Big 12 Expansion and the Griz

[George Ferguson]

I would like to see proof too that UM officials are in direct conversations with the MWC. Cause I've honestly heard the exact oppoisite. I've been told by a member of the department I trust very much that the MWC has never had a conversation with anyone about UM moving to that league. The WAC was a real thing, yes. The MWC, NO. At least not through November of 2015. Not saying it won't happen in the future. But I'm saying I trust the person who told me it hasn't happened to this point.

 

[Sam A. Blitz]

Houston and BYU would make the most sense to move to the Big 12.

Houston is a flagship research university with a large enrollment. Has had some success in football and other sports. Geographically makes a lot of sense.

BYU is also strong academically and is very well funded. They would also be competitive right away and fit geographically.

Boise State's academics are still going to hinder their ability to move into a power 5. East Carolina, SMU, and Cincinnati are more academic peers and would likely be more attractive than BSU. BSU doesn't have a very strong alumni base either in comparison to lots of the schools mentioned. Academic standing has been key criteria in the past for the Big12, don't imagine that has changed at all...

 

[UTGrizFan]

The Big 12 most likely will only pick up two schools and my money is on Cincinnati and BYU as they are the top two candidates in regards to almost every category. However Colorado State for example is investing a lot of money for a brand new stadium to try and capture the attention of P5 conferences and in a couple years I could see all of the P5 conferences having 14 - 16 teams each. That being said if two schools were to leave the Mountain West (Boise State and CSU for example) I would really like to see Montana and Montana State make the jump as I would love to see them to play Utah State, Wyoming, Nevada, Hawaii ect. every season. A lot of it would have to depend on several things, for one I know for a fact both MSU and Montana's fan base/support of their respective programs is light years ahead of Idaho and NMSU (two other likely candidates to replace the schools that leave) so that would leave television market and what academics could bring to the table.

Though I do wish that we would move up with MSU realistically I don't think the Big 12 will poach any teams out west except for BYU, Cincinnati offers a lot more than Boise State and Colorado State and that's not even mentioning Houston or the other teams that are being considered. Personally I think our best bet would be to form an FBS conference by grandfathering in through the WAC (Idaho forum linked the rules and apparently it's possible) and I think we could form a pretty good conference with the following teams:

Montana
Montana State
NDSU
SDSU
North Dakota
South Dakota
Idaho
EWU
Cal Poly
NAU
NMSU
ISU, Sacramento State, UC Davis (or) UTEP

Probably won't happen but would be pretty cool to see it happen and to Duke it out with the MWC and Pac-12 out west.

 

[SoldierGriz]

Longhorn Network might be too hard to overcome...some chatter about Texasgoing Indy. If that happens, big 12 is over...

 

[Inspector Griz]

I think If Texas hinted at leaving the B12, OL Larry Scott from Pac 12 would be on the phone. Texas and Texas Tech to the Pac-14

 

[kemajic]

I think we could form a pretty good conference with the following teams:

Montana
Montana State
NDSU
SDSU
North Dakota
South Dakota
Idaho
EWU
Cal Poly
NAU
NMSU
ISU, Sacramento State, UC Davis (or) UTEP

ISU, SacSt and UCD can't even compete in the watered-down BSC; get serious.

 

[footballdood]

I think we could form a pretty good conference with the following teams:

Montana
Montana State
NDSU
SDSU
North Dakota
South Dakota
Idaho
EWU
Cal Poly
NAU
NMSU
ISU, Sacramento State, UC Davis (or) UTEP

ISU, SacSt and UCD can't even compete in the watered-down BSC; get serious.

UCD does have a pretty good game day environment and for its size, a nice stadium too. I've heard they would like to go FBS but they don't want to water down their admission standards to compete.

 

[UTGrizFan]

Perhaps Wichita State then as recently they have discussed moving to the MWC and starting a football program if they got in. If they are serious about getting a football team they would be a really good choice.

 

[kemajic]

I think we could form a pretty good conference with the following teams:

Montana
Montana State
NDSU
SDSU
North Dakota
South Dakota
Idaho
EWU
Cal Poly
NAU
NMSU
ISU, Sacramento State, UC Davis (or) UTEP

ISU, SacSt and UCD can't even compete in the watered-down BSC; get serious.

UCD does have a pretty good game day environment and for its size, a nice stadium too. I've heard they would like to go FBS but they don't want to water down their admission standards to compete.

Indeed, an average of 5724 in attendance watching a 2-9 team has to produce a pretty good game day environment for the five home games. Why not FBS.....

 

[UTGrizFan]

http://www.foxsports.com/college-fo...s-to-loom-as-huge-issue-for-conference-050416

Looks like the Big 12 expansion will probably be happening sooner than we realize, according to this article even as early as this summer. It mentions how expanding to a larger number of teams would give the conference an advantage over the Pac-12, this probably means that the Pac-12 will be pressured into expanding as well and the most likely candidates will come from the MWC. The top schools that I could see the Pac-12 looking at if this happens are:

-BSU: If they fixed their academic issues they would be a perfect fit, could still probably get invited if work on academics was promised.
-SDSU: Aztecs are a solid football team in media rich San Diego, work out their facility issues (Qualcomm might shutdown) and they are a perfect fit.
-CSU: Upgrading their facilities as we speak and are close to the Denver Market in regards to media, geographically fit as well.
-Hawaii: With decent academics and a desirable location if the football team can improve back to the Sugar Bowl standards of a few years ago they would be a good fit.

Now if 2 schools are poached from the MWC I really think that the Montanas should take their chance and move up, they could even move up with Idaho and NMSU if the MWC decided it wanted those two teams. Personally I would love to see The Montanas and the Dakota States make the move (however it appears that both of their athletic directors don't want to move out west according to other forums sources) so I will leave them off however it would still be one solid looking conference:

Mountain Division:
-Montana
-Montana State
-Wyoming
-Air Force
-Idaho?
-CSU (or) BSU
-Utah State

West Division:
-Nevada
-UNLV
-SJSU
-Fresno State
-New Mexico
-NMSU?
-Hawaii

 

[TxGriz]

The best an only way for this to work for UM...

If the "Big 5" break into a super division... Top 60-80 Teams.
:thumb:

What it's all really about - what to do with the have nots after the haves have got it all decided. The NFL farm system and the division of "student athletes". My neighbor told me a story about one player the Longhorns wanted. They got the coveted player while suddenly the coveted player's father got a $90,000 a year salary as a janitor.

 

[billings_poke]

better hurry.

Wichita state wants in the MWC

http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaaf/writer/dennis-dodd/25576548/wichita-state-interested-in-joining-mountain-west-may-bring-back-football

 

[XxSpectrexX]

What's the Big 12's motivation for expansion? More ways to slice the pie.

Path to the national championship game requires a conference championship game. That is what the "experts" say. Some feel they need to expand to get this done. Texas and the Longhorn Network is the biggest hurdle. West Virginia wants expansion to be East. Boise/BYU/Colorado State makes the most sense to me.

VWU is the lone wolf of the "Not So Big 12", expansion Eastward would make sense in order to get some recruits from Virginia and Ohio areas as well as bring VWU closer to the fold. The Big 12 is a joke conference anyways, with exception to teams like Baylor, TCU and sometimes Oklahoma they are weak. The longhorns are a comical charade of forlorn history...the thing fables are made of. Mack Brown saw to that... Red McCombs is trying to hold onto yester-year and if Charlie Strong doesn't make it to any other bowl game besides the Alamo-Bowl he'll be on short notice after this season, if not towards the end of it.
As far as the Griz and the MWC... if you wanna talk dismantle and rebuild over a 5 year span sure... but why? Makes absolutely no sense.loss of revenue, fan base and for what? To say we're a low level FBS in a joke of a conference? Please... UT will not slice any pie any further unless they and they alone continue to solely profit from the LHN.

 

[SoldierGriz]

What's the Big 12's motivation for expansion? More ways to slice the pie.

Path to the national championship game requires a conference championship game. That is what the "experts" say. Some feel they need to expand to get this done. Texas and the Longhorn Network is the biggest hurdle. West Virginia wants expansion to be East. Boise/BYU/Colorado State makes the most sense to me.

VWU is the lone wolf of the "Not So Big 12", expansion Eastward would make sense in order to get some recruits from Virginia and Ohio areas as well as bring VWU closer to the fold. The Big 12 is a joke conference anyways, with exception to teams like Baylor, TCU and sometimes Oklahoma they are weak. The longhorns are a comical charade of forlorn history...the thing fables are made of. Mack Brown saw to that... Red McCombs is trying to hold onto yester-year and if Charlie Strong doesn't make it to any other bowl game besides the Alamo-Bowl he'll be on short notice after this season, if not towards the end of it.
As far as the Griz and the MWC... if you wanna talk dismantle and rebuild over a 5 year span sure... but why? Makes absolutely no sense.loss of revenue, fan base and for what? To say we're a low level FBS in a joke of a conference? Please... UT will not slice any pie any further unless they and they alone continue to solely profit from the LHN.

Some saying Texas as Independent is imminent. The LH Network is simply a huge issue, and Texas will not budge on this ----still 14 years on contract with ESPN, which guarantees revenue even as the network loses money for ESPN. Crazy.

If Texas goes...We may go from Power 5 to Power 4. Oklahoma with OK State in tow (they are a package deal), and KU because of basketball principally, will find homes. Honestly, I am not sure about the rest....

Colorado, Missouri, and Texas A&M saw this writing several years ago, and they bailed----perhaps very smartly.

 

[IdaGriz01]

... Some saying Texas as Independent is imminent. The LH Network is simply a huge issue, and Texas will not budge on this ----still 14 years on contract with ESPN, which guarantees revenue even as the network loses money for ESPN. Crazy.

If Texas goes...We may go from Power 5 to Power 4. Oklahoma with OK State in tow (they are a package deal), and KU because of basketball principally, will find homes. Honestly, I am not sure about the rest....

Colorado, Missouri, and Texas A&M saw this writing several years ago, and they bailed----perhaps very smartly.

I do not see the Big-12 falling apart ... but came across some interesting thoughts on a (state of) Texas football blog. (Sorry, I was clicking though Google hits, and went on before this one hit me.) Earlier on this thread, I said the Big-12 would be averse to adding Houston and SMU, even though they look like a natural fit. This guy's (or gal's) thoughts were a bit different: Add those two Texas schools (both of which hate UT, big time) to give them more votes to go on without the Longhorns. Add a Memphis, Southern Miss or whatever, and the Big-12 championship is good to go, no matter what Texas does. Even without the Longhorn network, such a Big-12 would be an attractive package for ESPN (or Fox). In fact, it makes me wonder about the Longhorn contract if UT opts out, or is expelled, from the Big-12. Can the ESPN lawyers find a way out? Hmmm ...

 

[ordigger]

... Some saying Texas as Independent is imminent. The LH Network is simply a huge issue, and Texas will not budge on this ----still 14 years on contract with ESPN, which guarantees revenue even as the network loses money for ESPN. Crazy.

If Texas goes...We may go from Power 5 to Power 4. Oklahoma with OK State in tow (they are a package deal), and KU because of basketball principally, will find homes. Honestly, I am not sure about the rest....

Colorado, Missouri, and Texas A&M saw this writing several years ago, and they bailed----perhaps very smartly.

I do not see the Big-12 falling apart ... but came across some interesting thoughts on a (state of) Texas football blog. (Sorry, I was clicking though Google hits, and went on before this one hit me.) Earlier on this thread, I said the Big-12 would be averse to adding Houston and SMU, even though they look like a natural fit. This guy's (or gal's) thoughts were a bit different: Add those two Texas schools (both of which hate UT, big time) to give them more votes to go on without the Longhorns. Add a Memphis, Southern Miss or whatever, and the Big-12 championship is good to go, no matter what Texas does. Even without the Longhorn network, such a Big-12 would be an attractive package for ESPN (or Fox). In fact, it makes me wonder about the Longhorn contract if UT opts out, or is expelled, from the Big-12. Can the ESPN lawyers find a way out? Hmmm ...

In this day and age the Power 5 conferences should look at expanding to a National presence. Cincinnati and UConn look much more attractive to me. Taking away football, look what the addition of UConn for olympic sports would bring, especially basketball to the Big 12. Why stop at two though? I'd work on BYU and BSU from the western edge.

 

[SoldierGriz]

... Some saying Texas as Independent is imminent. The LH Network is simply a huge issue, and Texas will not budge on this ----still 14 years on contract with ESPN, which guarantees revenue even as the network loses money for ESPN. Crazy.

If Texas goes...We may go from Power 5 to Power 4. Oklahoma with OK State in tow (they are a package deal), and KU because of basketball principally, will find homes. Honestly, I am not sure about the rest....

Colorado, Missouri, and Texas A&M saw this writing several years ago, and they bailed----perhaps very smartly.

I do not see the Big-12 falling apart ... but came across some interesting thoughts on a (state of) Texas football blog. (Sorry, I was clicking though Google hits, and went on before this one hit me.) Earlier on this thread, I said the Big-12 would be averse to adding Houston and SMU, even though they look like a natural fit. This guy's (or gal's) thoughts were a bit different: Add those two Texas schools (both of which hate UT, big time) to give them more votes to go on without the Longhorns. Add a Memphis, Southern Miss or whatever, and the Big-12 championship is good to go, no matter what Texas does. Even without the Longhorn network, such a Big-12 would be an attractive package for ESPN (or Fox). In fact, it makes me wonder about the Longhorn contract if UT opts out, or is expelled, from the Big-12. Can the ESPN lawyers find a way out? Hmmm ...

Yes...Some saying that UT is actually the driving force behind this exact scheme. They WANT to be driven out. They are trying to entice schools that will vote against them. They don't love or want the conference. Same people also saying Texas loves and wants to join PAC-12. If not, independent.

Gotta love the Texas football conspiracies...

 

[AZGrizFan]

What's the Big 12's motivation for expansion? More ways to slice the pie.

Path to the national championship game requires a conference championship game. That is what the "experts" say. Some feel they need to expand to get this done. Texas and the Longhorn Network is the biggest hurdle. West Virginia wants expansion to be East. Boise/BYU/Colorado State makes the most sense to me.

VWU is the lone wolf of the "Not So Big 12", expansion Eastward would make sense in order to get some recruits from Virginia and Ohio areas as well as bring VWU closer to the fold. The Big 12 is a joke conference anyways, with exception to teams like Baylor, TCU and sometimes Oklahoma they are weak. The longhorns are a comical charade of forlorn history...the thing fables are made of. Mack Brown saw to that... Red McCombs is trying to hold onto yester-year and if Charlie Strong doesn't make it to any other bowl game besides the Alamo-Bowl he'll be on short notice after this season, if not towards the end of it.
As far as the Griz and the MWC... if you wanna talk dismantle and rebuild over a 5 year span sure... but why? Makes absolutely no sense.loss of revenue, fan base and for what? To say we're a low level FBS in a joke of a conference? Please... UT will not slice any pie any further unless they and they alone continue to solely profit from the LHN.

Some saying Texas as Independent is imminent. The LH Network is simply a huge issue, and Texas will not budge on this ----still 14 years on contract with ESPN, which guarantees revenue even as the network loses money for ESPN. Crazy.

If Texas goes...We may go from Power 5 to Power 4. Oklahoma with OK State in tow (they are a package deal), and KU because of basketball principally, will find homes. Honestly, I am not sure about the rest....

Colorado, Missouri, and Texas A&M saw this writing several years ago, and they bailed----perhaps very smartly.

Big 12 (even without Texas) and really even without Oklahoma/OSU is STILL a better conference than the ACC. Though I have no idea what West Virginia is doing in the Big 12.