ESPN Reports OKla, OKla St, Texas & Texas Tech to PAC 12

[Wbbfan1]

with Texas able to keep the LongHorn Network.

 

[EricLA]

good for them. UCONN hopefully following Pitt and Syracuse to the ACC...

 

[alexrgct]

Negotiations aren't complete, but that was the initial thinking when A&M looked to move to the SEC and now looks even more to be what's actually going to happen. We'll know more tomorrow.

The PAC is looking into a pod system with the four Big XII teams being in one pod, the two AZ teams, with Utah and Colorado, in another, the four CA teams in the third, and the Washington and Oregon teams in the fourth.

Texas wanted a conference schedule that would only involve eight total regular season conference games. They're conceding a ninth in exchange for some pretty signifcant concessions on the Longhorn Network.

The President of UT is very much in favor of this. Academically, the PAC is a great fit, and from an athletic perspective, Texas keeps three regional rivals, including OU. The PAC would have three marquee football brands in Texas, OU, and USC, and a presence in a bunch of new TV markets: Utah, Colorado, and now Texas.

Kodus also to the ACC for taking proactive steps to keep from getting raided by the SEC.

We'll see what happens, but the next 48 hours could completely change the landscape of college sports.

 

[huskeynut]

Reports earlier today, from ESPN, that Herbst is actively/ aggressively talking to the ACC. Not a surprise.

I would think we are going to the ACC by the end of this coming week. I also assume, I know that's bad, but, a deal will be made with the BE so Pitt, Syracuse and Uconn, if we're accepted, will leave the BE after this academic year. I can't see staying for 27 months as the by-laws state.

Again, this is all speculation.

 

[Vowelguy]

Great news.
(1) It takes Texas out of the ACC mix.
(2) At minimum now, the Big East & Big XII merge. UConn remains in a BCS conference, even if the ACC doesn't offer.

 

[UConnChapette]

Reports earlier today, from ESPN, that Herbst is actively/ aggressively talking to the ACC. Not a surprise.

I would think we are going to the ACC by the end of this coming week. I also assume, I know that's bad, but, a deal will be made with the BE so Pitt, Syracuse and Uconn, if we're accepted, will leave the BE after this academic year. I can't see staying for 27 months as the by-laws state.

Again, this is all speculation.

All depends on how angry the remaining BE members are and how difficult they want to make it.

I will say this for the ACC. They took the necessary proactive steps to discourage their member institutions from leaving by raising the exit fee to a whopping $20 million. This was done when the rumor mill had the SEC raiding the ACC and taking FSU, Clemson and one other school, can't remember which. The BE's $5 exit fee is peanuts in comparison.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

I feel like we knew this was coming! There is gonna be a complete realignment to all of the conferences.

 

[Icebear]

Great news.
(1) It takes Texas out of the ACC mix.
(2) At minimum now, the Big East & Big XII merge. UConn remains in a BCS conference, even if the ACC doesn't offer.

Don't count on the BCS continuing to exist. The 4 super conferences seem likely to be the ACC, Big Ten, SEC, and PAC. 4 times 16 makes 64 teams and a nice number for scheduling and potential playoffs.

 

[Phil]

I agree. This could be the end of the BCS

 

[Icebear]

I agree. This could be the end of the BCS

By the way, Stevester, love the sig line.

 

[Vowelguy]

Don't count on the BCS continuing to exist. The 4 super conferences seem likely to be the ACC, Big Ten, SEC, and PAC. 4 times 16 makes 64 teams and a nice number for scheduling and potential playoffs.

I don't know what 64 has to do with scheduling or playoffs.

How does the SEC get to 16 teams? The Big 10? There are few attractive program left on the sidelines. I don't see how we get to four 16-team conferences anytime soon.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Louisville could go to the Big 10? West Virginia to the SEC?
Depaul to the Big 10?

Just thinking out loud. Its possible if they want to go to a 16-team conference

 

[UConn4ever]

Louisville could go to the Big 10? West Virginia to the SEC?
Depaul to the Big 10?

Just thinking out loud. Its possible if they want to go to a 16-team conference

Depaul wont go to the Big 10 because theres no way the Big 10 wants them and because they dont play football

 

[triaddukefan]

Louisville could go to the Big 10? West Virginia to the SEC?
Depaul to the Big 10?

Just thinking out loud. Its possible if they want to go to a 16-team conference

No way in the world will the Big 10 invite Louisville. No way.

 

[Icebear]

I don't know what 64 has to do with scheduling or playoffs.

How does the SEC get to 16 teams? The Big 10? There are few attractive program left on the sidelines. I don't see how we get to four 16-team conferences anytime soon.

Just going by what seems to be the vision of various "experts" meaning commentators and sports talkers.

 

[Danzz]

Louisville could go to the Big 10? West Virginia to the SEC?
Depaul to the Big 10?

Just thinking out loud. Its possible if they want to go to a 16-team conference

Depaul will be in the CYO league. I don'tbelieve they have football.

 

[VAMike23]

U. South Florida is another school I was thinking of this morning. Has anyone read if they are 'in play'? I have no idea if there's any buzz about them going to the SEC, but if not, they have become a very solid football school in the last few years and I could see ACC taking a hard look at them. Rutgers has had a few good seasons but they are not on USF's trajectory, IMO.

If I were UCONN, I would be getting to the ACC ASAP, and if I were Rutgers, I would be nervous. The ACC can only take 2 more. UCONN and USF (who knows?) might be the two.

 

[jdubct]

Big 10 reportedly wants Maryland and may consider Rutgers. USF has not been mentioned for the ACC. The SEC may be interested in Missouri and WVA.

 

[Vowelguy]

U. South Florida is another school I was thinking of this morning. Has anyone read if they are 'in play'? I have no idea if there's any buzz about them going to the SEC, but if not, they have become a very solid football school in the last few years and I could see ACC taking a hard look at them. Rutgers has had a few good seasons but they are not on USF's trajectory, IMO.

If I were UCONN, I would be getting to the ACC ASAP, and if I were Rutgers, I would be nervous. The ACC can only take 2 more. UCONN and USF (who knows?) might be the two.

No way USF is going to the ACC. They bring nothign to the table and would be hugely opposed by FSU & Miami.

 

[VAMike23]

No way USF is going to the ACC. They bring nothign to the table and would be hugely opposed by FSU & Miami.

USF has become a very solid football school in recent years. If I were to guess which school out of UCONN, Rutgers and USF would have the most success (bowl games, overall record) and crowd attendance in coming years, it would easily by USF. Seeing as football is the biggest factor in all of this, that is hardly "nothing".

As far as being opposed by FSU and Miami, I have no idea how hard those schools would push against the idea. If you're right, then fine, USF wouldn't get in. But to say they bring 'nothing' is ridiculous.

 

[Vowelguy]

USF has become a very solid football school in recent years. If I were to guess which school out of UCONN, Rutgers and USF would have the most success (bowl games, overall record) and crowd attendance in coming years, it would easily by USF. Seeing as football is the biggest factor in all of this, that is hardly "nothing".

As far as being opposed by FSU and Miami, I have no idea how hard those schools would push against the idea. If you're right, then fine, USF wouldn't get in. But to say they bring 'nothing' is ridiculous.

Performance is largely irrelevant. It's about new markets and improving the product.
- USF adds nothing for TV. FSU & Mia have FL covered.
- It has little national reputation in any sport.
- It may be marginally better in FB than some others, but overall it is still weak.
- It is way worse in BB.

USF is out in the cold on this one.

 

[VAMike23]

Performance is largely irrelevant. It's about new markets and improving the product.
- USF adds nothing for TV. FSU & Mia have FL covered.
- It has little national reputation in any sport.
- It may be marginally better in FB than some others, but overall it is still weak.
- It is way worse in BB.

USF is out in the cold on this one.

Your point re: TV is well taken, and it's true that right now USF doesn't have a national rep [yet]. I guess we can agree to disagree on whether it's 'marginally better' in FB than others. I see it as a very solid program that's on the rise, and not close to being weak.

Miami is an interesting wild-card. What will their program look like going forward? While many folks see the death penalty as unlikely, could the fact that realignment is swirling right now actually tip the balance in favor of that penalty? Given that FB is in an unprecedented state of flux anyway, this might be the time the NCAA chooses to use the death penalty, if they are ever to use it on a significant program to set an example.

“Clearly, the impact of the so-called death penalty is really severe,” Emmert said, not speaking specifically about the UM case. “You wouldn’t want to enter into it without a very solid reason for doing so. ... You have to recognize that, today, inflicting that penalty on any one school has a lot of collateral damage to other members of the conference, around media contract rights and a variety of things. So you wouldn’t enter into it casually.
“... Having said that, if that’s an option that the [NCAA] Committee on Infractions believes is appropriate in any one case — it doesn’t matter which one it is — I’m not opposed to them using that. We need to have penalties that serve as effective deterrents so that people who are doing the calculation in their head [as to] whether or not the risks and rewards line up, recognize the price of being caught.” Link to Miami Herald story from August

 

[Icebear]

Your point re: TV is well taken, and it's true that right now USF doesn't have a national rep [yet]. I guess we can agree to disagree on whether it's 'marginally better' in FB than others. I see it as a very solid program that's on the rise, and not close to being weak.

Miami is an interesting wild-card. What will their program look like going forward? While many folks see the death penalty as unlikely, could the fact that realignment is swirling right now actually tip the balance in favor of that penalty? Given that FB is in an unprecedented state of flux anyway, this might be the time the NCAA chooses to use the death penalty, if they are ever to use it on a significant program to set an example.

From an article on line with today's Sporting News:

“Clearly, the impact of the so-called death penalty is really severe,” Emmert said, not speaking specifically about the UM case. “You wouldn’t want to enter into it without a very solid reason for doing so. ... You have to recognize that, today, inflicting that penalty on any one school has a lot of collateral damage to other members of the conference, around media contract rights and a variety of things. So you wouldn’t enter into it casually.
“... Having said that, if that’s an option that the [NCAA] Committee on Infractions believes is appropriate in any one case — it doesn’t matter which one it is — I’m not opposed to them using that. We need to have penalties that serve as effective deterrents so that people who are doing the calculation in their head [as to] whether or not the risks and rewards line up, recognize the price of being caught.” Link to Miami Herald story from August

Honestly, I am not sure that if these 4 super conferences get together that they will be afraid of the NCAA and might not well go off on their own and reorganize under some new banner and say adios to the NCAA leaving it to manage what remain of Division 1. Replacing the BCS and NCAA on their own terms may well be very attractive to the powers that be in these super conferences. The new organization would have the majority of the teams in terms of TV contracts and even already has a variety of conference and team networks in place that could be forged into a new media structure. As such any threatened death penalty issued by the NCAA would become irrelevent.

"While Texas desperately tries to prove it’s not the reason for the madness; while Oklahoma defiantly tries to show it’s not Texas’ lapdog; while the Pac-12 tries to convince us that expansion is about academic fit and not television money; the SEC and Big Ten are in the process of getting down and dirty. ​

The gloves are off in expansion. ​

Consider this: The SEC’s gentleman’s agreement of not adding teams to states where current SEC teams reside is likely no longer. And the ACC’s new $20 million exit fee? Chump change. If the SEC wants an ACC team (Virginia Tech, Maryland, Florida State), the SEC could even help pay the exit fee. ​

Said one high-ranking SEC official: “Every option is on the table now.”"​

Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2011-09-18/acc-begins-seismic-shift-sec-and-big-ten-will-finish-it#ixzz1YPHlShCT​

 

[Icebear]

From Bleacher Report:

"UConn—one of, if not the biggest athletic program in the Big East—doesn't deserve to be held back.
It only benefits the school. As I just mentioned, UConn is the biggest athletic program in the Big East and one of the biggest in the nation. See for yourself the success of some of the school's biggest teams:

• "Men's Basketball: three-time national champions, four Final Four appearances, 17 Big East regular season/tournament championships

• Women's Basketball: seven-time national champions, 12 Final Four appearances, 34 Big East regular season/tournament championships, holds the all-time college basketball record with 90 consecutive wins

• Football: Fastest growing FBS program ever, five bowl appearances, three bowl wins, two Big East championships, one BCS appearance

• Men's Soccer: three-time national champions, five College Cup appearances, 18 Big East regular season/tournament championships, currently ranked No. 2 in the country behind Maryland

• Baseball: three-time Big East regular season/tournament champions, five College World Series, 2011 Super Regional appearance

• Field Hockey: two-time national champions, nine Final Four appearances, 22 Big East regular season/tournament championships"

 

[Jonathan Husky]

If after the dust settles there are four 16 team super conferences expect the next step to be for the 64 schools to dump the NCAA and set up there own administrative oversight. Might be a good thing!!