Big 12-2/Minus 2 Conference done...how do we benefit

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 9, 2011

Some Big 12 boards are blowing up with news that A&M folk are meeting with SEC folk today to nail down the move. Source say OU is not part of the deal, but will go to the Pac-12 with some others in the conference. KU to the Big East, possibly K-State with them.

The reality of all football season beginning in 2012, is that there are no more BCS AQ-level conferences with multiple Texas teams - unless Baylor and Tech both end up in the Pac-12 (or 16...or however many it will be).

C-USA will have SMU, Houston, and Rice. Tulsa is a nice regional there. But, for whatever reason, C-USA doesn't excite me.

I think what I'm really hoping is that our new stadium and winning quickly under McCarney will get the attention of the Mountain West. Maybe I'm reading this whole thing wrong, but it looks like the MWC has the best chance of becoming the conference to replace the Big 12-2/Minus 2 Conference as a BCS AQ conference.

The travel is further, and it goes against what I've wanted in the past (more regional conference mates). But, it didn't hurt TCU to be the only Texas school in the MWC.

It'll be interesting to see the fallout. It'll be interesting to see whether Texas tries to make up with the Pac-12 after leading them down the path last year, or if they try to squeeze the Big 10+2 play again. They will die if they go independent because there will be fewer OOC games for all BCS AQ conferences.

This post has been promoted to an article

Edited August 9, 2011 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

MeanGreenTexan · August 9, 2011

:lol:

LakeTravis · August 9, 2011

forevereagle · August 9, 2011

golfingomez · August 9, 2011

well... texags is sure talking like it's a done deal... but i still can't find the original source on this stuff

LakeTravis · August 9, 2011

They barley won last year in a down year for the Big 12 and now they want to go to the SEC :lol:

Mean Green 93-98 · August 9, 2011

They barley won last year in a down year for the Big 12 and now they want to go to the SEC

I don't think the attraction of the SEC is easy W's.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 9, 2011

Problems keep popping up around Longhorn Network. Out today - ESPN trying to force Texas Tech to have its game with UT televised on Longhorn Network, or threatening not to show it at all; Hance told them to stick it where the sun don't shine.

Also, ESPN/Longhorn offered to televise Tech OOC games...on the Longhorn Network.

I'm starting to wonder is ESPN and Longhorn Network realize that there are cities in America other than Bristol and Austin.

Also, I can't figure out why Longhorn Network thinks its Big 12-2/Minus 2 brethren will simply roll over and give its television rights for non-UT games up to them.

Whatever the case, it appears Texas A&M is done, and Tech will likely announce to Pac-12. Interesting also is that Tech hired one of Joe Castiglione's (OU AD) former charges as their AD. OU and Tech working behind the scenes to complete the screw of Longhorn Network/UT?

Meanwhile, on hornfans.com, their delusional fans are talking up SEC teams leaving the SEC to join the Big 12-2/Minus 2! Really!

It's going to fun to watch it all go down (in flames). And, hoping against all hope we can win a bunch this year to leap into the MWC as it is given BCS AQ status. Keep your fingers crossed.

LakeTravis · August 9, 2011

It'll be interesting to see the fallout. It'll be interesting to see whether Texas tries to make up with the Pac-12 after leading them down the path last year, or if they try to squeeze the Big 10+2 play again. They will die if they go independent because there will be fewer OOC games for all BCS AQ conferences.

Notre Dame seems to be doing fine with their scheduling and can pick pretty much any bowl game they want if they manage 6 wins.

Texas has their own network and will be able to have free reign on a schedule to maximize attendance and tv ratings.

This is IF A&M goes to SEC, which I don't see happening.

Mean Green 93-98 · August 9, 2011

Whatever the case, it appears Texas A&M is done, and Tech will likely announce to Pac-12.

The Pac 12's prior interest in Tech was only as a package deal to bring UT. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 9, 2011

They barley won last year in a down year for the Big 12 and now they want to go to the SEC

It's a good fit. They had a long rivalry with LSU they can rekindle. They're already signed up to play Arkansas for a decade or so, so that piece is already in place.

They'd be in the SEC West. So, it's not inconcevable at all that they could compete right out of the box with Arky, Ole Miss, Miss State.

It's actually a good regional fit for the Aggies. Makes much more sense than being in a conference with Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, and Mizzou.

The school that will lose alot if this happens is Texas. Outside of the OU and A&M games, they've usually got nothing to offer schedule-wise. A&M would be joining a conference that already has excellent football. If OU goes Pac-12, they'll likely have little sister Oklahoma State along for that rivalry, plus old Big 8 nemesis Colorado as well.

LakeTravis · August 9, 2011

Would the Pac 12 want to go East of Colorado and Utah?

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 9, 2011

Notre Dame seems to be doing fine with their scheduling and can pick pretty much any bowl game they want if they manage 6 wins.

Texas has their own network and will be able to have free reign on a schedule to maximize attendance and tv ratings.

This is IF A&M goes to SEC, which I don't see happening.

That's with current scheduling, which had most schools with four OOC games. If the Pac-12, SEC, Big East, and Big Ten end up with 14 or 16 teams, their money schools will still want six home games. No one is going to lay down and give up a home game for Texas.

This is where Texas and ESPN didn't do their homework. Currently, Big 12-2/Minus 2 schools are already down to 3 OOC games. Texas is locking itself out...or, being locked out.

Eagle1855 · August 9, 2011

It's a good fit. They had a long rivalry with LSU they can rekindle. They're already signed up to play Arkansas for a decade or so, so that piece is already in place.

They'd be in the SEC West. So, it's not inconcevable at all that they could compete right out of the box with Arky, Ole Miss, Miss State.

It's actually a good regional fit for the Aggies. Makes much more sense than being in a conference with Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, and Mizzou.

The school that will lose alot if this happens is Texas. Outside of the OU and A&M games, they've usually got nothing to offer schedule-wise. A&M would be joining a conference that already has excellent football. If OU goes Pac-12, they'll likely have little sister Oklahoma State along for that rivalry, plus old Big 8 nemesis Colorado as well.

So what you're saying is, you're a pretty big supporter of the Texas Longhorns?

LongJim · August 9, 2011

Whatever the case, it appears Texas A&M is done, and Tech will likely announce to Pac-12.

Ags might well leave for the SEC--should they get an actual invitation and the legislature goes along with it. Still a long way from that.

When did Tech get an invite to the PACWhatever? Stanford already had a problem with them tagging along last year due to their academics. What has changed?

Eagle1855 · August 9, 2011

Ags might well leave for the SEC--should they get an actual invitation and the legislature goes along with it. Still a long way from that.

When did Tech get an invite to the PACWhatever? Stanford already had a problem with them tagging along last year due to their academics. What has changed?

Nothing has changed, everyone is just being really, really dramatic.

Texas Tech doesn't have the academic clout nor the athletic prowess to bring anything to the table regarding a Pac-12 membership- without being attached to a UT/OU or similar.

Edited August 9, 2011 by Eagle1855

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 9, 2011

Would the Pac 12 want to go West of Colorado and Utah?

Money.

They already tried it last summer. So, it's not as if the notion is alien. OU is a national draw. Also, the conference title games in the bigger conferences were money-makers. The Pac-12+ would be adding championship game TV money on top of reaching into Texas for TV and the built in national draw of OU.

Look, for those of us who grew up on traditional rivalries, it's sickening. But, we're also not living in the 20th Century anymore. Notre Dame made the first move with NBC. BYU and Texas are out there trying to grab bigger slices of the pie.

Unfortunately for them, it looks like other schools would just as soon move to a different pie than give their rights up to them and ESPN.

Mean Green 93-98 · August 9, 2011

Notre Dame made the first move with NBC.

As far as rivalries go, Notre Dame still plays pretty much the same schedule now as they did before the NBC contract.

LongJim · August 9, 2011

Notre Dame made the first move with NBC. BYU and Texas are out there trying to grab bigger slices of the pie.

I'll grant you that Texas has positioned itself to be independent already. They have already front loaded their upcoming schedules with ND, BYU, and USC. I think this is a hedge against the dissolution of the Big 12, but I'll believe Tech to the PAC when I see it. Nothing indicates that so far except a lot of internet hot air.

golfingomez · August 9, 2011

back to the initial topic... i think the only way that UNT would benefit (?if you could even call it that) would be a Baylor move to the SunBelt

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 9, 2011

back to the initial topic... i think the only way that UNT would benefit (?if you could even call it that) would be a Baylor move to the SunBelt

I think Baylor would try to get an MWC invite - if MWC were given the BCS AQ to replace Big 12-2/Minus 2. I think they'd be our competition if MWC looked to Texas again. It's why we need to fill the stadium and win now...and, hope they flame out this year.

There will be big changes in the off-season for college football again. The dissolution of the Big 12-2/Minus 2 is the final step towards the Super Conferences they've been wanting to form for the better part of a decade.

Edited August 9, 2011 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

MeanGreenTexan · August 9, 2011

I think Baylor would try to get an MWC invite - if MWC were given the BCS AQ to replace Big 12-2/Minus 2. I think they'd be our competition if MWC looked to Texas again. It's why we need to fill the stadium and win now...and, hope they flame out this year.

There will be big changes in the off-season for college football again. The dissolution of the Big 12-2/Minus 2 is the final step towards the Super Conferences they've been wanting to form for the better part of a decade.

Hold on...

You're saying that when all this conference realignment happens, the MWC is going to be looking at 2 teams in Texas: UNT & Baylor, and we need to position ourselves to be ahead of them when the time comes?

I'm sorry sir, but that cannot happen unless this realignment happens in 10 years or so... and that's IF UNT pulls a BSU, and Baylor somehow gets the death penalty or something.

This is insane.

Mean Green 93-98 · August 9, 2011

The dissolution of the Big 12-2/Minus 2 is the final step towards the Super Conferences they've been wanting to form for the better part of a decade.

Which is one reason why I don't really see the end of the Big XII as being good for us.

Another is that it leaves us with less conferences, but more teams needing a conference home. If our odds of getting a C-USA or MWC invite looked long before, they just got cut at least in half.

So I'm going to hope that things in the Big XII largely stay pat, except for adding a couple members here or there.