Big East, Big 12 discuss merger

by **RednBlue11** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 4:54 pm

Whoa!

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... eport-says

Bob Ley interviewed the Big East Commish on OTL this afternoon...video included in the article.

by **RednBlue11** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 4:54 pm

NEW YORK -- A person involved in the discussions tells The Associated Press that school and conference officials from the Big East and Big 12 have been discussing ways to merge what's left of the two leagues if Texas and Oklahoma leave the Big 12.

The person, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly about what is going on behind the scenes, said Monday there has been dialogue between athletic directors and high-level officials in the conference offices.

Syracuse and Pittsburgh have announced they will be leaving the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Texas and Oklahoma are both trying to decide whether to leave the Big 12 for the Pac-12, taking Oklahoma State and Texas Tech with them.

by **1983 Cotton Bowl** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 4:56 pm

If this is true, then we should be hoping that the ACC takes UConn and Rutgers.

by **StallionsModelT** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 5:00 pm

Yep. This is the nightmare scenario. But I got a little information for ya...about to start another thread

by **HB Pony Dad** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 5:00 pm

CoxMustangFan wrote:IMO, worst possible outcome for SMU. They get left behind.

But we're METHODISTS; we don't get LEFT BEHIND!

by **Charleston Pony** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 5:03 pm

SEC still needs one member and the ACC is just defending themselves. The SEC, ACC, PAC 12 and Big 10 are in position to destroy what is left of the Big East and Big XII

There are still opportunities for SMU and hopefully when the dust settles, we will be reunited with Baylor and TCU

by **SMU 86** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 5:23 pm

West Virgina eventually goes to the SEC IMO.

by **Comet** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 5:26 pm

Charleston Pony wrote:SEC still needs one member and the ACC is just defending themselves. The SEC, ACC, PAC 12 and Big 10 are in position to destroy what is left of the Big East and Big XII

There are still opportunities for SMU and hopefully when the dust settles, we will be reunited with Baylor and TCU

Hopefully..

by **GRGB** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:06 pm

CoxMustangFan wrote:IMO, worst possible outcome for SMU. They get left behind.

Quite the Contrary.

by **Stallion** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:16 pm

....unless they go to 16 then its still going to be tough. Our best hope is that these Midland teams are [deleted] in their pants about their ability to recruit Texas w/o UT, OU, OSU and TT in the Big 12

by **goldenstang** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:16 pm

It depends on how many remaining big east and big 12 teams get eaten by the BIG Ten, SEC, and ACC. There are a few scenarios where we could end up still in it even if they merge.

by **MustangSTATS** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:25 pm

Charleston Pony wrote:SEC still needs one member and the ACC is just defending themselves. The SEC, ACC, PAC 12 and Big 10 are in position to destroy what is left of the Big East and Big XII

There are still opportunities for SMU and hopefully when the dust settles, we will be reunited with Baylor and TCU

True, just because ACC adds a few, they can still lose one or two to the SEC, if the SEC really wants to get to 16, they will probably take from the two from ACC and Missouri from the dead Big12. I don't think Big East and Big12 will have enough teams combined when all is done to at least be at 12. If anything the Big East may become so depleted, if UCONN and Rutgers also leave and TCU backs away, that is makes more sense for Big 12 leftovers to simply add schools to what they already have, possibly plucking a few from the big east if warranted. No reason to have such a stretched out unstable conference just to add Big east BB only schools. Who knows what the BB only schools will do. They could form there own conference after losing so many good FB-BB schools to the ACC or merge with the Atlantic-10. My view is that the Big East will fold or grab eastern timezone teams from non-aq conferences, possibly raid some of the CUSA schools. Now we can see why Villanova was hesitant to join such a potential mess and stay FCS. TCU may have made a huge mistake if they can't get out of it.

by **SMUstang07** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:38 pm

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/6991560/acc-move-raises-more-expansion-questions-college-football

This article seems to think that this would be good for us

3. What will happen to the Big East and Big 12? If Connecticut and Rutgers leave for the ACC, it's hard to imagine the Big East surviving. Then again, if the aforementioned Big 12 teams leave for the Pac-12 and Texas A&M joins the SEC, it's even more difficult to believe that the Big 12 would survive. In the end, the Big 12 or Big East might survive by feeding off the carnage of the other.

The Big East's remaining football-playing schools -- Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, TCU (which is set to join the Big East in 2012) and West Virginia -- might be absorbed by what's left of the Big 12. The Big 12 then could add Texas-based schools such as Houston and SMU as well as BYU or Boise State to reach 12 teams.

by **Stallion** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:45 pm

This is the scenario where the Big East and Big 12 survive in some form. Good for SMU. Just remember the Coaches of the remnants of the Big 12 desperately want to retain access to Texas recruiting. Look at their rosters. Although SMU will likely be the 4th in line, Dallas might be their most important recruiting base. When push comes to shove do these schools want an East based Conference or a Texas based conference. TCU has the same issue to resolve. The worst scenario is a TCU/Houston/ Baylor coalition that blocks SMU from the Best Leftovers Conference

by **Dukster** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:29 pm

Stallion wrote:This is the scenario where the Big East and Big 12 survive in some form. Good for SMU. Just remember the Coaches of the remnants of the Big 12 desperately want to retain access to Texas recruiting. Look at their rosters. Although SMU will likely be the 4th in line, Dallas might be their most important recruiting base. When push comes to shove do these schools want an East based Conference or a Texas based conference. TCU has the same issue to resolve. The worst scenario is a TCU/Houston/ Baylor coalition that blocks SMU from the Best Leftovers Conference

Agree. Hard to imagine TCU and Baylor agreeing on anything. Bad blood between those 2.