If UT wanted an expansion it'd be happening right now. Apparently they're indifferent. UT runs the conference.
Ohio State swings a pretty big pair of nuts around. Not out of the question to think that they could be ahead of UT/OU, especially in a down year for the Big 12.
I honestly don't think the committee picked tOSU because of the history and prestige but I do think if UT or OU was in Baylor's spot this year the Big 12 would have been like, ummm, UT is the champ, bro. One true Champion. Disney Champion. And based on that might have gotten in.
It was only "down" because OU/UT were not at the top. Not sure how having two teams in the top 6 and three in the top 11 would constitute a down year, other than not having one of those teams in the top 4. I believe there was even one metric released indicating that the Big XII was the best conference this year, but I can't remember who said that. That's kinda my point.
I wasn't saying the Big 12 had a down year, just that it is possible UT/OU could be skipped over in a down year. They're not the only behemoth programs in the country.
Gotcha. Seemed like you were putting the burden on the committee. I don't think it's perfect but I like the committee fine. The Big 12 on the other hand really looked bad running that campaign and not following through.
Let me ask you this. Why isn't UH a part of the big 12? You have "heard" that OU and others want houston. Still not sure from where. What is the reason why UH is not in the big 12?
UH's best chance at Major College Sports again is joining the PAC-12(which won't be expanding any time soon,but have heard rumbling of a PAC-16) or getting in the Big 10 when they finally decide to expand(they have to build facilities for Basketball to get that consideration). ACC could be a long shot to. They just need to stop looking at the BIG 12 as the only option like A&M did.
Pac 12 footprint in Texas, see now that does make sense (for the conference. I think there are logistics problems with the other sports school-wise). Take Tech and Tulsa too.
Oregon would snag even more local Houston talent playing here every 2 years. It would be a recruiting bonanza for them and other Pac 12 teams. Texas Tech is a non-starter and no major conference would want Tulsa under any circumstances.
Figured Tulsa gives them another state. What do you mean non-starter? I don't think Tech is anything special but travel wouldn't be such a burden and the more Big 12 teams that are plundered the happier I am.
The beauty of the arrangement is that a lot of the schools in this group have a lot in common. USC, UCLA, Arizona, UNM, SMU, and UH (not to mention UTEP and UNLV) are all major urban universities from the Southwest. In this situation, Utah moves to the "North" division, so there's very little disruption in the business as usual for the conference. This move would surprise a lot of people, obviously, but it smells a lot like the landgrab that the Big 10 made by adding Maryland/Rutgers. The Pac 12 network needs new markets to sell to, and Houston/DFW are some prime media real estate. It's been said, and verified by some big big donors at UH that the Pac 12 has given us a list of guidelines for inclusion, and that is what sparked this massive athletics improvement campaign. We've met nearly every benchmark, except for tickets.
With a 16 team conference, assuming Oregon and UH aren't in the same division or pod, they only play in Houston once every 8 years or so. Assuming 8 team divisions, you'd play 7 vs your division and 2 against the other. So that's a 4 year rotation, and half the time at home vs away. 4-team pods are a little more complicated, but either way, it wouldn't be very often. It's one of the sucky things about these "super-conferences". The teams not in your division are pretty rare to ever play.
