SMU Fan Thoughts On The Pac 12 After Today?

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

thanks for posting. that was an interesting video.

Yes thanks for posting this video Peruna Power
Very interesting video, especially at the 12:25 mark.
This guy obviously thinks if the Pac12 adds 1 team it will be SMU.
Because of Dallas, because of the relatively low buyout clause, and that SMU can start quicker.
I am more upbeat after watching this video.

[Peruna Power]

Just trying for some positive vibes going into the weekend!

His analysis is through PAC colored lenses however his assessment is pretty spot on in my opinion. It just comes down to the money/exposure of the TV deal, and the four corner schools/Ducks will decide whether to stick around. Anymore more defections from those core schools and the PAC is toast. If they stick together, they expand immediately and they survive.

I have the feeling that they are going to add a team somewhat immediately as an emergency to stop the bleeding and try and calm nerves.

Whether that school is ours is anyone’s guess. If SDSU wasn’t in their situation(created by PAC), they would make most sense for the immediate plug. Maybe not in the future, but today they are a much stronger program than Colorado. So that swap would actually be lateral at the minimum, and they could stick with 10 teams until they figure it out. The buyout amount is immaterial to us, we would want to go immediately, and we would take a lesser share to boost up the other members numbers. So you have to think they are taking a pretty hard look at us as the immediate add, maybe they even announced San Diego State as well…SDSU waits a year to join along with the mystery 3rd school.

With all of that said, it would be an interesting predicament from our angle. If they don’t have the media deal done before they add us, the conference could implode and we are stuck in a worse position. Right now, if you win the AAC, you are likely in the playoff win the format expands. So it would be interesting to see if the University decides to take a leap of faith in that situation. Whether good or bad for us, I think the next 10 days are gonna be pretty interesting.

[crazy horse]

Being blackballed by the B12 may sting, but ultimately could be a blessing. They have lost all their top brands - Nebraska, UT, Mizzou, OU. Who is going to drive the bus now? They added 4 G5 schools, to a bunch of schools that have very little in common. And look at the the teams that remain Iowa st - averaging 2.8 conf wins, KS - 1.7, TT - 3.9. I could go on, but its not a conference loaded with top 25 teams or top brands. The geography makes little sense. Culturally? Academically? What holds a conference together that stretches from Central Florida to West Virginia to Houston, to Provo? Maybe necessity, and perhaps that's enough for the short term.

Even the teams with some success Baylor, TCU, KSU, OSU - are not consistent. Baylor was dreadful for most of their time in Big 12. What happens if BYU or UCF dominates this conference? Or worse, what if the middle is just too good, and they end up beating each other up, with nobody emerging on top?

Most of you are old enough to remember the WAC 16 debacle. The Big 12 is looking more and more like the WAC 16 to me. A bunch of teams thrown together to be the "best of the rest" league. And it didn't take long for certain teams to grow weary of others.

Maybe they survive, but if I were Kansas or KS, or OSU - I think I would be quietly looking around.

The PAC is still a viable option as long as the P5 status remains, and the $$$ are significantly better than AAC. Cal, Stanford, Utah, Oregon, Wash - are a solid core. I truly hope they don't go wild and add a bunch of MWC teams. Just get the numbers back to where needed for TV. And why is AFA never considered? Wouldn't the academics be solid? National interest? Market?

[EastStang]

There’s another reason Deon wanted to move. He thinks he has a better chance to compete for championships in the Big XII.

[ShantyBoy]

And he would be right on that. The Big 12 was awful last year in hindsight. Their “champion” was exposed in epic fashion.

[Charleston Pony]

And he would be right on that. The Big 12 was awful last year in hindsight. Their “champion” was exposed in epic fashion.

To be fair, TCU did beat Michigan to earn the right to be humiliated by Georgia. That's the same Michigan team that had beaten Ohio State in Columbus. Ohio State played Georgia their toughest game and maybe gave them a wake up call. That Georgia team had whipped a number of pretty good teams including a 49-3 win vs # 15 Oregon, a 50-30 win vs # 16 LSU and a 48-7 win against # 23 South Carolina. You can't judge a team or conference based on a single game, but it certainly appears the SEC has the strongest top to bottom group of teams in college football these days. The Big XII was probably on a par with the PAC 12 and ACC and had pretty good competitive balance in a year when OU finished near the bottom

Instead of all the criticism that comes off as sour grapes directed towards the Big XII, I just want our guys to beat TCU and OU to prove we belong on the field with P5 programs

[SMUguy]

What was Colorado's hurry to leave? Wouldn't it make more sense to look at the numbers?

They got sick of being jerked around by Pac 12 leadership.

Maybe so. On the other hand, I also read a story (out of Washington?) That quoted "anonymous sources at several Pac-12 schools" indicating that many in the league were already more than tired of Deion Sanders and his "everything is about me" act, and therefore happy to see CU leave.

I don't blame them. Boulder is beautiful, but I'd want no part of that guy.

[SMUguy]

To be fair, TCU did beat Michigan to earn the right to be humiliated by Georgia.

True, but that felt 100% like a Michigan/Harbaugh failure than a TCU/Dykes success. Wolverines looked uninterested in being there until the fourth quarter, as if they hadn't even practiced for the game. By the time they developed a little urgency, it was too late.
I'll always believe that if they were to play a rematch -- same rosters, same stadium ... everything the same -- Michigan would smoke the Froggies.

[redpony]

agree plus IMO tcwho did not have nearly as tough a schedule as Michigan. No way the b12 is competitive with B1G.

[Roach]

OMG ... not even close.

[PNW_Stang]

As an Aztec fan I am very worried about where all of this is going.

I am not a fan of the Pac 12 and never have been a fan of the Pac 12. I wanted the Aztecs to get an invite to the Big 12 but as we know in Aztec Land, we can not refuse an invite to the Pac 12. The MWC TV deal is very weak and whatever the Pac 12 puts out there will be a better financial situation for us than staying in the MWC.

But today confused me. What is the Pac 12 doing? SMU has been mentioned many times (with the Aztecs) as the 2 schools heading for the Pac 12. Are you guys having 2nd thoughts about this?

We are in strange times with College Sports/TV.

SDSU is in a better position than SMU because the Big 12 does not look like an option for us. We are blackballed from membership at this time. Unless Washington and Oregon hold firm, the PAC will not be much of a worthwhile upgrade for us. If those two schools bolt to the Big 12 or Big 10 before a media deal is signed, then SMU really has no options until the ACC falls apart. At that point, there may be some value left in the East with which we might align. The ACC media deal might have been broken by now if ESPN were in better financial situation. Despite what the Big 12 trolls on this board say, I think that the Big 12 media deal is in peril due to ESPN's weakness btw.

Even if it is just the bottom 5-6 PAC teams that are left, and they backfill with AAC and MWC, that would be a massive upgrade for us. Just like the AAC was a massive upgrade for us even though the Big East fell apart. Have you looked at our current conference?

[ShantyBoy]

^^^^^This. 100%.

[sail420s]

The PAC12 could have easily poached Baylor, TCU, TTU, and OSU once OU and UT announced their move to the SEC. They would have cemented themselves as the number 3 conference, USC and UCLA would not have left, they would have a top media deal, and the B12 would be dead. That lack of foresight coupled with the current media deal struggles makes me question the ability of the leadership and university presidents.

[Topper]

The PAC12 could have easily poached Baylor, TCU, TTU, and OSU once OU and UT announced their move to the SEC. They would have cemented themselves as the number 3 conference, USC and UCLA would not have left, they would have a top media deal, and the B12 would be dead. That lack of foresight coupled with the current media deal struggles makes me question the ability of the leadership and university presidents.

They could have poached the schools you mentioned but TTU and OSU have deplorable academics. Baylor carries Title IX violation taint that makes them a pariah. USC and UCLA would have left anyway. Too much money. A couple of thise schools might have bolstered th conference but none added enough media value to make much difference.

[SMUstang]

Lets wait and see who’s left in the PAC after the dust settles. The leftovers may not have as good a media deal as we do now in the American. With no leadership and less exposure.