas. When Arkansas left the Southwest conference they believed they would continue to get Texas recruiting while not playing Texas games due to their brand. That never worked out.

You didn't answer my question. What kind of TV deal can a regional school in Lubbock, Texas expect? Give me a number.

Okay, I'll try one more time. Is this secret plan that is both complex and all encompassing actually in effect at North Texas through your contacts if you have any, or is it something you are waiting to share and assume North Texas is simply aware of the plan because it is so obvious? And ( I don't think this would give anything away ) when should I expect the potential results of this plan to be evident?

So you're telling me they shouldn't go independent. Thanks for the agreement.

What kind of TV deal can a regional school in Lubbock, Texas expect?

Good luck with your secret plan. Although I confess it's hard to say having literally no idea what it is. Say what you will about the Unabomber, but he shared his manifesto.

Okay, so they don't join to avoid a revolt. Now what?

So I know what to look for, what might such a situation look like?

It's on the sign... Truth be told, I know a bit of history about the name. Pretty much everything they wanted was already taken (university of Dallas?). And they got stuck with an acronym right away that the first president hated. More to your point, however, smu is trying to divorce the Methodist church, so possiblity not a church school for long.

I'll bite. What's new?

Let's add Alabama!!

Actually, in this scenario I could see Navy go independent. I think that might also be enough schools to disband the conference and eliminate exit fees.

It really is! This is a conference realignment nuclear bomb. I will say though in your favor, every conference was potentially holding out to get Texas and Oklahoma. Now that they've been taken, there's not that need to hold off expanding for the dream girl. Now, it could be time to settle.

The only thing the pac12 is racing to is it's grave (I jest). If it is a race, we might see some odd stuff. But I'm just not seeing that right now. And besides, who is the pac racing to get? All of the schools should be available in the big 12 in ten years if they feel like waiting.

Okay, so I disagree here and I'll explain why. The liberal pac-12 isn't taking a school in stillwater and another in Lubbock. They just don't fit what they're about. If the acc wanted wvu, they'd already be there. as for Kansas, I could actually see them going to the big 10. If they can get Colorado too.

You aren't wrong, no one out there is equal to the Texas and Oklahoma. The big 12 is going to take a big financial hit to its tv deal, but it'll still be a step up from AAC for those that make it.

It's not a question of which two schools the big 12 would take to replace Texas and Oklahoma. No two schools have that kind of value. Instead, you should be asking yourselves which four to six schools will they take.

Okay, so I know I'm an SMU person, but I love football so hear me out. If North Texas has a bad year, would you consider hiring Art Briles? Now before you downvote me, consider that the man would give you instant credibility with recruiting, help with nil, and probably give you a better game coach than SMU AND TCU. And you already have Bennett, his brother in arms. You'd have an advantage in attracting him.

So you guys don't want to talk expansion in an expansion thread? Seriously, three mwc schools to the aac is a very strong rumor and has potential huge ramifications for north Texas. I'm not making this up. Would north texas join a mwc lacking three of its current members? I wouldn't recommend it, but I have real interest as smu was in the wac with a lot of those schools.