Big XII Expansion

[StallionsModelT]

Sadly yes.

If you've cared about the football program at all I would recommend seeing as many games at Ford over the next few years as possible. Make some memories. The end is coming in the next decade.

[mtrout]

Don't give up hope just yet. Remember RGT is Illuminati.

[footballdad]

This is huge news for SMU.

Because we don't need an IPF to play Division III football and thus get to save a ton of dough?

Lol. And we're not getting new turf. It's just stage1 of turning ford into an equestrian stable.

Once that's complete, make a horseshoe around the existing practice field with portable aluminum bleachers, for the perfect D3 venue. New field would also be closer to the Blvd, for all those that currently find the long journey to the stadium not worthy of the trek. Pack the current 5,000 regulars into the bleachers for an electric atmosphere!

[horsemanx]

The Pac-12 and ACC better get their collective acts together and get our bids to us soon before the Big 12 snaps us up!

[LA_Mustang]

Yeah! And Kate Upton needs to get home with my dinner....

[JasonB]

When June Jones quit on SMU in 2011, that was the end of our P5 hopes.

It's probably coincidence, but him looking at ASU, the Big East falling apart and the report from the collegiate meetings that they were looking at 64 teams and SMU wasn't even remotely in the discussion all happened within a few months of each other.

Our ONLY hope is sinking ESPN viewership, and acknowledgement that the pool needs to be large, not small, leading to an 80 team top flight.

It is important to note that the 4 - 64 theory had the ACC or Big 12 imploding. The ACC looked like it was going to implode with the Maryland move and a lot of other rumors. But this contract and ND obviously keeps it around.

So, if the Big 12 gets blown up and we go 4-64, we are screwed either way. It doesn't matter if Houston gets in now, it is only temporary.

5 conferences of 16 teams is really our only hope.

[shadowman]

Good article about it in the DMN this morning, lists likely candidates. SMU was mentioned in the article:

In May, Boren said as many as 25 schools had contacted the Big 12 -- so it could get messy and complicated in a buyer's market. For many, this represents the potentially last chance to get into a "power five" conference. If say, SMU wants to make its best pitch, now is the time.


http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college ... idates?f=r

I wonder how hard SMU has even tried thus far compared to some other AAC schools? As it says, now is the time if we want to grovel and, more importantly, pull out the checkbooks promising a huge entrance fee to the conference.

[One Trick Pony]

Big 12's checklist for candidates included athletic competitiveness, fan base size.

[mrydel]

Maybe they want a cupcake with plenty of room for the visiting team fans.

[ojaipony]

Just win!! (and promote the hell out of the program once you do!) (do it the old fashioned TCU way: earn it! . . . and yes I threw up in my mouth a little having typed that referencing TCU).

[ericdickerson4life]

Looks like it may be a little too little too late in the winning department. That mantra has been going on for 20+ years and save for a couple of season we haven't won. Our only hope is that we can cut a large enough check to buy our way in. If anything else is factored in, it's over. And I'm guessing we have no chance as the guys "in the know" aren't talking about how we knew this was coming and are prepared or in a good position. Thank God for LB. If Jank can keep things moving forward we can make our successful transition to being a basketball school in a football state.

[StallionsModelT]

None of the options for the Big 12 are perfect. Memphis is an academic dumpster fire. You really think UT wants to be associated with Memphis? USF/UCF are commuter schools and recent poor performance on the field. UH is a serious threat to the existing power structure of the Big 12 especially if they keep Hermann. BYU is a nightmare conference partner. Colorado State is in Fort freaking Collins. Tulane has awful athletics and small fan base. SMU has awful football, small fan base, etc.

I think that there is a strong chance the LHN experiment comes to an end over at ESPN and UT leaves for the PAC. At that point the Big 12 becomes a free for all.

[One Trick Pony]

None of the options for the Big 12 are perfect. Memphis is an academic dumpster fire. You really think UT wants to be associated with Memphis? USF/UCF are commuter schools and recent poor performance on the field. UH is a serious threat to the existing power structure of the Big 12 especially if they keep Hermann. BYU is a nightmare conference partner. Colorado State is in Fort freaking Collins. Tulane has awful athletics and small fan base. SMU has awful football, small fan base, etc.

I think that there is a strong chance the LHN experiment comes to an end over at ESPN and UT leaves for the PAC. At that point the Big 12 becomes a free for all.

UCF will still be playing football when SMU has left it behind

[davish75]

SMU and Dallas should partner to for one of the openings in the Big 12. SMU could play two or three games a year in the Cotton Bowl - a place where SMU has lots of history and tradition. SMU in the Big 12 would be a big benefit for Dallas.

[okcponyfan]

I don't think its all doom and gloom.
If there are no new GOR signed by the schools, OU. UT, KU could still leave at 2025.

Expansion for the big 12 could just be OU/ut/ku helping the 7 other schools to find a decent landing spot once they bolt.

Still think OU and KU go to either big10 or SEC together and UT goes independent but has a working relationship with the big12 where they play 5/6 big12 schools a year. Like ND does with the ACC