***Official Big 12 Expansion Thread '16***

[clones6421]

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...ws-list-expansion-candidates-least-12-schools

Not sure if this is posted, but kind of surprised Boise State didn't even make top 12

 

[Cydwinder]

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...ws-list-expansion-candidates-least-12-schools

Not sure if this is posted, but kind of surprised Boise State didn't even make top 12

The main take away I got from that article is that ESPN writers don't do math well.
If almost 2 dozen teams apply (less than 24) and 12 teams remain, that is closer to one half, not one third.

 

[cykadelic2]

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...ws-list-expansion-candidates-least-12-schools

Not sure if this is posted, but kind of surprised Boise State didn't even make top 12

Should not be surprised by the omission of BSU as well as ESPN's inability to confirm Memphis. The academic profiles of both are very likely big turnoffs to B12 Presidents.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

So the schools that might still be considered are:

Air Force
BYU
UCF
Cincinnati
Colorado State
UConn
Houston
Memphis
Rice
USF
SMU
Temple
Tulane

I think this suggests more of an emphasis on academics than some have thought. There are only three Group of Five schools that are AAU members, and Rice and Tulane are two of them (Buffalo is the 3rd). They don't have particularly strong athletic histories to speak of, so for them to make the cut could mean this is mattering to the presidents.

Carnegie I research status is another academic factor, and UCF, Cincinnati, Colorado State, UConn, Houston, USF, and Temple are members along with the two AAU schools.

So that leaves Air Force, BYU, Memphis, and SMU as schools on the list without one of these academic distinctions. Air Force, BYU, and SMU are still respected institutions in their own right. Memphis... well, if the Big 12 chooses Memphis, then maybe academics really don't matter at all in expansion.

But no one has been able to confirm that Memphis even made the cut, which would be a surprise. If Memphis really missed the cut, then I think that is another piece of evidence in favor of the presidents thinking about the academic profile of the schools they want to add.

 

[KnappShack]

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...ws-list-expansion-candidates-least-12-schools

Not sure if this is posted, but kind of surprised Boise State didn't even make top 12

Rice, SMU and Temple???

Goddam this is weak

 

[HoopsTournament]

The main take away I got from that article is that ESPN writers don't do math well.
If almost 2 dozen teams apply (less than 24) and 12 teams remain, that is closer to one half, not one third.

Actually their math is just fine. 20 teams with 7 cut is 35%. Much closer to a third than a half. (Note: they said they did not know about Memphis, so they weren't considered cut)

 

[cyclones500]

Air Force
BYU
UCF
Cincinnati
Colorado State
UConn
Houston
Memphis
Rice
USF
SMU
Temple
Tulane

Using that list, for discussion we could rank our order of preference among the “Big 13.” (Or reduce it to top 5, if you prefer.) I'll put one together, as I'm wont to do.

 

[cyclones500]

My rank of preference:
1. BYU
2. Cincinnati
3. UConn
4. Houston
5. Colorado State
6. Tulane
7. UCF
8. Memphis
9. South Florida
10. SMU
11. Temple
12. Air Force
13. Rice
Anything after about 8th is interchangeable. SMU could rank higher, but if UH is added (probability), another Texas school makes it even more like The New Southwest Conference. As a wild card, I’m more intrigued by Tulane than most people.

 

[Cydkar]

But how many of those 17 chose us over OU or another school that competes for championships?

Aren't we trying to change this? Was Campbell hired to wave a white flag to mighty OU and other powers? I'll hang up and listen.

 

[colbycheese]

Rank of preference for expansion:
1. Cincinnati
2. Colorado State
3. UConn
4. Tulane
5. Houston

My preferred and pretty much impossible conference membership would be the original Big 8 and nobody from Texas.

 

[boone7247]

So the schools that might still be considered are:

Air Force
BYU
UCF
Cincinnati
Colorado State
UConn
Houston
Memphis
Rice
USF
SMU
Temple
Tulane

I think this suggests more of an emphasis on academics than some have thought. There are only three Group of Five schools that are AAU members, and Rice and Tulane are two of them (Buffalo is the 3rd). They don't have particularly strong athletic histories to speak of, so for them to make the cut could mean this is mattering to the presidents.

Carnegie I research status is another academic factor, and UCF, Cincinnati, Colorado State, UConn, Houston, USF, and Temple are members along with the two AAU schools.

So that leaves Air Force, BYU, Memphis, and SMU as schools on the list without one of these academic distinctions. Air Force, BYU, and SMU are still respected institutions in their own right. Memphis... well, if the Big 12 chooses Memphis, then maybe academics really don't matter at all in expansion.

But no one has been able to confirm that Memphis even made the cut, which would be a surprise. If Memphis really missed the cut, then I think that is another piece of evidence in favor of the presidents thinking about the academic profile of the schools they want to add.

To me this list tells me the B12 has decided what they are doing yet. Adding 2 or 4 teams or not expanding are still very much on the table. The fact that the majority of them are the more academic of the options tells me the Presidents have heavy weight in this and it isn't the presidents being the ADs puppets.

 

[acgclone]

To me this list tells me the B12 has decided what they are doing yet. Adding 2 or 4 teams or not expanding are still very much on the table. The fact that the majority of them are the more academic of the options tells me the Presidents have heavy weight in this and it isn't the presidents being the ADs puppets.

If the presidents focus on academics we will be left out in a few years because all this realignment is 95% caused by chasing athletic dollars.

 

[Gunnerclone]

I think we're staying as is and getting a nice new TV deal. We have to go through the process to keep our game tight though. Probably get a GOr extension but not for as long as people want but I don't see why that matters everything could and probably will blow up before 2060 or whenever people want the new GOR time frame to be.

 

[dafarmer]

Nothing to add to all the speculation. Just trying to get to 1000 posts so CW can give out Prizes on the 1000 post winner. Heard it was a new cardinal and gold pick-up!

 

[Doc]

If the presidents focus on academics we will be left out in a few years because all this realignment is 95% caused by chasing athletic dollars.

I haven't put much thought into realignment ever, but sometimes it's not a bad idea to fade the herd.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

If the presidents focus on academics we will be left out in a few years because all this realignment is 95% caused by chasing athletic dollars.

If UConn was AAU, they'd be in the Big Ten right now and Rutgers wouldn't.

 

[cykadelic2]

But no one has been able to confirm that Memphis even made the cut, which would be a surprise. If Memphis really missed the cut, then I think that is another piece of evidence in favor of the presidents thinking about the academic profile of the schools they want to add.

 

[ShopTalk]

Cautious Optimism should be a 300 level course at Iowa State

They did but had to drop the course. Everyone started out so gung ho, but no one stayed through finals.

 

[CYCLNST8]

As I've been saying all along: do not underestimate Colorado State's appeal to our conference presidents. I have a feeling they're the under-the-radar school Jamie was referring to. If we expand to 14, they may be the last one in:

BYU
Houston
Cincinnati
Colorado State

UConn's travel distance and lack of football success are big hurdles. They belong in the Big East.

 

[cyfanatic]

As I've been saying all along: do not underestimate Colorado State's appeal to our conference presidents. I have a feeling they're the under-the-radar school Jamie was referring to. If we expand to 14, they may be the last one in:

BYU
Houston
Cincinnati
Colorado State

UConn's travel distance and lack of football success are big hurdles. They belong in the Big East.

I would love to see Colorado State in...seems like a fresh name to the mix...I know the name has been bandied about but it seems fresh unlike the choices from the east that feel way played out.