Why did only 4 teams from the SWC join the Big 8? What was the reason for leaving TCU and Houston out? I can see SMU with their issues at the time as well as well as Rice due to size.
Looking Back at the Big 8-SWC Merger
- Thread starter kingcy
- Start date
12 was big at the time, and unfortunately that merger was pretty much the beginning of the end for any historical rivalries and our conference.
It was what the Big 8 had to do to poach UT and TAMU from the Southworst conference. That conference was garbage, had bad attendance and couldn't get squat for a TV deal. Yet here we are with lots of people advocating for trying to recreate that mess.
Why was the Conference so bad at the time? Why couldn't they get a TV deal? All we hear about today is the talent in the state of Texas and how valuable Texas is? Has being in the Big 12 made Texas worth that much more?
Didn't it collapse because they were all always being punished for rampant cheating and they kept declining?
The Big 8 needed UT and A&M as much as they needed us. They were both flirting with the SEC and Texas was flirting with the Pac 10 all the way back then.
Regardless, the consolidation of powerful teams for increased TV revenues had already begun and UT/A&M were able to cut some of the dead weight.
Regardless, the consolidation of powerful teams for increased TV revenues had already begun and UT/A&M were able to cut some of the dead weight.
Arkansas jumping ship for the SEC (and its expanding TV presence) meant that the SWC was located entirely within the state of Texas. Combine that with the ongoing NCAA issues (2/3 of the league had NCAA violations in the 80s, and SMU had just come off probation in 1990), and the SWC was dead in the water.
The Big Eight still had pretty good football, but the influence of TV left the league behind.
As for the initial makeup of the league, Baylor and Tech got in over the others mostly because of politics. Texas' governor at the time was a BU grad.
The Big Eight still had pretty good football, but the influence of TV left the league behind.
As for the initial makeup of the league, Baylor and Tech got in over the others mostly because of politics. Texas' governor at the time was a BU grad.
Tech seems like an obvious 3rd choice, but both Baylor and TCU were down at the time, TCU was way down, and Baylor had an alum for Governor.
There wasn't an obvious 4th choice at that time. In hindsight, Houston would have been the right call.
There wasn't an obvious 4th choice at that time. In hindsight, Houston would have been the right call.
If I could get past my disdain for the schools that have left, my dream conference would be 10 schools from the Big 8 and SWC.
Nebraska
Kansas
KState
ISU
Mizzou
Arkansas
OU
Okie State
Texas
A&M
Nebraska
Kansas
KState
ISU
Mizzou
Arkansas
OU
Okie State
Texas
A&M
Former K-State president, Jon Wefald, wrote a book about his tenure in Manhattan including formation of the Big 12.
Wefald was Chairman of the Association of Big Eight schools in 1990, when the college sports landscape started trembling. Over the next couple of years, the Big Ten, Southeastern and Atlantic Coast conferences expanded. The Southwest Conference was wobbling and the Big Eight needed to change or would be left behind.
Initially, Wefald talked about a merger of the 16 schools. But on a conference call in February 1994, Wefald recalled then-Texas president Bob Berdahl shaping the league. “’Here is what we decided,’” Wefald quoted Berdahl. “’We encourage the Big 8 Conference to invite Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Baylor and Texas to form a new conference.’”
Wefald: “For four years, I had hoped we could convince Texas to join the Big 8. I did not want to ask Bob Berdahl any questions about the fate of Rice, Houston, SMU and TCU. I knew there was only one difference between K-State and them: we were in the Big 8.” KCStar
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/campus-corner/article79794447.html#storylink=cpy
The conference sucked because of NCAA problems and couldn't get a TV deal because the teams weren't that good and were clustered geographically. UT was a big brand, but was pretty mediocre for a long stretch. I'd compare it to Nebraska football right now. Great history, decent team but losing its luster nationally.
Ideally the big 8 could've just poached A&M and UT at the time, but as others mentioned, that didn't happen for political reasons.
It is interesting to look back at the early days and see how much better the North was. Neb was the best program in the country, CU was only 3 or 4 years removed from a national title, KSU was a top 10 team and even KU with Mason was very good. Meanwhile OU and UT were mediocre, OSU was bad, Baylor was horrendous. Only A&M was good.
Ideally the big 8 could've just poached A&M and UT at the time, but as others mentioned, that didn't happen for political reasons.
It is interesting to look back at the early days and see how much better the North was. Neb was the best program in the country, CU was only 3 or 4 years removed from a national title, KSU was a top 10 team and even KU with Mason was very good. Meanwhile OU and UT were mediocre, OSU was bad, Baylor was horrendous. Only A&M was good.
Yes! I wish we could have gotten Arkansas before they bailed.
Think about how it might have helped the conference to have the school and program Jerry Jones played for in the conference.
And I know its all about football now but (minus Nebraska) that would be have been a great basketball league too.
There was no conference bigger than 12 in 1994 (when the Big 12 was first announced).
SEC went to 12 in 1992 (Ark and SCar).
B1G went to 11 in 1993 (PSU).
Pac-10 still had 10.
WAC had 10 -- they didn't balloon to 16 until 1996, and then split in 1999 with half the league forming the Mountain West.
ACC went to 9 in 1992 (FSU).
Big East formed in 1991 with 8 teams.
SWC was left with 8 after Ark departure.
Big Eight had 8.
