I like it too but if it is four-team pods (and I doubt it will be) then chances are UH would end up with UCF, Cincinnati, and WVU.
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Yeah, I also think that it will be likely more schools in a division that a division of four. And, I wouldn’t like to be a division with no Texas rivals.
Yeah, there was about 20 years of disruption due to politics and war. Only played 95-100x so not quite the duration, but it’s a 100-year rivalry and the trophy, once exclusively tied to Football, also now has its own all sport trophy based on cumulative points for all sports placement/head to head matchups. Sort of an Athletic Department trophy.
Division 1:
Houston
Baylor
TCU
Tech
Ok St
Cinci
WVU
UCF
Division 2:
Kansas
Kansas St
Iowa St
CU
Utah
BYU
Arizona
ASU
Quick edit…
Or break it down to 4 pods. You play every team in your pod 1x and then 2 teams in each of the reaming pods making 9 conference games total. leaves 3 OOC games.
Pod 1:
Houston
Baylor
TCU
Tech
Pod 2:
Ok St
WVU
Cinci
UCF
Pod 3:
Kansas
Kansas St
Iowa St
CU
Pod 4:
Utah
BYU
Arizona
ASU
For scheduling purposes I would like to see us play Baylor, TCU, and Tech every year.
That leaves 12 other opponents.
Play 6 of them home and home, then play the other 6.
In 4 seasons we have played all 15 opponents at least twice.
I don’t see how that’s possible. Nobody should have a monopoly on Texas, not even Texas.
Hell, Arizona and Tech go way back. We have more claim to playing them than any newer Big12 additions. Hell, they even illegally use a Saguaro cactus which don’t even grow in West Texas naturally and are native to the Sonoran Desert, which ends in New Mexico. So, I’m very angst to beat they a*s to claim rights over the Saguaro !
No way do they pod all 4 Texas Schools. Just aint no way.
This kind of supports the permanent rivals idea over pods.
I think that’s doable for Basketball, but for 9 football games, that’s challenging.
Also, again, I know this is a Houston board, but I sure as hell didn’t wish for a year to join the Big12, only to be stuck with ASU and Utah and Utah’s overly religious kid-brother.
ASU, I get. But Texas Tech is a Border Conference rivalry and they’ve played I think north of 30x.
I understand planting a flag in a singular rivalry, but 3 and all 3 from Texas makes for impossible scheduling balance.
Is it a monopoly if you have a game in Texas every year?
But even then Houston would still have to play Baylor and Tech every year, I guess you could do UCF.
I like the idea of BU, Tech and UCF with UH. Though the UCF part is based on my NASA background and also I think getting a rival in Florida would be a plus for recruiting the other Texas schools would not have.
Im going to try and draw up a spreadsheet for how this will work. It’s going to take… a bit…
We in Houston don’t really have much of a voice as the new guys but I’ll tell you the existing Texas schools in the Big 12 aren’t breaking up if the conference moves to pods. The history and traditions are just too strong and Houston has a long tradition with them from the SWC days so don’t be surprised if after this next season that alliance is back.
Scheduling balance is crucial for these large conferences. Just don’t see how that’s remotely possible if one pod has all four Texas schools.
Splitting them 50/50 BU/TCU & UH/Tech into 2 pods feels far more likely.
But what do I know. Arizona will probably be stuck with ASU, BYU, Utah and have to live with it. Pisses me off we saved them and get stuck with them and their door-knocker little Bro.
pods and rivals have the same scheduling base, as The_Coog and I have had a good discussion over. In the example I did earlier in this thread, it would be easy to set up Az with Tech as a rival then put Colorado with Ok St or someone else.
Go for it. That would be cool to see.
I mean under my scenario every team will play in Texas every year. I have an alt scenario where every team would play in either Ohio, Florida , and Texas, or sometimes two of those 3 in the same year that may also be acceptable for recruiting.
This is going to be awesome.
I personally have zero connection to Colorado or Utah or BYU.
Colorado has long-standing Big12 rivalries from years back. Let them find their place again.
BYU and ASU makes sense. They both have HUGE Mormon populations and even share multiple lineage legacies.
Utah and Arizona share a little history. Mostly they Triangle&Two vs us in 1998 Elite 8 that sent the defending champ Wildcats home. But I have no ties to them.
But I am excited for Tech and Houston and obviously Kansas and even Iowa State and Cincinnati. I’m good for a Wildcat Rivalry, too.
I just don’t want to play the same core teams yearly when that core is boring BYU and Utah being added to the must play ASU.
I like the anchor Rivals of 3 matchups you always play. ASU, Tech, Kansas would make me happy, but KU is obviously on everyone’s list for Basketball.
Like I said, I’m sure there are smarter people than me making this, but I fundamentally disagree with all 4 Texas schools being in the same Pod. But that’s probably how it happens.
Just think of it this way, if the Pods Houston, BYU, Cincinnati, UCF, would you be cool with that? That effectively is what lumping Arizona with ASU, Utah, BYU/Colorado is.
This is a chance to not be so freaking stuck on geography. Finally. But that’s probably a me issue.
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