possible PAC12-little 8 merger

[Mustangs_Maroons]

The little 8 to me is completely unattractive. In terms of football, trying to be objective here, but the top half of the AAC is stronger than the top half of the little 8 in (quality on the field currently + media markets). Why would the Pac-12 want scraps, better to cherry pick certain schools than bringing in all the leftovers.

The Pac-12 has been considered the worst P5, and now that the B12 is falling apart, why would they take the worst of the B12 conference just to get larger. Makes no sense.

[SMU_Alum11]

Steve Aresco announced that there was no conspiracy with AAC/ESPN to destroy the Big 12. He also mentioned that he didn't reach out to any of 8 members but didn't say whether they reached out to him.

I think the PAC12 would only be interested by getting their bowl tie ins and maybe some of the schools.

I hope they do join the AAC and WVU just goes to the ACC and we get elevated. I'll be curious but I can totally see us getting left out permanently and the super conferences are formed and we are now relegated to the new D-II football.

[Sewanee Stang]

I'm not sure where WVU fits in the new world order. Does any conference want them? They could make a case for going independent in Football and then rejoining the Big East in Basketball and other sports. They have a great tradition and fan base, but they stick out like a sore thumb in the Big 12.

[EastStang]

WVU has some history with some of the Big East leftovers in the AAC. I'm sure Cincy would like to have them, probably Temple for geographic reasons and butts in seats. Their fans are rabid (and obnoxious). But that's okay for us. But the ACC is too blue blood for that. Same with the Froggies, the Red Raiders, the Cowboys, the Jayhawks, the Wildcats, and the Cyclones. Think of a conference with Hurricanes, Cyclones and Green Wave. Bears will be a bit hard to take, after they screwed us, but then against they did play us a few times over the years unlike the Whorns and the Sooners.

[HubbaHubba]

WVU has some history with some of the Big East leftovers in the AAC. I'm sure Cincy would like to have them, probably Temple for geographic reasons and butts in seats. Their fans are rabid (and obnoxious). But that's okay for us. But the ACC is too blue blood for that. Same with the Froggies, the Red Raiders, the Cowboys, the Jayhawks, the Wildcats, and the Cyclones. Think of a conference with Hurricanes, Cyclones and Green Wave. Bears will be a bit hard to take, after they screwed us, but then against they did play us a few times over the years unlike the Whorns and the Sooners.

I think WVU would be a nice get for the eastern side of the AAC. If the AAC is the only one that will take them it it might be a blessing and pave the way for OSU, KSU, KU, tt as state universities to join up as well. Baylor can go join Penn St in the Big10. The Big10 appears to welcome havens of sexual predators. And, please, don't use "bears" and "screwed us" in the same sentence.

[EastStang]

One thing that has bothered me, we are a great academic institution, we do cutting edge research. Why haven't we joined the American Association of Universities? If the PAC 12 and the Big Ten are going to prefer AAU members why haven't we done that. UH apparently has? What's the deal President Turner?

[tristatecoog]

One thing that has bothered me, we are a great academic institution, we do cutting edge research. Why haven't we joined the American Association of Universities? If the PAC 12 and the Big Ten are going to prefer AAU members why haven't we done that. UH apparently has? What's the deal President Turner?

While it's made very good academic strides over the last decade, UH isn't in the AAU. The worst schools in the AAU are Buffalo, Missouri, KU and Iowa State. I believe they all have pretty strong research budgets.

SMU's $100MM gift from the Moody Foundation has fueled a new college and lots of investment into research. Hopefully SMU is the next AAU member.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

One thing that has bothered me, we are a great academic institution, we do cutting edge research. Why haven't we joined the American Association of Universities? If the PAC 12 and the Big Ten are going to prefer AAU members why haven't we done that. UH apparently has? What's the deal President Turner?

While it's made very good academic strides over the last decade, UH isn't in the AAU. The worst schools in the AAU are Buffalo, Missouri, KU and Iowa State. I believe they all have pretty strong research budgets.

SMU's $100MM gift from the Moody Foundation has fueled a new college and lots of investment into research. Hopefully SMU is the next AAU member.

We can only wish but I'm not so sure we have it as a top priority under RGT, although it seems to be something to aspire to. From a 2018 SMU report (see link below), it states "although not a formal initiative at this point, we make a case for SMU to be on a trajectory toward future AAU membership."

https://www.smu.edu/-/media/Site/Provos ... Ascent.pdf

Also, AAU is by invitation only and universities have to meet specific Phase I and Phase II criteria to be a candidate for invitation.

https://www.aau.edu/who-we-are/membership-policy

Given the emphasis on federal, USDA, state and industrial funding for research plus memberships, affiliations, doctorates, research, etc, what this means essentially is that universities that are AAU or AAU-eligible have to have a heavy focus on graduate-degree programs, and many of them (3 out of 4 of the AAU schools) also have medical schools, which focus a lot on doctoral programs and research. Most are also very strong in engineering.

Notre Dame is a clear example of a top 20 undergraduate program but that is not AAU because it tends to focus significantly more on its undergrads and also does not have a medical school. Notre Dame though could likely be AAU if it really wanted to given its significant endowment to put expand its graduate programs more. SMU on the other hand doesn't have as much financial clout and needs more external support. Rice is AAU (but much lower endowment than ND although UG rankings are similar) so it should be something SMU aspires to as well.

The AAU goes back over 120 years, and was founded in 1900 by a group of 14 Doctor of Philosophy degree–granting universities. Those include many of the Ivies (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, UPenn, Columbia, Cornell) plus many of the top non-Ivies such as Stanford, UChicago, Johns Hopkins, as well as top public universities at the time such as Berkeley, Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana. There were 2 other universities that were part of the original 14 that are no longer AAU - Clark University and Catholic University of America. Now it consists of 64 universities. The last invitations came in 2019 where UC-Santa Cruz, Utah and Dartmouth.

It would be nice to have it be a formal objective for sure, particularly as a private university, it carries more weight as it signals academic excellence.

[redpony]

but RGT wants to spend that money on fountains and little rickey says he will help with more re-seating programs.

[tristatecoog]

Well, RGT is starting a new capital campaign. Guess that $100M from Moody was in the “silent phase,” plus some multi-million dollar gifts to Cox.

[ponyboy]

Reverse poverty in India or build the eighteenth fountain on campus? Always a tough choice.

But what’s a tenth of a billion among friends?

[BUS]

Coming out of Whole Foods on tollway and belt line... I saw 5 baylor guys. Of course I stopped them and asked where are you guys going now that T & O are leaving. Lots of thought of Pac ?, ACC ?
Then one said and they all agreed that is was the AAC.
That when I said cool, I'm SMU guy and welcome.

All between 25 and 35 years old.

Peace
Talk it up while your out.

[SMU_Alum11]

Coming out of Whole Foods on tollway and belt line... I saw 5 baylor guys. Of course I stopped them and asked where are you guys going now that T & O are leaving. Lots of thought of Pac ?, ACC ?
Then one said and they all agreed that is was the AAC.
That when I said cool, I'm SMU guy and welcome.

All between 25 and 35 years old.

Peace
Talk it up while your out.

While it's nice to get these positive anecdotes, we all need to know that things could remain the same or move very negatively. I hope there's a deal but my guess is the new Big 8 will see what regulatory items happen over the next 4 years before they make any agreements.

[Charleston Pony]

More speculation. An interesting read but one key point that leaves SMU vulnerable:

"That Power Five designation is what gives Big 12 its aforementioned leverage over the American. If we've learned anything in realignment, it's to follow the money. Despite its recent trauma, the Big 12 is operating from somewhat of a position of power when it comes to the AAC."


https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... onference/

[redpony]

CP- read that as well. Of course 'following the money' might mean ESPN subtly dictates what could occur.