I don't understand why some people think that ISU, KSU, and TTU, all larger public schools, will be left out, but Boston College, Wake Forest, and Vanderbilt will fly through. Big 12 has a better financial situation than the ACC.
I don't know for sure, but I would not be surprised if the Big 12 schools total tier 3 revenue is significantly more than the ACC will make on their network.
Because after the ACC got promises their TV network (remains to be seen how legitimate that is), their conference stabilized. At that point it means only the Big 12 is left unstable. Which means unless there is total realignment across the board it's only Big 12 schools that are vulnerable.
First, Vanderbilt is SEC, so unless the whole NCAA is blown up they have nothing to worry about. In a conference full of academic shame, they are a bright spot. They are the equivalent to the homely girl that is accepted to a sorority because it boosts the sorority's GPA.
Boston College and Wake Forest belong to the ACC, and as I just got done saying, unless that brand new conference network promise falls through, the ACC isn't going anywhere so they have nothing to worry about.
So bottom line is it comes down to the Big 12. Texas and Oklahoma can go pretty much wherever they want. Kansas, unless the state government tethers K-State to them, likely has little to worry about, either.
Baylor, with its recent scandal which has sports stations across the nation mocking them, may have waysided themselves.
TCU has limited options - as in they're hoping and praying the ACC wants them. Otherwise it was a short return to relevance. The Pac-12 doesn't want religious schools, the Big 10 scoffs at their academics, and the SEC already has A&M. Doesn't look good for them.
OSU has academic issues but Pickens money. If they can't tether themselves to OU to get into the SEC the Pac 12 may overlook the academics.
TT is kind of in the same boat as OSU, but without Pickens money and worse academics. They will have a harder time.
K-State is in an even worse position than TT because they're in Kansas and they're academics are bad. They are more likely to get KU left out of the equation if the Kansas government tethers them than they are likely to be picked up somewhere.
West Virginia is just screwed. If the ACC or SEC wanted them, they'd be there already instead of in the Big 12. I think they're getting a raw deal in this.
Then there's us. While the media scoffs at us (and a good chunk of our fans are brainwashed by it), I think the decision-makers and the fans know better. When the Big 10 can't pull in Texas or Oklahoma because neither school wants to play outdoor games in Minneapolis, Lincoln, Iowa City, or Madison in November (considering neither school will play in Ames under such circumstances), where else are they going to go? In spite of what happened with Nebraska, academics matter with the Big 10, and if you take Texas and OU out of the equation that pretty much leaves us and KU. The Big 10 will not be taking K-State or WVU. Not to mention I've had numerous U of M, MSU, and OSU fans in the Detroit metro tell me that ISU should be part of the Big 10 (never mind what that ****head radio host Mike Valenti here has to say, considering he is 100% convinced Texas and OU will belong to the Big 10 within 5 years).
But say the Big 10 doesn't happen - go look at my Pac 12 post from above.
And if that doesn't happen, then suddenly the ACC and SEC schools are running out of decent options.
ISU is going to be just fine - we have too much to offer. You all need to stop being brainwashed by the media.
