Here we go: A&M gone, now what for OU?
CAMPUS CORNER — Last night, during his weekly radio show, Sooners coach Bob Stoops said it was “inevitable” that Texas A&M would leave the Big 12 (presumably for the SEC). He was on top of that one.
Twelve or so hours later, A&M did officially hand in its letter of conference resignation, making it a free agent and distancing itself from hated Texas. As you know, that creates a sense of chaos in the Big 12 – THREE days before the start of the 2011 season.
Football will still be football this fall, for sure, but a cloud called uncertainty will be hovering just over the edge of Big 12 stadiums.
Can this league survive? Heavy hitters, voices you would trust, don’t think so – or, at best, they are not sure.
Stoops said he would like to see Notre Dame in the Big 12. But Notre Dame doesn’t see Notre Dame in the Big 12.
BYU, Houston and SMU are the names that have been floated most for the vacancy Texas A&M will open. But does that actually save the league? Or just provide a stay of execution?
One columnist in Salt Lake thinks BYU should run with arms wide open toward the Big 12, because of the hit its schedule has taken as an independent.
Maybe TCU isn’t out of the question, even though the Frogs are set to move next year to the Big East, already a qualifying league.
What is out of the question at this juncture?
I’ve asked, and I’m not sure if we’ll hear today from OU AD Joe Castiglione or prez David Boren. I hope so. I’d like to hear their thoughts. I’m sure you would, too, and it would be nice to know what OU’s statement and message is moving forward.
Is it … “We’re committed to saving the Big 12, etc.”? Or is it … “We’ll continue to examine whatever is best for our university and its athletic teams”?
Those are very different sentiments, no?
Why isn’t OU doing more, being more vocal and proactive? That’s been the concern for some of you. Well, we’re told the administration is doing more behind the scenes than you might realize. Just because it has not been as vocal as some other schools doesn’t mean it’s sitting around waiting for Texas to tell it what to do. That’s what we’ve been told privately.
Stoops hinted at that last night: “I feel our administration knows we have a strong hand to play.”
Stoops didn’t mean that for any particular outcome or decision, but rather OU realizing it has a lot of tradition and history to protect and use as leverage for any potential move or choice.
These are strange times on the conference landscape, for sure. Thanks, Texas.
= Trav
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Comments
Umm yeah. We need to go west. The metaphoric dust bowl has arrived. It’s time to leave unfortunately.
I have had two sources tell me the OU board of regents have directed President Boren to get us to the Pac 12.
I know what I said above is farfetched. But if we move, I would prefer the Big 10. Revive the Nebraska rivalry.
I predict this move to not just change the Big 12… but all of college athletics from DI to DIII. There goes the Big 12.
Iowa is an AAU school. There is NO WAY in HE!! Iowa would join a conference that had not AAU mandate. You are talking about millions in research money.
Additionally why in the world would Iowa leave the big 10 for a horrible Revenue sharing position. Sorry Big 12 you are a dead horse. Time to moveon.
OU can have the pick of whatever conference they want, provided they do not insist on bringing OSU with them.
The Big Ten doesn’t want OSU because of their shoddy academics, and the SEC is not interested in OSU either.
The Pac 12 is interested in both, so OU’s only options at this point are:
a new Big 12 which replaces A&M with BYU, or
Pac-12, or
a new 16-team conference combining Big 12, Big East, and ACC football schools
If Texas has caused all this stinkin mess in the Big XII, why is OU even remotely thinking of going anywhere with them? Recruiting! Go West to the Pacific, and OU needs Texas to go with them so the recruiting base of Oklahoma in Texas is not disturbed. OU joins the SEC and no longer needs to be concerned about what the Cows ever do again! Real players will always want to play for the Sooners in the greatest football conference the SEC.
Big 12 is DUNZO. It will succumb to a 16 team Pac-12, B1G, and SEC, and ACC. There really are very few logical choices that will help the Big12. ND- not going to happen I don’t think the academic reputation (on the surface) for ND, TCU (I don’t think they have the academic reputation to really fit the Big 12 are the main ones. I see UT, OK, OSU, AND Baylor heading to the P-12, KU, KSU, Mizzou, and maybe ISU (if ND doesn’t make a move) going to the B1G, then aTm, TT to the SEC which is where it gets interesting. I think the SEC hits up the BE for Louisville and maybe USF OR they go after the ACC for a FSU, Miami or Clemson combo. Leaving the ACC to raid the BE for 6 teams/4 if the SEC takes from the BE.
BYU isn’t the answer. Notre Dame would be a good answer. But not realistic. They want to maintain their independence in football. It’s time for the Big East to play their hand and tell Notre Dame they are all in or all out. Only then will Notre Dame give up their football independence. And even that doesn’t mean they’d join the Big 12.
Sulfide–Your sources. AHAHAHAHAHAHA You are a troll and if “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” were played trying to connect you to an actual source at OU, it would be impossible. Heck, it would be impossible if you changed the game to “489 degrees of Kevin Bacon”. Seeing them on television does not count, nor does it count when they walk past you as you are stocking shelves at Walmart. The fact your in-laws mop the floors at the LNC is hardly a source. You know nothing, and even your opinions are hackneyed, inane tripe.
If the big 12 does not expand and officially crumbles. Here’s what happens.
1. Espn losses everything they have invested in the longhorn network.
2. superconfernces will become a reality forcing Notre Dame to choose once and for all to join or not join.
3. depending if ND joins or not I believe the big 10 will expand to 16 regardless. Taking 4 of the following teams. ND, Pitt – for penn st rivalry, Oklahoma,Missouri, for nebraska rivalry and possibly Oklahoma state. depends if OU would leave the cowboys behind or not and if ND joins.
4. I really don’t see OU going pac. but Texas may be forced to and it would be the only way the whorn network survives by becoming a pac 12 regional network.
5. Pac will struggle to get up to 16 but will probably get UT, TTU, Boise, and perhaps BYU or TCU
Kansas, Kansas state, Iowa state will go big east, possibly missouri if they fail to get a big 10 invite. making the big east a powerhouse basketball conference and a mediocre football conference but just enough to justify the automatic bowl birth.
I have seen numerous comments along the lines of suggesting Texas goes to the Pac 12 and FSU to the SEC. While UT+OU+OSU+TT to the Pac sounds reasonable, it won’t happen. *TV* is the thing driving all of this.
UT won’t, and couldn’t if they wanted to, go anywhere. Any conference would be a fool to accept UT as a member with the LHN deal intact. Their two options are sticking with a patched up Big12 (unlikely) or going independent.
OU+OSU to the Pac 12 sounds plausible, but no one (Big 10, SEC) wants OSU. OU by itself delivers the Oklahoma market and tradition. Sorry OSU. The Pac 12 would be a best case scenario for them.
OU can have it’s pick of the Pac 12, Big 10, or SEC. Stoops is right about the strong hand. SEC would be best pick for prestige and travel costs, but Oklahomans seem resistant to it. They like the Pac but the travel time, cost, and time zone would be awful.
The SEC won’t invite FSU, Miami, USF, Clemson, Ga Tech, Louisville. The SEC is at war with the Big 10 for TV markets. None of those schools deliver any more market share than the current SEC membership. If I were the SEC, I’d pick A&M (check), OU, North Carolina and Virginia. UVa would give them a foothold in the DC market along with solid academics and a doormat with a name to balance out the footballing prowess of A&M and OU. Notre Dame would also be a slam dunk for them, if they could get them. UNC would be a natural fit, and would deliver a lot of eyeballs in addition to giving SEC basketball credibility. FSU could sneak in, but only if they are looking to fill the last spot.
Missouri seems like a logical choice for the SEC, but Mizzou doesn’t really deliver the StL or KC markets, because Missourians don’t follow UM sports in big enough numbers and UM lacks tradition. The Big 10 realized this, which is why they aren’t a member and not likely to be soon. KU actually delivers the western Missouri market more than Mizzou does. They should consider themselves very lucky if they get into the SEC or Big 10.
The Big 10 would be wise to prevent the SEC from expanding northward. ND will always have a spot reserved, but they should consider one of Virginia/Maryland/VT and also UNC for the TV sets. PSU already delivers Penn, so Pitt is out; similar deal for Iowa State. WVU doesn’t have the academics or eyeballs. Syracuse or Rutgers might be a fallback position, as neither of those schools truly deliver much from the NYC market. Boston College might make sense for the market and as a lure for ND. OU and/or Texas (if they axe the LHN) would be good picks for them. KU might have a shot over Syracuse, Rutgers, and Mizzou.
The Pac 12 will not expand unless they can get at least one of OU, Texas, or Notre Dame. KU, OSU, TCU/TT, and BYU will fight it out for the remaining spots.
Mizzou, ISU, Baylor, and K-State will form a new super, er, subpar conference with the remaining detritus from the other minor conferences. OSU, TT, and KU might be among them.
Stop the madness OU and just call up Mike Slive of the SEC and say, “we’re coming, thanks.” All the dang drama will be over for the Sooners and we can get back to what we do best, football! OU doesn’t need anyone to make the next move. That comes from being named the best football program in America for the last 60 years. OU is a natural fit for the SEC, not some wacky conference spread out all over the western U.S. It was just a few years ago that Stoops said he might not ever play another Pac 10 team because of the junior high officiating. Apologies to junior high officials.
Travis, first, welcome to Oklahoma. What needs to happen after A&M leaves is a collapse of the Big 12 and the formation of the super conferences. I also believe this would ultimately result in an improved post season format.
That’s not what I think will happen though — There will be too much pressure from the conference, Texas and the networks to find a replacement team and leave the conference in tact. Unfortunately, this replacement team will be far inferior to OU and ut and little influence which means the new 10 team league will live in harmony for an extended period of time. The Big 12 will slowly fall further and further away from relevance creating a much more difficult path to the NC game.
All of this also has a greater impact on the entire college football environment as no other conference expands at this time and nothing is done to improve the post season.
As a Sooner fan, I think we will look back on this in 5-10 years and regret the situation we are in.
Sooner fans I feel sorry for you. Seriously, I want you guys to find a great conference to call home after all this blows over.
As a Husker fan, I have even emailed and hand written a letter to the OU’s Athletic Department and university president. asking them to apply for big 10 membership. I urge you the OU fanbase to do the same.
You guys belong in the big 10 with us. Not in the mediocre pac 12. I mean face it your going to be stuck playing CU, Ast, Arizona, ucla, usc. thats fine but you know deep down those are not good matchups except perhaps usc. but even then OU has midwestern values not west coast values you are a perfect fit for the Big 10.
So please write your school and ask for them to join the Big 10 with Nebraska. I have also written to Missouri and oklahoma state urging them to do the same. leave texas behind and let them go pac almost the only place they can go besides independence.
I agree with Big Red. The Big Ten is the most prestigious academically of the 3 options, offers a path to the national championship, and offers some great football matchups to boot. In retrospect, OU should have never aligned itself with Texas if it was at the expense of separating from our twin school Nebraska. I say join the Big Ten, and try to get Missouri and Kansas to go with us. With OU in the Big Ten we will still have the inside track on recruiting Texas high schools compared to our conference competition. This was always a key to our success in the old Big Eight.
If OU does not go WITH 3+ current BIGXII teams then the SEC is the ONLY logical choice. NU has already traded the BIGXII and it’s geographical convenience for 700+ mile road trips for EVERY away game. For OU it would be far worse and even more so for the PAC. It ONLY makes sense for OU if their are enough regional games to play. I don’t see the OU faithful making 3-4 1000+ mile treks every season for too long. At least in the SEC we could probably maintain 300 miles or less average with an occasional trip to Florida, GA, SC.
I totally agree that it only makes sense to join the Big Ten if KU and MU joins along. OSU is certainly welcome but I don’t think the Big Ten would accept OSU. It seems iffy that the Big Ten would even take OU, MU, and KU but my logic is that if Nebraska and Iowa are Big Ten material, then these schools are too. These 5 state universities are essentially the same school. Yes there are rankings but in the big picture this is splitting hairs.
Likewise the Pac-16 only made sense if OU could have gone along with Texas, Tech, OSU, and A&M. That did not happen and therefore I am against OU in the Pac 16 if only OSU and Tech joins.
The SEC is good ‘fallback’ option if the Big Ten group thing does not work out. OU could join the SEC alone (or with OSU)and still have good matchups with Arkansas and A&M.
Atlheff if you went big 10, think about it. you have 2 games right now that are close. Lincoln and Iowa city. So right there road trips would not be to bad. If mizzou, Okst, and even a KU went big 10. then you got 2 more teams that would be close road trips.
I see a 16 team big 10, 2 divisions being, Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri, Minnesota, Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State. That is an awesome division. Followed with Ohio St, Penn St, ND,Wisconsin,Pitt, Illiois, Indiana, Purdue.
But if ok state followed. they would probably be in the same divison as OU and NE. so you have 3 or 4 old big 8 schools in the big 10. not to shabby and close road trips
Please, Please, leave ut alone!!! Play them in the nonconference schedule but PLEASE leave them alone!!!
Go to the SEC or Big-10…and take OSU with us.
So you guys are happy with UT being an Independent like Notre Dame – possibly being coveted for membership by every conference and making tons of bucks with their own network? What happened to the “Sooner Network” plans? I thought OU wanted one too?
BigRedHusker: I’d put the Michigan schools in the eastern division for geographical reasons. Big Ten West would be: Oklahoma, Nebraska, Mizzou, Kansas, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois. Look at the Big Ten map, this would not be too bad. http://frankthetank.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/big-ten-map-expansion-usa.png
The Pac 16 would create an Oklahoma channel funded by Fox. That’s the deal and that’s where we need to head. Forget UT. Quit waiting on those greedy B’s, who cannot be trusted ever.
Team up with OSU, T. Tech and either KU and let’s Go West, young man!
Ted: the geography of the Pac 16 would be a nightmare. That confernce would have no cohesion just like the failed Big XII. Look at the mileage, it’s crazy:
Pac-16
East Div.
Oklahoma Norman
Oklahoma State 82
Texas Tech 343
Kansas? 332 (or BYU 1115)
Colorado 679
Arizona St 970 (over desert)
Arizona 972 (over desert)
Utah 1206 (over Rockies)
West Div.
USC 1347 (over Rockies)
UCLA 1347 (over Rockies)
Stanford 1623 (over Rockies)
Cal 1641 (over Rockies)
Wash State 1773 (over Rockies)
Oregon 1884 (over Rockies)
Oregon State 1965 (over Rockies)
Washington 2003 (over Rockies)
Now compare it to the Big Ten:
Big Ten
West Div.
Oklahoma
Kansas 332
Nebraska 426
Mizzou 467
Iowa 672
Illinois 688
Minnesota 802
Wisconsin 865
East Div.
Indiana 744
Purdue 792
Northwestern 817
Ohio State 936
Michigan State 1008
Michigan 1029
Penn State 1253
Pitt 1118 (or ND 882)
Ou and OSU will never split….. OSU might be inferior to OU, but OSU brings in 1.5 times more money than OU (its a published fact due to OSU having richer and more donors). OU has already stated they won’t go anywhere without OSU. I think OU and OSU should leave UT behind and look at the Big 10. I don’t think the Big 10 is looking to get bigger because of tradition. Look for the Big XII to get 3 more teams and make a stronger conference by adding BYU, Lousiville, and Pitt.
Calm down big 9 fans all is not lost! ATM is breaking their signed contract with us, so what? They were middle tier at best. We will add byu, tcu and smu next year and be back to The Big 12, better than ever! Don’t panic and jump ship to the PAC where we travel twice as much and twice as far to play Az, Az st, Utah, Co! This new Big 12 will be better than the SEC because we will own the recruits in Texas! Don’t panic folks!
Uh, Rob, I just read a report in the Sporting News and OU was listed as the #9 program nationally as far as athletic budgets go. OSU was no where to be found in the article. Where do you get your facts from?
Welcome to the new Southwest Conference, and don’t forget to add Tulsa to that list.
OU really is in the drivers seat as far as what they want to do but the SEC econinomically seems to make good sense. Not to mention the great tailgating and the best football money can buy. Great rivalries with arky and LSU plus Bama and Auburn would develop and there much closer. Only downfall is if they had to bring okie st. with them. But if theyre forced to drag them along,then the Pac 10 it probably will be.
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Kick Texas out, get aTm to stay, bring in Arkansas, Iowa, and Illinois.