I doubt very much the Big Ten would ever invite OU. Ain't gonna happen with or without OK State. They would grab UT in a minute but refuse to offer special privileges. This is why Notre Dame isn't in the Big Ten now. I also don't see why ND would leave the ACC, who seems to have granted their every wish. That's a better situation for them than some messy conference UT & OU try to cobble together post-Big 12. My wild guess is UT & OU stay married forever. If the Big 12 actually dissolves, I bet they go to the SEC.
UT & OU/OKST will definitely stay married. Big 12 should have 2-4 relegation eligible spots (current 10 spots are guaranteed). Make the AAC the designated minor league. It'd immediately make the Big 12 fun to follow again, it'd boost the AAC. It still wouldn't stop schools like UH from being butthurt about not being in the conference full-time, it wouldn't stop other conferences from poaching them, but it'd be FUN.
BIG 12 EXPANSION IS STILL MUDDLED, BUT OKLAHOMA'S TREND TO STATUS QUO COULD RENDER PROCESS AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY
Sounds like Boren has been playing the Big 12 and in all honesty, he's probably been the smartest guy in all of this. The conference made a mistake by picking WV over Louisville and if I were Boren, I'd still be pissed. Now you could argue that Louisville would've chosen the ACC over the Big 12 anyways but who knows. This time around, if you're not getting the guy you want, look out for yourself and start working out deals. They are a take in pretty much every conference even with Ok. St. having to tag along. Some conferences are less likely but they'll get in.
Boren reversing course on Big 12 expansion isn't good news for Houston and Herman. You'd have to assume he'll start looking around now if Houston gets left out.
From what I've read, this is not really related to whether Houston gets in. Rather, Boren has been backing BYU with Texas backing Cincinnati for that 2nd spot. BYU does not seem likely and expansion wasn't likely without consensus on the teams.
Just seeing this post but the ACC just extended their GOR through 2035-2036 so ND can't leave (all non-football sports). And if ND football ever joins a conference, they'll also be contractually obligated to the ACC. As far as UT/OU, if UT/A&M can break up, so can they IMO. I don't think it'd be this messy breakup where they'd refuse to play each other and an annual match up could easily scheduled.
I don't know why people think OU and UT have to be in the same conference. It was a rivalry that was played for years despite them being in seperate conferences, something like 60+ years.
College football is so screwed up. Is it too much to ask for people and schools to do what's best for the students, the fans and the game? I guess it is. There shouldn't be have and have nots in FBS college football. I think the best solution would be a real playoff system for FBS football, simular to what the other NCAA divisions have. There needs to be a clear path to a national championship for all teams. If you win your conference then you are in the playoffs. As it stands now, if you aren't in a P5 conference then it is extremely difficult to win a championship. Not impossible, but very very difficult. The big schools in the major conferences will always make the most money. But there should be some equality among all FBS schools that seems to be lacking at this time. It's like there are two divisions in FBS football. The P5 schools and non-P5 schools. Is this really what the NCAA wants?
Because the powers-at-be want it that way. $$$$ They have a ton more bargaining power together than they do apart.
Very true but I don't think either would like to take up a non-conference spot on that game when they can do it in conference which are games you have to play anyway. I'd rather not be tied to any team in an annual non-conference game. Are you David Boren?
I still feel like they should expand by 4, and try to poach for the other 2 some schools from another power conference. Eg. UCLA. And Florida. Something like that. Which I know would be virtually impossible, but just saying!
No thanks. You could have USC or ND put a streak together and end up winning everything like the 9-7 Giants did. Why not take all the have nots and put them in a lower league. Same reason Topeka, Kansas doesn't have an NFL team
I'm not really surprised or discouraged to see anybody who has been pro expansion backpeddle. I think this has happened with almost every instance of conference realignment. You try to be diplomatic and discrete. Keep people guessing and maintain your leverage. Seems normal to me.
Can't say I'm surprised, but TCU is likely to vote against expansion. http://www.frogsowar.com/2016/9/29/13101610/source-tcu-likely-to-vote-no-on-big-12-expansion
I've liked this idea for a while. Something like Arizona and Arizona State, or Colorado and Colorado State
Nobody is leaving another P5 conference for a Big 12 conference that will probably collapse in the next decade or so.