More proof the Big 12 needs to add us!!

[98bearcat]

There is an odd thread on a Cleveland Browns message board, discussing that UC and ECU will announce invites to the Big 12 within a month. Just looks far fetched to me.

http://cle.scout.com/forums/4409-the...u-to-b12?s=149

If such a statement were true, I wouldn't mind UC taking less to get in... I think BIG10 teams get less the first couple years.. But I would hope there were some kind of hurdles or milestones, that if reached, UC could increase its revenue... or they take a smaller share until the next TV deal agreement in which they would all become equal again because the new TV would be for more and everybody else would go up just not as much as UCs as they would get an equal share.. All dreams and rainbows right now.. but I would be fine with that.. Some serious road travel though.

[Lobot]

This is literally the first time I've seen ECU mentioned for expansion. Not even sure what to think about that.

I've seen:

UCF
Memphis
SMU
Houston
USF
BYU
Boise St.
Air Force

maybe Tulsa

but no ECU

Edit: Googled after the fact and there are a quite a few mentions of them, some of which are from UC bloggers.

[red_n_black_attack]

This is literally the first time I've seen ECU mentioned for expansion. Not even sure what to think about that.

but no ECU

Edit: Googled after the fact and there are a quite a few mentions of them, some of which are from UC bloggers.

I take it that the Big 12 is focused on bringing in both new tv/recruiting markets and getting WVU closer in conference opponents. The other take away is UC is consistently mentioned at or near the top of ANY Big 12 expansion speculation.

This thread is about proof the Big needs to add us. I think we've made it clear we are a great candidate. I think we've also made a clear argument it makes sense the Big 12 should expand. We bring the following:

1. TV market to earn our keep in revenue
2. Competitive in multiple sports.
3. Bridge to WVU
4. hotbed for new Big 12 recruiting
5. Excellent academics and research[/LIST]

[longtimefan]

Saw this earlier, I'm sceptical so take it for what it's worth.

Tuxedo Yoda (@TuxedoYoda)
(part 1) VERY inside source gave me HUGE news.

(part 2) B12 flip-flopped on having conf title game with 10 teams because 4 will be added for 2016: UCF, Cinci, UConn, BYU (fball only)

(part 3) Announcement coming in June from B12 & Bowlsby

Brandon Helwig (@UCFSports) tweeted at 1:59 PM on Fri, May 29, 2015:
West Virginia AD did admit in interview yesterday that Big 12 is engaged in active expansion discussions. https://t.co/Xq5ozYeSxv

[Lobot]

Yoda is interesting but I've come to the conclusion that he doesn't know what he's talking about outside of UTexas.

There were several tweets from Dallas/Austin reporters indicating that Bowlsby has clued in on the championship game for the Big 12. Apparently they've flip flopped after saying they would have one with 10 teams to trying to get to a higher number. Took them long enough to figure this out.

If you're on Twitter follow Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton @ChuckCarltonDMN and The Austin Statesman's Kirk Bohls @kbohls. They're doing a lot of live tweeting from the Big 12 meetings which are going on right now.

Aslo anything you hear coming out of UT is likely to be UT centric. A person to pay attention to in addition to Bowlsby is OU's pres. David Boren. This guy gets it as far as vision for the future of the conference goes.

[cinmike]

Just for the sake of dreaming. If this were to happen, what do you think the divisions would look like?

East:
Cincinnati
Uconn
UCF
WVU
Iowa State
Oklahoma St.
Baylor

West:
Kansas St
Kansas
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas Tech
TCU
BYU

[Lobot]

I think I would flip flop KU and KState with OK St and Baylor for travel purposes. The power balance looks pretty decent in yours though. Maybe one more power school and less ISU?

[blackattack]

I think the UC Administration and Athletic Administration should do whatever it takes going forward to make a push to eventually get into the ACC, regardless of what the Big12 decides to do. Even if the Big 12 were to extend an invitation (which we obviously would accept), I believe the long term vision for UC should be landing a spot in the ACC.
The Big12 will eventually implode because it's a one school centric conference.

[bearcatbret]

The BIG has one "rival" game where it is guaranteed that those two teams will play each year yet in different divisions. UM-tosu, etc. Do you think that the Big12 will come up with that idea as well?

[red_n_black_attack]

I don't think the divisional breakdown will have three new schools in the same division while adding what has traditionally been the better football program (BYU) into the other.

I hope this smoking rumor has fire. I'm pretty excited to take our university to a higher level of competition. The big 12 would be (and already is) a better football conference than the ACC. I don't see the Bearcats as needing to continually improve their conference situation with the ACC as the ultimate goal.

Getting to one of the P5 conferences is the ultimate goal and it only matters which is the first to land the Queen City as a jewel. I wouldn't jump ship a few years later because I'd want the Bearcats to join to compete to win. It will take longer for the Cats to become a top team in all sports in the Big 12 than it did the BEast.

I know that Big 12 football has lost some luster with the defections of football powerhouses TA&M and Nebraska, and even Mizzou took away some football luster when it left. However, the ACC has very little beyond Fla State in football to match up with the Big 12. Comparing the conferences for both football and basketball - there is a bigger edge to the ACC, but not in football. OU, Texas, TCU, Baylor, etc... Football is the past, present, and future of college athletics. The Big 12 is committed to football top to bottom and there's no place I'd rather have our Bearcats play.

Just for the sake of dreaming. If this were to happen, what do you think the divisions would look like?

East:
Cincinnati
Uconn
UCF
WVU
Iowa State
Oklahoma St.
Baylor

West:
Kansas St
Kansas
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas Tech
TCU
BYU

[98bearcat]

As far as competing, UC would easily hold their own in basketball, and I within the first 3 years would establish themselves as one of the top 3 or 5 teams in the conference, easily. Football will take more time, but not sure if it would be much longer than it did in the Beast... Why? Well we already a known name now and we have been in on some highly rated recruits only to lose to a G5 team for the only reason that we were not G5... Tommy and his team of recruiters would easily start bringing in consistant 3 and 4 start players if they were in a G5 conference.

[nolte50uc]

(part 3) Announcement coming in June from B12 & Bowlsby

if i remember correctly, i think mr. yoda originally said this announcement (or something similar) would come in march. i'm skeptical with you for the only reason that there is not enough smoke on the fire he's fanning. usually you'll hear multiple rumors from multiple sources before one of these announcements comes out.

doesn't mean he's wrong (and i pray he's correct), but i'm not holding my breath...

[Lobot]

if i remember correctly, i think mr. yoda originally said this announcement (or something similar) would come in march. i'm skeptical with you for the only reason that there is not enough smoke on the fire he's fanning. usually you'll hear multiple rumors from multiple sources before one of these announcements comes out.

doesn't mean he's wrong (and i pray he's correct), but i'm not holding my breath...

I mentioned elsewhere the other day that this is all very interesting and I'm keeping track but all in all, I'm of the approach that when it happens it happens. I'm not going to lose sleep until the Big 12 TV contract runs out. If there's no move at that point then we have a serious issue. Before then, and it very well might be before then, if we move then fantastic. If not, oh well. It's really out of our control.

[swilsonsp4]

While I'm also not going to turn blue waiting for this actually to come to fruition, it's still an interesting topic. For starters, I'd be ecstatic if this were to happen. I don't believe the B12 is particularly in danger of breaking up. It's a P5 conference that makes a lot of money for its member schools. Yes, Texas is the bully on the block who wants to run the show, but that attitude wouldn't excite the B10 or SEC bigwigs who operate leagues that view their members as equals for the betterment of all. Of course, money talks, but I'm not sure either of those conferences need UT to help them make more than they already have.

Now, onto how UC might fit into this, given that the B12 eventually offers, per Tuxedo Yoda's prediction. The B12 wouldn't divvy up football east-west. The strength is clearly west right now. I could see a nine-game schedule, with six divisional and three non-divisional matchups, one of which would include a rivalry pairing (UT/OU, for instance). That would allow for the league to try to balance the teams without breaking up the traditional games (or, in actuality, THE traditional game). So, how about (potential rivalry crossover games above/below each other):

Division 1: TX, TTU, BYU, TCU, BU, UCF, ISU

Division 2: OU, OSU, UC, KSU, WV, KS, CT

None of the regular crossovers would involve travel from one geographical extreme to the other. Each team would then get two of the remaining six on three two-year home-and-away cycles.

[Bearcats1232002]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-...132435050.html

If they add teams it will not be 4. They don't want to split the pot that many ways. They don't even want to split it 12 ways but if there was some kind of agreement where the new teams get less at first then maybe they would look at it. I won't get excited until major sports sites like ESPN starts reporting it.