Is the B12 the worst P5 conference in football?

[Bergermeister]

Big12 is a P.U. conference at the moment......

[WorldStang]

love how we talk about how the Big 12 stinks and yet we'd give our left nut to get in it..

[Stallion]

Plus 1/2 SMU fans are too frightened to play teams we've played for 100 years and in the next breathe they exalt SMU's chances to become a P5. They only way SMU accomplishes that is recruiting and beating P5 teams. We aren't playing in the English Soccer League hoping for a promotion because we are the Giant among Midgets. I got a better idea why don't you guys roadtrip to Stephen F. Austin while the rest of us continue to watch big-time College Football and teams all SMU teams have played for a Century

[EastStang]

We lost to two Big XII teams, badly. But that said, the Final Four Committee certainly did not see a great body of work for TCU and Baylor in selection for the final four which would include conference games. OSU, FSU, Oregon, and Alabama represented the other four conferences and their OOC schedules were not that impressive (including OSU losing to VT). So, for this year the Big XII was probably the weakest, followed by the Big Ten, then the ACC, then Pac 12, and the strongest (semi-pro) by miles the SEC.

[Bergermeister]

Plus 1/2 SMU fans are too frightened to play teams we've played for 100 years and in the next breath they exalt SMU's chances to become a P5. The only way SMU accomplishes that is recruiting and beating P5 teams.

Well, SMU came out 407-490-47 (or thereabouts) in the first 100 years - I imagine SMU will register a similar record when 2114 rolls around. Just enjoy the ride - no matter how bumpy.

[PoconoPony]

We lost to two Big XII teams, badly. But that said, the Final Four Committee certainly did not see a great body of work for TCU and Baylor in selection for the final four which would include conference games. OSU, FSU, Oregon, and Alabama represented the other four conferences and their OOC schedules were not that impressive (including OSU losing to VT). So, for this year the Big XII was probably the weakest, followed by the Big Ten, then the ACC, then Pac 12, and the strongest (semi-pro) by miles the SEC.

A big problem the selection committee saw on the schedule for Baylor and TCU was 1-11 SMU.

[footballdad]

We lost to two Big XII teams, badly. But that said, the Final Four Committee certainly did not see a great body of work for TCU and Baylor in selection for the final four which would include conference games. OSU, FSU, Oregon, and Alabama represented the other four conferences and their OOC schedules were not that impressive (including OSU losing to VT). So, for this year the Big XII was probably the weakest, followed by the Big Ten, then the ACC, then Pac 12, and the strongest (semi-pro) by miles the SEC.

A big problem the selection committee saw on the schedule for Baylor and TCU was 1-11 SMU.

Had ZERO to do with it. Bowlsby rolled the dice with his 'one true champion/no true champion' strategy, and lost when Ohio State destroyed Wisconsin 59-0 in their championship game. If the final week of championship games plays out differently the Big 12 may have had 2 teams in, unfortunately for them it did not and they were left out.....deservedly so.

[JasonB]

Honestly, I thought when we played the three games this year, there was a big different in talent between A&M and TCU and Baylor. I thought A&M and TCU were on the same level and Baylor was a step below.

[whitwiki]

I dunno atm hasn't looked so amazing

[StallionsModelT]

The talent gap between us and all three of them is literally worlds apart. Quite frankly I thought we were out-athleted in every game except USF, UCONN, and Tulsa.

[gostangs]

The fact that we sucked this year and would join the Big 12 in two seconds if asked, does not mean that they aren't also sucking wind when compared to the other P-5 conferences. That is not mutually exclusive.

[Treadway21]

We lost to two Big XII teams, badly. But that said, the Final Four Committee certainly did not see a great body of work for TCU and Baylor in selection for the final four which would include conference games. OSU, FSU, Oregon, and Alabama represented the other four conferences and their OOC schedules were not that impressive (including OSU losing to VT). So, for this year the Big XII was probably the weakest, followed by the Big Ten, then the ACC, then Pac 12, and the strongest (semi-pro) by miles the SEC.

A big problem the selection committee saw on the schedule for Baylor and TCU was 1-11 SMU.

Had ZERO to do with it. Bowlsby rolled the dice with his 'one true champion/no true champion' strategy, and lost when Ohio State destroyed Wisconsin 59-0 in their championship game. If the final week of championship games plays out differently the Big 12 may have had 2 teams in, unfortunately for them it did not and they were left out.....deservedly so.

This exactly. And he pissed Briles off enough to go off publicly about it. Lose - lose for Big XII.

[West Coast Johnny]

The big 12 is down with the little sisters of the poor (TCU & Baylor) on top. Good for them but the rest of the conference sucks right now:

Kansas State - well coached team of half walk ons and half jucos. Very little talent on that team but still good enough to be 3rd best.

Oklahoma - Is Bob Stoopes the most overrated coach in the country? All that talent and five losses? And his team just quits on him in the bowl.

Texas - Mr. Badass Charlie Strong's big statement has been kicking half the team off the roster... which at least in the short term has resulted in seven losses. Oh, and Tyrone Swoopes is horrible and will have to be replaced with a redshirt freshmen.

Oklahoma State - Gundy seems tired and burned out and so does his team.

Texas Tech - Coach Yolo needs to open up a new can of swag because the one he's using isn't working. And he needs a defense but does't seem to be interested in recruiting any defensive players.

West Virginia - Meh.

Kansas and Iowa State - Suck as usual.

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

First, comparing SMU in any way, shape, or form to Big-12 programs like TCU, Baylor, etc. right now is patently absurd. Of course we are currently miles away from competing with those programs. . .that goes without saying. As does the fact that the goal for SMU must be to compete with and beat those programs on the field. But, setting aside the question of whether we can play with these programs right now (which we can't), I think it's very fair to say that the Big-12 is currently a diminished conference.

Second, we of course have to set aside on-field performance from money. Money-wise, the Big-12 is doing just fine.

Third, any one of us would love to be in the Big-12. . .that again goes without saying. Personally, I feel like the ACC might be a better fit for SMU. But I recognize that any P-5 conference would be awesome, and the majority of SMU folks would probably choose the Big-12.

Having said that, the Big-12 does have a major problem right now called OU and Texas. Ever since the decline of Nebraska at the end of the 1990s, the engine of the Big-12 has been Texas and OU. They have, for the most part, been the class of the conference for the last 15 years and the representatives of the Big-12 brand. Other Big-12 programs (see K-State, Tech, OSU, Baylor, and now TCU), have risen and fallen during that time, but Texas and OU are the constants that allow the Big-12 to claim its place in the pantheon of big time college football.

Right now, both Texas and OU are down, down, down (by their standards). . .and that has quite simply taken the luster off the Big-12. Baylor and TCU winning is great. . .for Baylor and TCU. But as long as Texas and OU are down, the Big-12 is going to have a perception problem. Add to their problems the fact that Tech and WVU were mediocre at best this year, the fact that so far Big-12 progams have performed poorly in bowls, and the high-profile defections of major programs from the Big-12 over the past 5 years, and it all adds up to a weakened conference. That will not get fixed until Texas and OU right their respective ships.

[Stallion]

The Baylor and TCU Bowl games are going to tell us a lot

I love watching their offenses but I have my doubts how they will succeed against an SEC team and the best Defensive team in the Big 10. Its going to be interesting-because of the great contrast of styles for these games. I think Baylor and TCU did catch a break to play these games indoors under perfect playing conditions in the winter