5 schools leaving at the same time takes the Big12 below the mandatory 6 teams the NCAA requires a conference to have. That’s what would nullify the GOR because the Big12 would be dead.
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Now do you get one of those ribbons for a “first”? I think this might be the first admonition, but, hey, I’m just in shock.
Nice legal interpretation!
I think OU and UT are likely gone. If they wanted to save the Big 12, they’d be more interested in expansion, but even Boren is now saying hold your horses. Something all but has to be up for him to change his tune like that. But I don’t think they’ll leave for at least a few more years. Could be wrong, but I don’t see five teams departing the Big 12. The B1G would be interested in Texas, OU, and probably Kansas (AAU), but they’re not inviting Tech, OK State, etc. The PAC 12 might. I think Texas and OU saw that humongous TV deal the Big 10 recently got (and they love the academic patina) and covet a spot in the B1G, but it’s conceivable they could take their little brothers with them to the PAC and forget KU. The best scenario for UH may be for the B1G to invite Texas and Oklahoma only. At that point, the PAC 12 might consider UH with another regional program, possibly TCU or Texas Tech. The other option would be rebuilding the Big 12 with UH, BYU, and probably two or maybe even four others. Cincinnati, UConn, Colorado State, maybe Memphis and/or one or two of the AAC Florida programs would be possibilities. It wouldn’t be the SEC, but such a conference would, IMO, remain a P5 program.
I don’t think it would remain a power conference. The only thing that gives a conference the “power” designation is the top. The Big 12 minus the blue bloods is just a more popular, Texas-centric American conference. The blue bloods will never share the wealth with schools they believe as inferior, and the networks will realize, the viewership for the remnants of the Big12 outside of Texas will not warrant keeping them on an equal financial playing field as the other 4 conferences.
UT and OU leaving the Big12 spells doom for college football, because it would further the consolidation of “The Most Popular College Football Teams”. If TCU, TTech, and UH have a great season, but the media portrays us as 2nd tier… Well we already know what that’s like. We need UT and OU to stay put, because I don’t like the odds when 10-15 schools are fighting for 6-8 spots in the 4 super conference model.
I thought the thing giving it the power was the bowl tie in and the tv money.
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That is exactly right. Big investment from ESPN means they have a vested interest in promoting their own products. The designator P5 just means big TV contract.
I think it would depend on who stayed. I’m not sure many would argue Kansas, Oklahoma State, and West Virginia should be in a G5 conference. Throw in BYU and UH and Tech and TCU and Iowa State. ISU isn’t a powerhouse by any stretch, but they averaged close to 60k and made the Sweet Sixteen. With Kansas, UConn, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, etc. the Big 12 would remain one of the top basketball conferences, probably just behind the ACC. And the football ought to be as good relative to the ACC and Pac 12 as the Big East was during the BCS era, probably more so. I’ve also read that a conference doesn’t lose its P5 designation unless it loses more than 3-4 schools. I can’t recall exactly how many or where I read that, but IIRC it seemed like a legitimate source.
I share your views.
Unfortunately, unless and until UT commits to a new GOR in the Big 12 or moves to another league, we are in limbo. Because no P5 league will take UH when UT might still be available in a few years.
Agree with both of you. Until UT finds a permanent home, I believe we’re stuck in limbo. Only scenario I see us moving up is if the Big 12 decides to replace Baylor and that’s a longshot.
I think uta is probably stuck in the Big-12-4+2 as long as they have the LHN. But I also think ESPN will kill it when their present contract expires because it has been losing money like crazy, so I have read. How long does the present LHN contract run? That will probably determine when uta jumps to another conference.
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Until the year 2031 … 15 more years!!!
We have circled these wagons ad infinitum whether the horns and sooners will or will not leave the Big12.
ITS ALL CONJECTURE AND GUESSING.
Its like coming to a fork in the road … with two or more paths to choose and waiting …
And all it will take is for ONE DOMINO to fall … from either the Big12 or one of the other P5s … expansion-wise
Meanwhile opinions/guesses will flourish and like patooties … everyone has one …and they all will sound credible depending on the time of year and mood of this board. 
I pretty much think there’s no point in talking about this anymore…I think everyone has had enough time to put their thoughts and feelings out there. We can all keep doing it till we’re blue in the face, but it’s not going to change anything. It’s a seriously huge exercise in futility. At most someone might slightly alter someone else’s opinion of what might or should happen, but that’s about it. Total waste of time…that being said, we’re all adults and if you want to waste your time that way, have at it. Whatever any adult wants to discuss on an open Internet forum is their own business. If i don’t like it, I just won’t partake. But i still think we’re killing a donkey by pinching him to death (a Mexican saying my mother in law loves to say).
It is all speculation. But like they say in mysteries, “follow the money.” If Texas can make more in a prestigious academic and athletic conference with member schools like Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Penn State, Ohio State, Purdue, Minnesota (these are top 25, AAU publics) than they do playing Baylor and Oklahoma State and Kansas State and West Virginia and so on, well, that’s the primary reason some of us think the Longhorns are gone, just like 20 years ago when they left SMU, TCU, and Rice to join the Big 12.
Uhhh … I musta missed that Masterpiece mystery episode and I pretty much have watched them all including the current Endeavor episodes … are you certain you aren’t referencing those lowbrow reality shows instead. 
Everyone including Nebraska had to go INTO the poor house before being allowed in the B1G … which means getting the crumbs off the table before getting FULL membership.
The 40 acres would not only have to give up their beloved LHN but eat at the lil kiddos table for several years like Rutgers and Maryland are now finishing up.
I doubt seriously whether they would accept this as $$$-grubbing as most believe they are …
BUT hey thats ah good story General … just not very … mysterious …
Texas would almost surely get an immediate full share. There’s not a more valuable program in the country. Nebraska brought less than 2 million pairs of eyeballs. Texas brings some 28 million.
Still don’t understand what Maryland and RUTGERS are doing in the Big Ten.
Losing, mostly.
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And the General KNOWS THIS UNIQUE INSIGHT (eyeballs not withstanding) … becaaaaaause!!!
Ohhh … and
It’s just common sense. Texas consistently makes more $$$ than any other program, and they command more large markets and TV sets than any other school by far–DFW (#5), Houston (#10), San Antonio (#32), Austin (#39), etc. Conferences drool over the thought of getting UT. It’s why Account, Pray, and I all agree that UH likely won’t go anywhere until the Big 12 powers that be decide what they’ll do when the GOR is up. With markets in Waco, Ames, Stillwater, Morgantown, Lubbock, etc. compared to NY, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, D.C, Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, etc., it’s not hard to see why the Big 12 will be passed in the night like a tugboat by a 20k HP yacht.
Rutgers helped get the Big 10 into NY. Maryland brought Washington and Baltimore.