Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

[Hoosiers86IU]

If the Big 12 decides to grow back to twelve teams who do you think they will go after? I'm Disqualifying TCU and Houston right off the bat, Texas has made it well known they do not want anymore in-state schools in their conference (TCU must have them scared).

With that in mind I would think BYU would be a no brainer if they can be convinced to give up on being an independent already. Great fan base with national appeal, recaptures the rocky mountain media base that the conference lost with Colorado going to the Pac 12.

Other teams for consideration:

Colorado State: May be awhile before they are competitve but would recover the Colorado market and serve as a nice rival with the Kansas schools (state boarder one another) and BYU if they come aboard.

Air Force: See above

San Diego State: Saw this in a cbssports.com report once. Would be thinking outside the box and would bring a huge market to the conference.

Arkansas: May feel they have a better shot of competing in the Big 12 than SEC, plus historically as part of the South West Conference had big rivalries with Texas and A&M

New Mexico: Would provide a new market but would be awhile before they are competitive. Could see New Mexico-Texas Tech becoming a good rivalry.

What do you guys think?

[aliefallstar]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

Its not that they are scared of tcu, with Tech/a&m/UT, they've got the dallas/fort worth market covered. Same for the houston market. They want to bring in new TV sets to the conference. Unfortunately, that doesn't leave a lot of options.

I wouldn't be suprised if they made a push for BYU (wouldn't happen though).

New Mexico doesn't really add much of a market, on top of that they are awful.

I don't see Arkansas leaving anytime soon.

Maybe Nevada, maybe someone outside of the box like a USF/UCF combo.

If I had to bet, I would say the Big XII stays at 10, at least until superconferences come along.

[Hoosiers86IU]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

Yeah that makes sense about the market already being covered. I remember hearing that TCU has the 6th biggest alumni base in the Dallas-Ft Worth Metroplex behind Texas, Tech, AM, Oklahoma and OK State.

It also wouldn't surprise me if Texas decided it wanted the Big 12 Pie to be reduced to fewer pieces. You could see them put pressure on the conference to kick out Iowa State, one less mouth to feed, more money for Texas and no moe road trips to Iowa

[Jarodd21]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

If the Big 12 decides to grow back to twelve teams who do you think they will go after? I'm Disqualifying TCU and Houston right off the bat, Texas has made it well known they do not want anymore in-state schools in their conference (TCU must have them scared).

With that in mind I would think BYU would be a no brainer if they can be convinced to give up on being an independent already. Great fan base with national appeal, recaptures the rocky mountain media base that the conference lost with Colorado going to the Pac 12.

Other teams for consideration:

Colorado State: May be awhile before they are competitve but would recover the Colorado market and serve as a nice rival with the Kansas schools (state boarder one another) and BYU if they come aboard.

Air Force: See above

San Diego State: Saw this in a cbssports.com report once. Would be thinking outside the box and would bring a huge market to the conference.

Arkansas: May feel they have a better shot of competing in the Big 12 than SEC, plus historically as part of the South West Conference had big rivalries with Texas and A&M

New Mexico: Would provide a new market but would be awhile before they are competitive. Could see New Mexico-Texas Tech becoming a good rivalry.

What do you guys think?

TCU and Houston would have definitely made the Big 12 a better conference. They could have moved Oklahoma and Okl. St up to the north and the Conference would have been solid and ready to go.. Me and one of my friends were talking about that exact scenario for the Big 12 but like you said it will probably never happen.

[Hoosiers86IU]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

TCU and Houston would have definitely made the Big 12 a better conference. They could have moved Oklahoma and Okl. St up to the north and the Conference would have been solid and ready to go.. Me and one of my friends were talking about that exact scenario for the Big 12 but like you said it will probably never happen.

Yeah TCU and Houston to the Big 12 makes perfect sense for our NCAA 12 dynasties, but not the bottom line.....$....TCU would cream Colorado St. or New Mexico but both schools would bring in more money to the Big 12 than TCU

[jayhawkfan11]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

What about Louisville? Their football team is respectable and used to be pretty good a few years ago, and their basketball team would fit in well with the level competition in the Big 12. Plus from geographical standpoint they fit pretty well with the rest of the conference.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

What about Iowa?

I think BYU would be a lock.

Perhaps one of the Louisiana schools? Or if Texas would allow it, SMU?

Not a whole lot of options right now. I'd love to see Boise State...but I doubt it.

Colorado State is very meh...

[Pokes]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

CSU or AFA are probably the most realistic of the longshots.

[Sack Attack]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

Arkansas going back to a Texas-dominant conference will never happen.

[dshill]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

pickings seem slim. SDSU mentioned above seem intriguing, they seem to be rising and would deliver a valuable market, and for that team the travel costs wouldn't be a heck of a lot more. But most other good teams in their footprint seem to be unlikely, and the midmajors to expand their TV base aren't great either. Maybe Nevada or Fresno st, for markets? I dunno, that doesn't seem right to me.

[Hoosiers86IU]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

Louisville would be a good fit, I had them on my mind before I started the thread but forgot to include them. Obviously they have a fairly good football program and a very succesful basketball program.

I also thought Memphis, but all you would be getting there would be an improvement in basketball, they are dreadful in Football but at least it would be another W for the Texas' and Oklahoma's

I really don't think Iowa would leave the Big Ten for the Big 12, too much history in that conference plus key rivalries (even more so now, watch Iowa-Nebraska become a heated rivalry in the next 5 years or so)

Who knows maybe if the Big 12 throws enough money their way they could tempt Arizona and Arizona State to come on over, they would obviously fit in the footprint/

[Hoosiers86IU]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

The Big 12 needs to be proactive, at 10 teams they are viewed as vulnerable by other conferences looking to expand (Pac-12, SEC, Big Ten). Look at the currnet lineup...Keep in Mind if Texas leaves you could see the whole conference fall apart real fast...

Texas- Almost went to the Pac-"16", with it's own TV network now, Independence is a possibility, they have the national brand recongnition to pull if off. Don't count out the SEC if they came calling, but I think Texas would join the Pac 12 first due to academic issues with the SEC

Texas AM- Came very close to joining the SEC last summer. I would rule the Pac 12 out. Rivalries with LSU and Arkansas would make the Aggies transition easier

Texas Tech- Only could see them going to the Pac 12 if they expand

Baylor- Nobody wants Baylor, unless Texas made it a requirement that they be included to get them. If the conference falls apart I'd say C-USA is the most likely landing spot.

Oklahoma/OK State- They are a package deal Oklahoma won't leave without Boone Pickens State University. I could see the two going to a Pac 16 or the SEC

Kansas- I could see them go to the Big Ten, great Basketball tradition, could hook back up with Nebraska as well, most likely would bring along....

Missouri- Most likely would be a package deal with Kansas to the Big Ten. Missouri was outright blantant in it's flirting with the Big Ten last summer. If Kansas comes along Missouri would feel at home with Nebraska, plus Iowa and Illinois

Kansas State- If the Big 12 falls apart they would most likely go to the Big East if they decide to add them, good bball school and decent football. Mountain West would be the backup plan

Iowa State- Kind of in the same position as Baylor. The Cyclones would play up their ties with Iowa to get Big Ten membership, but I just don't see the value in having two Iowa schools in the Big Ten. Maybe the Big East would come calling, good basketball (which is king in the Big East). Other possibilites would be C-USA and perhaps Mountain West.

[TheGamingChef]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

It also wouldn't surprise me if Texas decided it wanted the Big 12 Pie to be reduced to fewer pieces. You could see them put pressure on the conference to kick out Iowa State, one less mouth to feed, more money for Texas and no moe road trips to Iowa

They are not going to kick a team out of the conference. That is ridiculous. To be completely honest, Iowa State is in a much better position in the Big XII than Baylor. A larger footprint for the conference, a little more diversity in sports (wrestling), and no overlap with other schools already in the conference. Not to mention being an original member of the Big 8.

While it's asinine to say that the conference might kick someone out, if they did, it's be Baylor.

As for adding new members, I think it's pretty clear that the most realistic adds are Louisville and BYU. Both have had success in both football and basketball in the past ten years, both bring in new fanbases and expand the conference's footprint while being a reasonable distance away, and both are big enough for a BCS conference.

With that said, the Big XII programs have made it clear that they like having ten teams. They like a nine-game round robin in football and an eighteen game home-and-home conference schedule in basketball. At 10 teams, in no way is the conference vulnerable to poaching.

[aliefallstar]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

They are not going to kick a team out of the conference. That is ridiculous. To be completely honest, Iowa State is in a much better position in the Big XII than Baylor. A larger footprint for the conference, a little more diversity in sports (wrestling and women's basketball), and no overlap with other schools already in the conference. Not to mention being an original member of the Big 8.

While it's asinine to say that the conference might kick someone out, if they did, it's be Baylor.

As for adding new members, I think it's pretty clear that the most realistic adds are Louisville and BYU. Both have had success in both football and basketball in the past ten years, both bring in new fanbases and expand the conference's footprint while being a reasonable distance away, and both are big enough for a BCS conference.

With that said, the Big XII programs have made it clear that they like having ten teams. They like a nine-game round robin in football and an eighteen game home-and-home conference schedule in basketball. At 10 teams, in no way is the conference vulnerable to poaching.

Actually Baylor has been's nationally ranked in Baseball, Basketball, Women Basketball and they have been very good in track for a long time. I don't see Iowa State doing any of that. That being said, I don't see the league kicking anyone out.

[TheGamingChef]

Re: Realisitc Big 12 Replacements

Actually Baylor has been's nationally ranked in Baseball, Basketball, Women Basketball and they have been very good in track for a long time. I don't see Iowa State doing any of that. That being said, I don't see the league kicking anyone out.

Completely blanked on Baylor's women's basketball program. Also, ISU is perennially ranked in women's bball as well. However my points still stand that ISU adds more to the conference than Baylor.

And my overarching point still stands that the conference will not be kicking any members out, anyway.