Uh-Oh, Could Big12 be expanding!?

[uclaw89]

Here's a guy that says this terrible season is getting us out of the Big 12 conversation. I'm not sure how much one bad season can hurt, but we really need to straighten this out and get to a bowl game.

http://www.bcsnn.com/aac/777-cincinn...cu-s-rise.html

This must be why UC is kicking ECU's butt right now.

[longtimefan]

See below, going on ten years of outstanding football. We need to keep promoting ourselves and get somebody to take notice!

Greg Harrell retweeted
Forever Bearcats @ForeverBearcats Nov 15
No joke: #Bearcats FB (@Bearcats_FB) is now 80-33 since 06. 43-19 in conference play. We need to be in PBS to salute our Seniors on 12/6.

[longtimefan]

Right now, the Big 12 is in danger of not getting in the playoff. UC makes sense as an addition because:

1. Adding UC and somebody would enable a championship game giving the winner an extra really good win and increase chances of getting into the playoff.

2. Playing UC will not hurt anybody's strength of schedule, as we are certainly better than the bottom of the Big 12. With the additional revenue from the Big 12 and the new stadium improvements, we are a program with a very big upside.

3. While basketball is not always high on anybody's list for expansion, we would add the prestige of six final fours, two national championships, and a program that has been very solid in this century even considering the down years after the coaching change. Adding UCONN as well could allow the Big 12 to match or even surpass the ACC in basketball power.

4. We would be adding a large TV market (not Texas size but bigger than most of the league) and a foothold into Ohio for recruiting purposes. Ohio is not the top football recruit state but is certainly among the top states for football talent.

I understand that there are possible developments that would change things. For example, with autonomy the Big 12 could be allowed to play a championship game with only ten teams. However I have heard at least some speculation that the other big conferences may not go along with that simply because it gives the Big 12 somewhat of an advantage over the others. Our reputation nationally is not as strong as it should be, which is because UC has never done a good job of selling itself nationally or even locally.

Anyway, UC makes sense for the big 12 athletically, academically, and as a top large research university. We would add a lot to any league, but we really need to get out there and sell our story.

[longtimefan]

At least somebody at ESPN is speculating, and since they call the shots, who knows?

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...yoff-committee

[bearcatbret]

[98bearcat]

Ya, that pretty much discredited the whole article for me when he threw Marshall in there?? Really, I guess they are going for the WV rival angel there but I have never ready anything that suggested WV was asking for Marshall to be added as their new foe and travel mate.

[TheDog]

I would suspect like many reporters today that he didn't do any research. Marshall has no chance to be invited to the Big 12. BYU and Cincinnati are the top two choices.

[bobestes]

WV is not a large enough state to really justify being there in the first place, so I can't imagine they'd double down and add another WV school.

WE HAVE GOT TO OWN THE WEST VIRGINIA MARKET!!!!

Ya, that pretty much discredited the whole article for me when he threw Marshall in there?? Really, I guess they are going for the WV rival angel there but I have never ready anything that suggested WV was asking for Marshall to be added as their new foe and travel mate.

[longtimefan]

Ya, that pretty much discredited the whole article for me when he threw Marshall in there?? Really, I guess they are going for the WV rival angel there but I have never ready anything that suggested WV was asking for Marshall to be added as their new foe and travel mate.

WVU pushing Marshall for the Big 12 would be like O$U pushing UC for the Big 10. No way, no how. Unless of course politicians get involved, which would never happen in Ohio.

[kennh]

I despartely want to see UC in a P5 conference. I think our program deserves it. I am also worried that we will get in to the Big 12 and then the powers that be decide it is best to have four 16 team leagues to end the argument of one conference being left out of the playoff system And then we are kicked out by the big boys
and left holding the bag.

[mjv780]

I despartely want to see UC in a P5 conference. I think our program deserves it. I am also worried that we will get in to the Big 12 and then the powers that be decide it is best to have four 16 team leagues to end the argument of one conference being left out of the playoff system And then we are kicked out by the big boys
and left holding the bag.

Maybe somehow UC can pull a TCU and skip conferences twice within one year if that scenario happens...

[longtimefan]

DeCourcy: Big 12 researching possible candidates for expansion even before playoff snub



http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-bas...SOC/Twi/SNMain

[Banter]

I won't believe any expansion rumors till something happens. This is all just a ton of smoke.

[richard k.]

I won't believe any expansion rumors till something happens. This is all just a ton of smoke.

Ah - but generally where there is a "ton of smoke," there is also a fire!

[mosucrc]

Ah - but generally where there is a "ton of smoke," there is also a fire!

If there's one thing we've learned from all of the coaching changes, it's this.