Conference Realignment

[Guest]

The Big 12 (-3) is starting to implode.

Texas A&M had enough and wanted out.

I like the fact that Nebraska and Colorado departed last year, but now TAM gets the bad guy label.

Baylor gets a big win in football in 10 years and now they want to be relevant.

Filing a lawsuit will only slow the bleeding, the conference is toast.

People can blame however they want, but the fault lies with the Texas Longhorns and their TV network deal.

So, which school will be named the 14th team to the SEC?? (If Texas A&M is allowed to leave)

Mizzou, VT, FSU???

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6939017/texas-aggies-accepted-sec-legal-threat-delays-move

[stlfisher]

I think Mizzoui has a shot as the 14th member of the SEC, but they better be careful how they manage the inevitable implosion. They need to protect their legal rights while remaining on the good side of the remaining BCS conferences. The administration at Mizzou doesn't exactly have a great track record at managing any type of crisis...makes me a little nervous.

Personally, I think Mizzoui is a much better fith with the Big 10 than the SEC and would be more competetive in the Big 10. Our academics line up much better with the Big 10 as well. I am not a fan of ending up in the Big East at all. Any non BCS conferance would be an absolute disaster for Missouri which is why Baylor is freaking out at the moment. They are pretty much screwed when the Big 12 implodes.

When this get' resolved I am hoping the SEC comes calling Missouri. Missouri calls the Big 10 and says take us now or we go to the SEC. The Big 10 might have to bite on Mizzou in that scenario.

[Wayne SW/MO]

People can blame however they want, but the fault lies with the Texas Longhorns and their TV network deal.

That was ignorant on the part of the Big Twelve, especially considering they already had OU and NU who drew as many bowl games. They caught OU temporarily down and panicked.

The big question is will OU and/or OSU bolt? They bring in their share of bowl money and TV revenue, especially OU.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Give me back the Big 8! Screw those Texass teams.

[Jack Jones]

At the rate the SEC is going, might as well make it a separate division all to itself. I think a defection by Mizzou would make so little sense. They just aren't ready for that level. One great season does not a bar of excellence make.

Personally, I'd love to see them scrap the entire Bowl series and revert to a tournament like basketball. The divisions and alignments make so little sense anymore when you have southern teams in the Big East, 12 teams in the "Big 10", ten teams in the "Big 12", changes galore, etc....

That said, the heck with all of them GO UCONN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chief Grey Bear]

At the rate the SEC is going, might as well make it a separate division all to itself. I think a defection by Mizzou would make so little sense. They just aren't ready for that level. One great season does not a bar of excellence make.

Isn't Arkansas in the SEC?

[Wayne SW/MO]

Lots of maybe's. Ou and OSU going to the Pac 10 and the Big East taking MU, the Kansas teams and maybe ISU and Baylor?

[stlfisher]

I'd be game for a return to the Big 8. I agree that Texas caused all this, but Texas will have many options in the end. They already caused the destruction of the old SWC. It would be awfully funny to see Texas end up in the Big 10 or SEC considering Nebraska, Colorado, and A@M are trying to get away from them. Missouri tried last year to get to the Big 10, but no luck.

I am not sure where Kansas or MU will end up in the end, but they should be ok. However, Kansas State, Iowa State, and Baylor have some real concerns. Athletics drive the revenue and if you end up in a non BCS conference you lose a ton of revenue. Kansas should end up a basketball heavy conference such as the Big East...even though geographically that makes zero sense.

The issue with the Big East going after Missouri is the football in that conferance is pretty mediocre and the ACC or SEC may try to pick off the schools from the Big East if all the major conferences decide to go to 16 teams. The Big East is not exactly stable either. I honestly think Missouri could challenge for the football conference crown in the Big East.

Missouri would be middle of the pack in the SEC and some years lower, but could compete. The program has won 40 games the last 4 years and the Big 12 wasn't exactly a cake walk when we had Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, Tech, and Okie State. We probably have a better basketball program than most of the SEC schools with the exception of KY (historically) and Florida. That could all change with the Frank Haith hire and Miami implications. The issue with the SEC is they have lower academic standards and that put's Missouri at a disadvantage. However, it would be pretty cool to have Florida, Alabama, and Auburn, come play in Columbia. You could have some great trips to the some of those schools as well. You should be able to keep the best talent in the sate at Missouri if you are playing in the SEC.

I still don't understand Baylor's actions though. No one is going to want to touch them after all this passes. I suppose they don't have many other choices, but now I think they have absolutely sealed their fate. Their actions have also put MU and KU in a bad spot. Both should end up ok if the Big 12 dissolves, but that isn't a lock and now they have to thread the needle of protecting their institutions without angering other prospective conferences. I really really dislike Baylor and Kenneth Star at this point in time.

[Quillback]

I can see a future with 4 16-team megaconferences, sets up nicely for a national championship game. 4 conference winners go into an end of year playoff to decide the national champ. The 4 conferences would be divided into 8 team divisions, so you'd have a conference championship game with winners going into the national title playoff. It would be an awesome system. If you're not one of the 64, you can play in meaningless bowl games such as the Music City Bowl, to name one.

[osuangler]

Whyis it that we can solve this insanity here and those that make a quasibillion dollars a year cant see it? I 100% completely agree with your idea and even though we will all love and liss our old conferences and such, the mega conference future is coming wether we like it or not.

I can see a future with 4 16-team megaconferences, sets up nicely for a national championship game. 4 conference winners go into an end of year playoff to decide the national champ. The 4 conferences would be divided into 8 team divisions, so you'd have a conference championship game with winners going into the national title playoff. It would be an awesome system. If you're not one of the 64, you can play in meaningless bowl games such as the Music City Bowl, to name one.