Good Article, it really respects UC, claiming the B12 may not be done.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...12-can-not-only-be-saved-but-made-even-better
Now that Nebraska has gone to the Big 10 and Colorado to the Pac-10, everyone is stating that it is a done deal that the Big 12 South sans Baylor (Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Texas) will join the Buffaloes in their new conference.
There are problems with that, foremost being that there has never been the slightest indication of interest on the part of any of those five teams. This is in contrast to Nebraska, Missouri and Colorado clearly acknowledging that they wanted to leave the Big 12 for the Big 10 and Pac-10 for months.
So why do we assume that those schools A) want to leave and B) want to go to the Pac-10? Just because the Pac-10 offers a place in its conference, that doesn't mean that those schools will say yes.
There are real issues here.
Would Oklahoma State and Texas Tech ever be competitive or respected in the Pac-10? Texas A&M has made it known that if they plan to go to any other conference, it would be the SEC, not the Pac-10. (There is some idea that Texas politicians will force a package deal with Texas—more on that later.)
Texas was adamant about certain aspects as a part of the Big 12, like its desire to avoid revenue-sharing and not wanting to join the Big 12 in the creation of a TV network, choosing instead to create its own network. In the Pac-10, that isn't going to fly.
So why would Texas give up those things in order to join the Pac-10 when they wouldn't do so in order to keep the Big 12 together?
The idea that Texas politicians will keep Texas A&M and Texas together ... how would they pull that off if they can't get Baylor into the Pac-10? Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor are a group of four; Pac-10 advocates are selling them as a group of three.
The Pac-10 can't dump Baylor on one hand and then insist that Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech have to be this package deal on the other. However, the Texas politicians CAN and WILL work to keep those schools together another way—by keeping them all in the same conference.
The idea that the Big 12 is not viable without Nebraska and Colorado isn't quite accurate.
Colorado hasn't been an athletics powerhouse in years and will likely never be again because the administration doesn't care. The Big 12 can replace Colorado with Utah and get the Salt Lake City market and a much better athletics program. (They can also add BYU in what would be an interesting contrast to the Pac-10's rejection of religious schools like BYU and Baylor. As a matter of fact, the Big 12 rivalry between the Mormons and Baptists would be something to see.)
As far as Nebraska goes, the Huskers are more name recognition and tradition than an actual property with value. There aren't very many TV screens in Nebraska, and now that they have abandoned the veer option their days as a national football power are over. They know that they can't compete with the Sun Belt schools in attracting speed.
So, Nebraska is going to go join similar plodding schools in Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin.
Who can replace Nebraska? Well, how about a school that is A) in a rich recruiting market and B) can deal payback to the Big 10 by grabbing a school right from its turf? That's right, the Big 12 can add Cincinnati, and all those Ohio TV screens and recruits that would come with it (Cincinnati also has a decent academic reputation).
A Big 12 with Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri, Utah and Cincinnati would not only be as good as the old Big 12, but BETTER.
Look, the Big 12 for the past decade hasn't been Colorado and Nebraska, it's been Texas and Oklahoma. Those two teams have all the Big 12 national titles in the BCS era and virtually all the BCS bowl game appearances and victories.
And if Missouri decides to go to the Big 10? Replace it with BYU.
Of course, if the Big 12 South sans Baylor won't go to the Pac-10, then the Pac-10 won't become the Pac-16 unless they add mid-major programs. Instead, the Pac-10 plus Colorado and whoever else joins it will still be USC and everybody else.
Instead, the Big 12 could become the Big 16. Replacing Nebraska and Colorado with Utah and Cincinnati keeps you at 12. Adding BYU gets you to 13. Going to 16 from there is a snap.
Cincinnati's rival Louisville gets you to 14, and it also gets you a good recruiting and TV market in SEC country. Southern Miss gets you to 15 while reaching further into SEC territory and adding decent TV and talent markets. Team 16 is tricky, and would perhaps even require a 17th team if Missouri leaves, but TCU and Houston are options.
So, saving the Big 12 is possible, as is forming a Big 16.
Think about Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Utah, Kansas State, Louisville, Kansas and Cincinnati football. How many BCS bowls have these programs combined for this decade?
Realize that all but A&M have been to the same number of BCS bowls this decade as has Nebraska, and unlike Nebraska all but Cincinnati have actually WON a BCS game.
And in basketball, you would have Kansas, Cincinnati, Louisville, Texas, and Oklahoma. Not too shabby, eh?
But in order for that to happen, Dan Beebe and the Big 12 have to move NOW. Utah should have been offered Big 12 membership already to replace Nebraska. Invites to Louisville and Cincinnati should come as soon as the Big 12 decides that they want to go to 16 teams to add TV screens and recruiting grounds, as well as strengthen their basketball product.
Still, there is one question that remains. What if Texas wants to go?
That's when the politics come into play. It is in the interests of Texas to go to the Pac-16. How this benefits A&M and Texas Tech needs to be explained to me, but the detriment to Baylor is obvious.
If you take Baylor out of the deal, the other three Texas universities are free to do as they see fit. That would mean that Texas A&M would be perfectly free to join the SEC, and get out from under the Longhorns' shadow. Such a move would also allow the Aggies to be in a conference with their old rival Arkansas, and help in recruiting in Louisiana, Georgia and Florida.
But in terms of the Longhorns, the Texas legislature can demand that they stay put. And in return, Texas won't have to revenue-share and can form its own TV network.
The rest of the Big 12/Big 16 can form a TV network without Texas, especially since it would carry Texas' conference road games.
Saving the Big 12 isn't only possible, but it could be made even better than it once was. It is the best move for all parties involved, but Beebe has to act quickly in order to make it happen.
