New Big 12 Super Conference

[ljhlax]

Here are my thoughts if A&M leaves.

Just go for it. Create the 16 Team Super Conference.

Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU, Houston, SMU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Air Force, Boise State, BYU, and UNLV.

Division 1
Texas
Baylor
SMU
Oklahoma State
Air Force
Kansas
Iowa State
Boise State

Division 2
Oklahoma
TCU
Houston
Texas Tech
UNLV
Kansas State
Missouri
BYU

Each team would play 6 of their division opponents each year, their 1 "natural" rival in the other division, which is why I split the states up, and 1 (possibly 2) other opponent(s) from the other division on a rotating basis. (The only problem would be whether Oklahoma's rival would be Texas or Oklahoma State)

Here is why I chose the schools I chose.

Houston, SMU and TCU would add quality football programs and revive old rivalries. SMU and Houston would have the chance to return to national relevance again. TCU would bring a very good Football team into the Big 12 mix.

Air Force has tremendous following all across the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain States probably because of all the Air Forces bases scattered throughout the region. From Sioux Falls, SD to North Dakota to Montana, Colorado, Las Vegas and Utah, Air Force has a nice fan base that could benefit from their presence in a major conference who would dominate the TV airwaves of the region.

Boise State seems to me like a no brainer, maybe because I've been a fan since before we met them in the Humanitarian Bowl. They are to Idaho as what the Huskers are to Nebraska. They aren't a huge TV market, but they don't have any problems with program support and they've been a tremendous marketing machine the last ten years promoting and bringing it into national football relevance.

BYU would secure most of the State of Utah. They have a high major TV market, rich program history and solid athletics all around.

UNLV is the hardest to justify based on current numbers, but I see them benefitting the most from joining a major conference like a Big 12 Super Conference. The confence (and fans) in turn gets the opportunity to enjoy Vegas at least once a year in either football or basketball. With the Air Force base outside Vegas, and UNLV in the same conference it would sure up Vegas and most of Nevada as a Big 12 State.

I know it would sound a little odd to go after a number of smaller schools in the MWC instead of programs like Pitt and Notre Dame, but we would get to pick the biggest and best. We'd only fight the Pac 10 for TV time in Colorado, and the Big 10 for TV time in Nebraska, but solidly gain, Idaho, Utah, and Nevada. It may not seem like much but gaining Wyoming, Montana, and the Dakotas without even having a school in any of those states would just be icing on the cake. If Missouri ever decided to bolt (since they seem currently to be the next school that might want to bolt), Colorado State or Nevada could fill their place. It would be a drop in quality, but it wouldn't be a big hit overall because of everything we'd gain jumping to a Super Conference.

 

[CyBer]

Why is everyone starting new threads about this?

 

[ISUAgronomist]

TCU, Houston, SMU, Boise State, and UNLV.

Stopped reading here. Not just no but hell no.

 

[Incyte]

Finally someone started a thread devoted to expansion.

 

[ljhlax]

Stopped reading here. Not just no but hell no.

Yeah it would surely suck having an excuse to travel to Las Vegas every year to watch a Big 12 game and have some fun at the tables.

 

[Cyforce]

1) a 16 team conference is a terrible idea, it just takes money out of our pocket.

2) your math is weak, (play all 6 teams in your division?)

3) if we somehow end up in a 16 team conference you group them in fours and rotate the 4 pods (yeah I know it's a Big 10 concept but it works)

 

[nickcyv]

Stopped reading here. Not just no but hell no.

Agreed, except UNLV. If something like the what the OP suggested went down and for some reason the B12 couldn't get anyone better than SMU and Houston I'd rather take UNM, UNLV, and Memphis to open up more TV markets. SMU and Houston add absolutely nothing to the conference TV wise. Not saying they are not good academic schools or couldn't be solid BCS schools.

 

[isuno1fan]

This thread is much better since i don't have to read 4000 posts to get up to speed. Thank you OP for starting this thread.

 

[chuckd4735]

OMFG!

 

[ljhlax]

1) a 16 team conference is a terrible idea, it just takes money out of our pocket.

2) your math is weak, (play all 6 teams in your division?)

3) if we somehow end up in a 16 team conference you group them in fours and rotate the 4 pods (yeah I know it's a Big 10 concept but it works)

I didn't say "all 6 teams." I said 6 teams. I've thought of the pod idea too, but I'm not sure how it would work with the "natural" rivals. I think that is key to the success and the pods would work real well for some but screw others. That is why I went with the divisions I did. I'm also not sure where the championship would be held, but I'm guessing Dallas would probably end up hosting because of the Texas heavy element of the conference.

 

[helechopper]

Did anyone see ESPNs rerun of 30 for 30s Pony Excess? If you did then you know that the SWC teams should never be in the same conference again.

 

[ljhlax]

Agreed, except UNLV. If something like the what the OP suggested went down and for some reason the B12 couldn't get anyone better than SMU and Houston I'd rather take UNM, UNLV, and Memphis to open up more TV markets. SMU and Houston add absolutely nothing to the conference TV wise. Not saying they are not good academic schools or couldn't be solid BCS schools.

The SMU and Houston is for us old farts who remember when they were relevent. I think they have the possibility to return. As for TV, it isn't always opening a market, it is selling the Rivalry. People will pay attention to the first Texas SMU game in New York and California because it has interesting marketing appeal, not because it is too big markets opened up for the game. Same could go for Houston. I can also see growing to this size with the idea of someday attracting Arkansas, Arizona and Arizona State. Depending on what might happen with the rest of the conferences, they could still be a possibility, but the Conference needs to grow and gain some appeal for that thought to take place (IMO). I could see Missouri going to a Big 10 super Conference in which case we should go hard after Arkansas, and if some of the smaller schools aren't working out and there is another Pac, Wac MWC shake out to a Pac 16 super conference, we might be able to purge the Zonas and drop whoever might be our baggage.

 

[CYKOFAN]

The problem with adding Houston, TCU and SMU is that it probably dilutes our recruiting in Texas, especially the Houston area. I would like to see us get back to 12 teams, though, by adding BYU, Boise State and Air Force. I'd even go for UNLV in place of Boise State.

 

[IcSyU]

I'll just go ahead and say it: That blows.

DMACC has the same chances of getting voted in by the Presidents as a few of those schools.

 

[snowcraig2.0]

Worst scenario ever.

 

[everyyard]

This is silly.

 

[captain7cf]

I think you go to 14... BYU plus Big East teams... Add 5... BYU Cincy Lville Pitt and WVU..

play 6 in division and 2 cross over.. or if you want to keep 9 conference games 6 in division 1 protected and 2 additional cross over...

By leaving 2 spots open you leave yourself flexibility and options for the future... Because if you basically kill Big East football then the conference may collapse causing ND to look for a new home for Olympic sports and maybe all sports then..

On top of FB could you imagine adding those schools for basketball??

 

[Sammy11]

We have to expand our market reach. I love SMU, UH, Rice, and TCU on the schedule more than anyone here but they make zero sense for a league that already has UT, Tech, and BU.

If we are going for non-aqs

Instead of up and coming SMU or UH take up and coming SDSU or UCF. Boise is a great team but so was Marshall 10 years ago and look at them now.

Best move right now if we cant land ND is to get BYU in the fold and let our 10 wait for the BE's teams to come into the crosshairs.

 

[isukendall]

We have to expand our market reach. I love SMU, UH, Rice, and TCU on the schedule more than anyone here but they make zero sense for a league that already has UT, Tech, and BU.

If we are going for non-aqs

Instead of up and coming SMU or UH take up and coming SDSU or UCF. Boise is a great team but so was Marshall 10 years ago and look at them now.

Best move right now if we cant land ND is to get BYU in the fold and let our 10 wait for the BE's teams to come into the crosshairs.

This post is a microcosm of what is going on right now that I don't get. Not sure if SDSU is San Diego State or South Dakota State, but either way you're on a board for a school in Iowa talking about absorbing schools from different coasts into your conference. It just doesn't make sense. It would be like Pac 12 talking about adding Notre Dame, or SEC adding BYU. Obviously the geography thing has (somewhat) thrown itself out the door, but that just seems unreasonable. I wish these talks would be put to rest. If we do add someone, I hope it's someone that makes sense geographically for the fans also, not just for TVs.

 

[HFCS]

I think you go to 14... BYU plus Big East teams... Add 5... BYU Cincy Lville Pitt and WVU..

play 6 in division and 2 cross over.. or if you want to keep 9 conference games 6 in division 1 protected and 2 additional cross over...

By leaving 2 spots open you leave yourself flexibility and options for the future... Because if you basically kill Big East football then the conference may collapse causing ND to look for a new home for Olympic sports and maybe all sports then..

On top of FB could you imagine adding those schools for basketball??

This is obviously what you do if the Big 12 had an aggressive AD like the PAC 12 or Big Ten whose main goal is for the league to prosper and dominate other conferences.

I think Beebe wants to protect UT's interests and little else. UT would bleed the conference dry and if it dies, they're fine with an invite to other conferences or going independent.

We need to expand. Beebe should have been fired immediately for not replacing Colorado with BYU. IMMEDIATELY. I said so at the time and about half of the board was posting complete denial nonsense about how BYU doesn't add anything. A mountain team left, a mountain team with similar or superior athletic tradition and a much bigger fan base was available and Beebe intentionally chose to not invite them. He's a luddite and we're going nowhere when that's the kind of leadership we have.

BYU was such a no brainer because they were DYING to join a BCS league with Utah going Pac 12. Now we are crossing our fingers they join, they'd have JOINED FOR SURE if we had simply done what was best for the entire league in the first place and asked them to replace CU immediately.

We should already be a ten team conference with A&M leaving. We'd be looking to move to 12 from a place of strength rather than weakness. 4 Big East teams would be more likely to join us if we had major teams coming on board instead of just leaving.