One of the many nuances of future conference expansion is deciding how the divisions will be divided, and in the big twelve it is probably even more complicated than most. There are pairs of teams that will always need to play each other and pairs that should probably always be in the same division, Ex. Oklahoma + Oklahoma state, Kansas + Kansas state, Baylor + TCU, then to some extent Oklahoma + Texas. So I Would like to open a discussion about your ideal alignment for the future Big 12.
We will assume that the Big 12 takes two teams, Houston and Cincinnati (My favorite scenario)
The gut reaction would be that all the Texas teams need to stay together and then throw the Oklahoma schools in there too, but that puts one too many in our side of the conference, so lets assume they put us or tech on the other side that leaves the alignment at.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma state
Texas
Baylor
TCU
Houston / Tech
Iowa state
Kansas
Kansas State
Cincinnati
WVU
Houston/Tech
for a few obvious reasons that would be absolute conference suicide in my opinion, it basically puts all the cupcakes on one side and all the powerhouses on the other, they would leave very little chance of making and playoffs.
so my ideal alignment would be.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas
Tech
Kansas
Kansas State
Iowa State
Cincinnati
Houston
TCU
Baylor
WVU
In this alignment you preserve all the couples and rivalries (not sure that Baylor or TCU have Texas as a rival) and you also spread the talent to both sides for the most part. this also would make the most sense geographically in my opinion. then if Houston wanted to we could always schedule Texas or tech every year, Plus we have a bit of history with Cincinnati so that adds a little spark to the outsider to this very geo-centric Big 12 conference. I would love to hear other thoughts on this.
There is no way UT and OU can be in the same division. What the conference could do is designate an annual cross division game between the same schools. For example, using your second scenario and assuming that OU and Okie Lite switch divisions with TCU/Baylor, the OU-UT game becoming an annual cross division game for them. For example, UH could play either TT or OU, OSU, Kansas or KSU as our cross-division. This would create extra rivalries and give the divisions much more balance (assuming UT and OU remain the big dogs). If two teams meet during the season and then in the championship that could create extra excitement.
To quote briar rabbit … PLEASE DON’T THROW ME INTO THE BRIAR PATCH!!! …
With the cubbies falling into hard times I see UH being sent into the northern or NE division instead and playing Dismal every year and beating his sorry tushie.
THAT IS … 'course … we get accepted in the conference … forst thangs forst …
I want to be in the same division with Baylor so I can enjoy watching our team kick the crap out of them EVERY year. Instead of just once every two years, which would be the case if we were in different divisions.
93 or you could look at it the other way by being in different divisions they would get a chance to play again in the conference champ game so the loser of the annual rivalry game isn’t instantly eliminated from champ contention,
I definitely agree with this, didn’t even consider it on the initial writeup, them possibly playing twice in the season would probably negatively effect the hype of the red river shootout, or maybe it would make t better, who knows really.
it seems like one way or another two really good teams have to be in the same division, texas already plays OU every year anyway so I don’t really see them having trouble being in the same conference, their teams will almost never be mutually exclusive from one another because they already play so I don’t really know if it would change by having them I the same division. That was my initial reasoning.
TCU
Kansas
Kansas St
Cincinnati
West Virginia
Iowa St
Oklahoma
Oklahoma St
Texas
Texas Tech
UH
Baylor
Seems like UT/Tech, KU / KSU, OU/OSU and WVa/Cincy are all package deals so that leaves UH, BU, ISU and TCU as the flex options. BYU would open up options
If UH does not have annual game with the Texas schools and specifically UT, it will be disappointing
@pray10 That should be the goal but I prefer having 4 home conference games with compelling regional match ups on the way to earning that conference championship. I want games against Texas, OU, Tech, Baylor, Ok St and TCU to make TDECU THE place to be on Saturday.
If the Big 12 expands and Let’s say it’s Houston and BYU, then the Big 12 will want the best brand names (Texas and Oklahoma) taking back alliegences from the SEC (primarily A&M) for recruiting and prestige purposes. Being in Houston will probably sell more Longhorn network
The Big 12 can also use this realignment to preserve or inoculate the brand values against a protracted fallout from Baylor’s scandals spilling over on athletic broadcasts.
Therefore, division and cross rivals
Texas. West Virginia
Tech. Iowa state
UH. BYU/Cincinnati
TCU Baylor
Oklahoma. Kansas
Ok state. Kansas state
Texas. West Virginia
Tech. Iowa state
UH. BYU/Cincinnati
TCU Baylor
Oklahoma. Kansas
Ok state. Kansas state
Really? TTU/ISU? OU/KU? UT/WVU? Is today the first day you discovered CFB? If there is a cross-division rivalry setup, it will be a new member facing ISU. I hope we can split the Texoma schools into separate divisions both for competitive balance and to setup the following cross-division rivalries: UT/OU and TTU/OSU. I guarantee all four of those schools will advocate for that setup if OU and OSU are in a different division.
I could see cross-division rivalries with UT-OU, but I think they’ll end up in the same division. BYU might complicate that, but there’s a DMN piece today claiming the student code concerning the LGBT issue is a serious concern (whether one thinks that’s right or not) and could very well keep them out. If so, my guess is you’d have a western division of
Texas
Oklahoma
Tech
Oklahoma State
Kansas
Kansas State
TCU
Houston
Baylor
Iowa State
West Virginia
Cincinnati
If, say, UConn and Memphis or UCF are added, slide Baylor west and put the two newcomers in the east. UH would have an easier path to the championship game but wouldn’t get to play Texas or OU every year. Still, we’d have three cross-divisional games rotating every third season, so we’d likely play UT or OU right off the bat, maybe even UT and Tech, which would be a great schedule with Baylor, TCU, and West Virginia. We’d also have more luck getting a home and home non-conference game with a top P5 program.
I think what he was trying to writ is the first names in one division, the second names in the other division. Thats the reason my first post was edited because i tried to make two columns for the two divisions and it took out all my spaces and made it like the way his looks. I dont think he is saying those schools would make rivalries.
If there is a cross-division rivalry setup, it will be a new member facing ISU. I hope we can split the Texoma schools into separate divisions both for competitive balance and to setup the following cross-division rivalries: UT/OU and TTU/OSU. I guarantee all four of those schools will advocate for that setup if OU and OSU are in a different division.