Realignment: The ACC enters the Suck Zone

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by * J Y *, Jun 29, 2015.

  1. * J Y *

    * J Y * TEXAS
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    http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/...n-puts-possible-big-12-expansion-back-in-news
    Oklahoma president David Boren puts possible Big 12 expansion back in news

    Wednesday, Oklahoma president David Boren made waves when he suggested the Big 12 “should strive for” a 12-team league. Boren’s comments were the first from a Big 12 leader advocating expansion in a long time.

    "I think we should," Boren told The Oklahoman after the school's board meeting, when asked if the league should expand back to 12 teams.

    “How many years can this go on? It just gets to be really debilitating. I worry about that. That’s something I just worry about long-term about the conference, not short-term.”

    One of the reasons other Big 12 leaders, commissioner Bob Bowlsby included, have downplayed the expansion possibility is because of the options available. Bowlsby said just last month that there is "no interest" from the league in expanding.

    Still, as realignment has proven in the past, anything is possible, even if it seems unlikely.

    With that in mind below are three scenarios that would allow for Big 12 expansion (assuming legal remedies would be available, as they have been in the past, despite any binding contracts):

    1. Most likely: Settle for best available

    This is the most likely — and maybe only — scenario that would lead to Big 12 expansion.

    The Big 12 has long flirted with BYU, and just last summer, Cougars coach Bronco Mendenhall said he “would love to be in the Big 12.” Financially, BYU makes the most sense. The Cougars have the biggest TV allure and fan base of any non-Power 5 conference school out there.

    Proximity, however, would be a major problem. The distance from Morgantown, West Virginia, to Provo, Utah, is almost 2,000 miles. Scheduling in nonrevenue sports between the two sides would also be an issue, as BYU does not compete on Sundays.

    Still, the addition of BYU from a football standpoint makes the most sense.

    Still, to get to 12, the conference would have to pair BYU with another school. There are several other “free agents” out there, including Memphis, UCF, Air Force, Cincinnati, Houston and even SMU.

    Given its football prowess relative to those other possibilities, Boise State would seem to be the logical choice.

    None, however, are real threats to join other conferences in the current climate. The Big 12 can afford to wait (mostly to see if Scenario 2 comes to fruition). And while it waits, there could be another up-and-comer worth reviewing: North Dakota State.

    The Bison have become an FCS powerhouse in recent years, having won four straight FCS national titles. They actually have as many wins against the Big 12 as Kansas does in the last five years.

    North Dakota’s economy is booming, with the population of Fargo expected to double sometime in the next 20 years. North Dakota State might not be a viable option today. But in a few years, the Bison could look a lot more attractive.

    Still, this only underscores the predicament the league faces. Yes, expansion makes a lot of sense. But the available candidates out there don't.

    2. Less likely: Wait for implosion elsewhere

    This is the argument in favor of waiting.

    The Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC were all able to expand due to the instability that infected the Big 12. Colorado bolted for the Pac-12; Texas A&M and Missouri left for the SEC; Nebraska joined the Big Ten.

    What if another conference encountered their own rift down the line? That might open the door for the Big 12 to take similar advantage.

    Given their relative harmony, this would be unlikely to occur in the SEC, Pac-12 or Big Ten. The ACC, however, hasn't always been so harmonious. Just last year, in fact, it lost Maryland to the Big Ten.

    As basketball bluebloods, Duke and North Carolina wield power in the ACC, which has irked Florida State officials in the past. Maybe another disagreement could prompt the Seminoles to look for conference affiliation elsewhere. Maybe that would force Clemson to do the same.

    Adding Florida State and Clemson obviously would be the pie-in-the-sky, home-run scenario for the Big 12. Not only would that take the Big 12 back to 12 teams, it would give the Big 12 the armament to challenge the SEC as college football's pre-eminent conference.

    3. Least likely: Get the band back together

    Put a truth serum in many Nebraska fans, and they would probably admit their realignment to the Big Ten hasn’t been what they hoped it would be.

    The Huskers have fallen into second-tier status in the Big Ten. They're in the division opposite Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State, which reduces their number of marquee games.

    Nebraska once played one of college football's most storied rivalry games against Oklahoma. Today, Nebraska's big rival is Iowa, which barely moves the needle in Lincoln, much less the rest of the country.

    Nebraska left the Big 12 primarily over its frustrations with the leadership at Texas. But since Nebraska's exit, the Longhorns have hired a president, a new athletic director and a new football coach.

    If the Huskers completely soured on their Big Ten experience, maybe they would be open to reconciliation. One thing is for sure: The Big 12 would welcome them back with open arms.
     
  2. * J Y *

    * J Y * TEXAS
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  3. aisle seven

    aisle seven Well-Known Member
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    @Chip Brown
     
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  4. Teflon Queen

    Teflon Queen The mentally ill sit perfectly still
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  5. bro

    bro Your Mother’s Favorite Shitposter
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    K-state's worst nightmare
     
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  6. Goose

    Goose Hi
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    How about a link OP
     
  7. dallasdawg

    dallasdawg does the tin man have a sheet metal cock?
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    it's at the top thanks
     
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  8. * J Y *

    * J Y * TEXAS
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    Seems like OU is going to drive this thing this time. Could/would they leave Ok State?
     
  9. Fancy

    Fancy thanks, i hate it
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    Wow I bet you feel like a horse's ass now, huh?
     
  10. bertwing

    bertwing check out the nametag grandma
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    Lol the big 12 is turning into the CFL
     
  11. Owsley

    Owsley My friends call me Bear
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    Since no one outside of Oklahoma gives two shits about the Pokes, they'd be stupid not to if a better offer came calling.
     
  12. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    people in oklahoma care about the pokes?
     
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  13. * J Y *

    * J Y * TEXAS
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    OU to the SEC makes a lot of sense imo. Especially if the playoff expands.
     
  14. dallasdawg

    dallasdawg does the tin man have a sheet metal cock?
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    no/yes :/
     
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  15. dallasdawg

    dallasdawg does the tin man have a sheet metal cock?
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    makes perfect sense. culture, money, fan base, stadium, academics, literally everything would be a fit
     
  16. bertwing

    bertwing check out the nametag grandma
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    I care about Pokes
     
  17. Lawnole23

    Lawnole23 FSU Seminoles 2020 National Champions
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    The Dude says this is 100% happening.
     
  18. * J Y *

    * J Y * TEXAS
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    I don't think our admin would go for OU and A&M in the SEC without us. Thats a disaster scenario for Texas. If Boren started to flirt with the idea the phone lines would get red hot trying to find landing spots.
     
  19. TheChad

    TheChad Boiled peanuts are good

    Lol at FSU and Clemson leaving the ACC for Big12
     
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  20. OHW

    OHW Well-Known Member
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    The Big 12 should go out and get UCF then figure out if BYU can drop their gay scheduling rules. If not, they should get Cinci. :twocents:
     
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  21. jokewood

    jokewood Biff Poggi superfan
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    We almost made it through an offseason with no realignment chatter. Good effort, guys. Maybe next year.
     
  22. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Would laugh my ass off is Nebraska went back
     
  23. triceratops

    triceratops Tribe Of Dan
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    Distance too far for BYU.

    Go with a school that isn't even Division I, the closest Big 10 member is 450 miles and most are over 1,000 because the population of Fargo might reach 200K in 20 years

    Can't explain that
     
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  24. Fuzzy Zoeller

    Fuzzy Zoeller College football > NFL
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    "Guys, I'd like to devise a plan to ensure Oklahoma never competes in the Playoff."
    "I know, let's join the SEC!"
    "Brilliant!"
     
  25. * J Y *

    * J Y * TEXAS
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    We fucked up so bad by not picking up Louisville.
     
  26. Lawnole23

    Lawnole23 FSU Seminoles 2020 National Champions
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    Before all schools signed the GOT Clemson and FSU to the Big 12 didn't happen yet somehow we're supposed to believe it's now going to happen.
     
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  27. Fuzzy Zoeller

    Fuzzy Zoeller College football > NFL
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    yes yes yes yes yes
     
  28. * J Y *

    * J Y * TEXAS
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    We aren't talking about A&M here. OU's recruiting would pick up big time and they'd become a power again.
     
  29. dallasdawg

    dallasdawg does the tin man have a sheet metal cock?
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    Yeah a top 3 program of all time would really struggle to win any games
     
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  30. dome foam

    dome foam ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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    yep, perfect sense.
    culture - none
    money- none
    fan base - inbred
    stadium - medium to large
    academics - none
     
  31. Fuzzy Zoeller

    Fuzzy Zoeller College football > NFL
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    At some point the law of diminishing returns comes into play.
     
  32. Patface

    Patface Touch & Go Like A Dantonio Heartbeat
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    I'd need the EMAW guys to confirm, but I believe Wichita State has an up and coming hoops program and the most accomplished collegiate bowling program in the country. Just build them a football team, let the HUSKS come back with their tail between their legs and everything will be fine.
     
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  33. $P1

    $P1 Ball State #1
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    gat damn
     
  34. wes tegg

    wes tegg I'm a Guy's guy, guys.
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    Y'all started all of this shit.
     
  35. Bo Pelinis

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    :laugh: Nebraska going back to the Big 12.
     
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  36. Fuzzy Zoeller

    Fuzzy Zoeller College football > NFL
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    Actually, the Big Ten started the first round of realignment, ESPN executive Dave Brown started the second round and OU president David Boren started this latest timewaste.
     
  37. Bo Pelinis

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  38. ttuman10

    ttuman10 Well-Known Member

    Them instead of tcu.

    Instead, reality is the nightmare scenario where tcu is good in the big 12
     
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  39. HoosDaMan

    HoosDaMan Grumpy
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    Texas and ND about to become full members of the ACC.
     
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  40. * J Y *

    * J Y * TEXAS
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    No not really.
     
  41. jhooked

    jhooked It's the way you go na, na, na
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    Ok, but no more of this

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  42. Bo Pelinis

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    YOU DID BY MAKING US HATE YOU
     
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  43. Bo Pelinis

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    FUCKING JAMES BROWN FUCK
     
  44. Goose

    Goose Hi
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    It wasn't at the top before.. thanks OP.

    I always feel like a horse's ass, FWIW.
     
  45. Tobias

    Tobias dan “the man qb1” jones fan account
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    the brotherhood grows
     
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  46. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    Houston and SMU. I like my conferences to fit neatly into geographical regions/states
     
  47. jhooked

    jhooked It's the way you go na, na, na
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    [​IMG]
     
  48. Tobias

    Tobias dan “the man qb1” jones fan account
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    well yall had some momentum but that is gone now
     
  49. Patface

    Patface Touch & Go Like A Dantonio Heartbeat
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    You guys have fallen a long way since the smelling your farts days of yore when the Longhorn Network was announced.
     
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  50. jhooked

    jhooked It's the way you go na, na, na
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    What if we do a joint LongHeel Network?