Report: Big 12 has West Virginia lined up to replace Mizzou

[ponydawg]

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.co ... ce-mizzou/

The Big 12 has yet to officially lose Mizzouri to the SEC, but the conference has already reportedly lined up a replacement should the expected move happen.

Take it with whatever size grain of salt you deem necessary, but the New York Post is reporting that the Big 12├óΓé¼┬▓s plans for expansion/holding steady entail keeping Missouri for the 2012 season and then adding West Virginia the following year. How the Big 12 plans to bypass the Big East 27-month requirement for schools leaving the conference is unknown; earlier this month, commissioner John Marinatto made it clear that the Big East will hold Pittsburgh and Syracuse, which have announced their plans to leave for the ACC, to the timeline contained in the league’s bylaws.

It’s assumed the Mountaineers, if the report is accurate and they decide to move on from the Big East, would be held to the same 27-month wait, which would mean the 2015-2016 school year before an exit could occur. Of course, money always talks in these types of situations, so all three schools will likely end up paying significant financial penalties in order to get out earlier.

As noted by an unnamed source to the Post, WVU’s departure would be a crippling blow to a conference that’s already lost three members - TCU reneged on a commitment to the Big East in favor of a Big 12 invite - in less than two months, leaving the beleaguered league with just six football-playing members.

"Of all the schools the league has lost, from a football standpoint losing West Virginia would be the most damaging," a source told The Post. "Despite what anyone says, that’s the program the league has hung its hat on."

It has previously been reported that the Big East will invite Boise State, Air Force and Navy as football-playing members and UCF, SMU and Houston as members in all sports. It’s unclear how the uncertainty over the Mountaineers’ longterm viability in the Big East would affect those schools’ mindset in signing on to such an unstable environment, especially Boise State, whose concerns about the conference about the conference losing its automatic qualifier status in the BcS have been duly noted.

If Boise State decides to remain in the Mountain West… if West Virginia leaves… if the Big 12 decides to expand to 16 members and adds Louisville and Cincinnati as the Post reports is a possibility in such a scenario, the Big East as a football conference, let alone as an automatic qualifying conference, will cease to exist.

Of course, this is all predicated on Missouri and if/when they decide to make a decision on their future conference affiliation. Based on how that school’s chancellor parsed his words Monday, it now appears to be only a matter of when not if they announce a move to the SEC.

"[The Big 12 is] making some of the right moves, now, that are necessary for the Big 12 to do, and I wish them the best and all of that. So we’ll see where that goes," Brady Deaton said following a meeting of the Big 12 Board of Directors Monday night.

[NickSMU17]

27 months...

[Stallion]

Yeah the Big East is going to cry about 27 month exit. Big 12 can respond and tell them to shut up or we will take Louisville, Cincy, Rutgers and UCONN too. I see where this is going. West Virginia walks in 2013

[ponyinNC]

could this all be posturing by Big 12 to basically say to Big East, "Let out WVU now, or we will poach all of your schools in 2015"...?

[ponydawg]

I'm hoping it is posturing by the big 12 to get BYU in.

[ponyscott]

could this all be posturing by Big 12 to basically say to Big East, "Let out WVU now, or we will poach all of your schools in 2015"...?

Yes that's what going on..apparently. Power plays all around...the Big East has to be a good card player now.

[smubrooks]

If WVU leaves do we still go? I think if Boise, AF, and Hou are in we should...

[NickSMU17]

West Virginia isnt going anywhere...

Let the big 12 threaten whatever they want...big east has AQ till 2016...most of thos teams arent helping anyway...

UT and OU dont want more than 10 teams, we both know that...so if they want to sell out for Louiosville, Cincy ect,...go ahead...We will gladly play in some BCS games from 2013 to 1016

[NickSMU17]

We go no matter what...

[BRStang]

I'm still holding out some hope that the SEC tells Mizzou "no thanks."

[smupony94]

If WVU leaves do we still go? I think if Boise, AF, and Hou are in we should...

Yes. Even with Louisville and WVU gone, I believe it is a better league

[Stallion]

Big East really ought to let West Virginia walk if they want to survive. I bet ESPN is telling them to go big and take the NY, NJ, Cincy and Louisville markets too and divide into Divisions. Now that would in fact be checkmate for SMU's BCS chances. ESPN obviously wants to kill the Big East so why not

[NickSMU17]

Not gonna happen...

[NickSMU17]

Big East really ought to let West Virginia walk if they want to survive. I bet ESPN is telling them to go big and take the NY, NJ, Cincy and Louisville markets too and divide into Divisions. Now that would in fact be checkmate for SMU's BCS chances. ESPN obviously wants to kill the Big East so why not

For as knowledgeable about some stuff as you are...I can't believe how bad you are at this game...

Esp. With ND

Stick to recruiting and UT football...

[BRStang]

Not gonna happen...

Okay, thanks!