BIg 12 close to title game

[Lobot]

It appears that the Big 12 challenge to the title game rule by the NCAA might get through after all.

Chuck Carlton ‏@ChuckCarltonDMN 13m13 minutes ago Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said title game deregulation has cleared several NCAA steps, expects approval at NCAA convention in January.

[Lobot]

Big fat Pete Thamel Article today : http://www.campusrush.com/big-12-con...528668401.html

[cpawstoney]

I hope we are still in a strong position after the disappointing football season. I think we are but fingers crossed.

Rutgers to the B1G and Syracuse to the ACC certainly supports the theory that on-field performance is not a factor in moving to a P5 conference.

[red_n_black_attack]

I hope we are still in a strong position after the disappointing football season. I think we are but fingers crossed.

We are in astrong position for several reasons:

1. Bridge to WVU
2. High level of academics - yes this really matters and I'm proud to say UC is really that good in almost every area!
3. Facities in all sports - a commitment to compete in more than football and basketball
4. Money, money, money! Donors, renovations, tv market share
5. A high level recruiting area - the Cincinnati area sends a ton of kids to P5 conferences. The B!G, ACC, and SEC get the lion's share of those recruits, with some going to Big 12 and fewer to PAC.
6. People and Relationships. Bohn, Santa, and others are great ambassadors with their finger on the pulse.

There are probably reasons against, but I am choosing to look at the positives until forced to rationalize why not us after expansion happens.

[Bearcats1232002]

I really don't think your won-loss record from year to the next means that much. It is more about market size, facilities, where you are located and how much you spend on athletics. Having well-heeled wealthy donors also helps.

[longtimefan]

I hope we are still in a strong position after the disappointing football season. I think we are but fingers crossed.

[Lobot]

Short version, The Pac 12's Larry Scott has publicly stated that he wants the Big 12 to add a championship game and that they need to expand to do so. That makes two conferences that plan to force expansion. There is a regulatory vote on the Big 12's Championship waiver happening mid Jan. I expect we will hear something shortly thereafter if the vote does not go in favor of the Big 12, and I don't expect it to.

[longtimefan]

More on the Big 10 challenge to the Big 12 championship game exception.

[RedDog]

The feeling in the South by the talking heads is that it was committee manipulation to favor Alabama. They did not want Okla to get to play Bama at Jerry's place in the semis. They would much prefer a finals that includes Alabama and a neutral site MSU matchup.

[blackattack]

Or...it just means the committee did not want to give Oklahoma a near-home game (at Jerry's World in Dallas). It has come out that there were voices in the committee room lobbying for Oklahoma to be the #1 overall seed.

If there were voices lobbying for Oklahoma to be the #1 seed, how did they fall all the way to #4 ?

[GoCats1994]

No surprise here. Several Big 10 coaches (including Dantonio) have publicly stated that "you should have to win a CCG in order to get in to the playoff".
After watching Michigan State leapfrog Oklahoma into the #3 spot after their close win over Iowa, it's obvious that the Playoff Committee puts a lot of weight on conference championship games. That's not going to change even if the Big 12 is permitted to not have a CCG.

Or...it just means the committee did not want to give Oklahoma a near-home game (at Jerry's World in Dallas). It has come out that there were voices in the committee room lobbying for Oklahoma to be the #1 overall seed.

[blackattack]

Big 12 is our best option right now. If we get in we have to make the most of it.
No one has a crystal ball, but I think the ACC is just as unstable or more so than an expanded Big 12 is.

[RedDog]

be careful what you wish for. an also ran in a tenuous big 12 can quickly be right back in the same position we are currently in or worse and left out in the cold again after the next round of reorganization. big 12 is probably our best and frankly only option but its not one with a lot of security or appeal.

[London 'Cat]

This may be somewhat good news for expansion. But I don't know how much it means for UC. If I had to guess, I would say after the kind of season Houston had, they made themselves a candidate for possible expansion of the Big XII. I do agree with Ohio being large enough for at least two Power 5 schools but you have to believe tO$U will use all of its influence to prevent that from happening.

[longtimefan]

MReally good news. It would have been nice to add a conference title but we still have tremendous upside. Much smaller states like Kentucky, Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma have two power 5 teams, and Indiana has three. There is no reason Ohio should have only one. Big 12 in Ohio would be a really good add for the conference.