If Texas had played nice in the sandbox, think of what the Big 12 could have been..........go back to the days of the SWC. Assuming that the SWC and Big 8 inevitably joined forces for TV money anyways, Arkansas could have still been in the picture and joined the Big 12 at its formation.
If Texas had continued playing nice in the sandbox, none of the other teams would have sought out other conferences. If Texas could have led the way to spear a movement to have designated North-South rivals, it would most likely have happened. This means Oklahoma and Nebraska would have played every year as they did in the past. Not saying Nebraska would have stayed in the Big 12 with a Big Ten invite, but it sure would have been more like "home" if they had Oklahoma as a yearly rival and Texas playing nice.
Now, let's assume the Big 12 also moved to 14 schools like the B1G, SEC and ACC..........you would have had the original Big 12 plus Arkansas plus one other school (assume TCU here).
That would have been a formidable conference, even though it would still lack a population base outside of Texas. However, that grouping would have been strong, thus making it likely that other schools might have wanted to join from the ACC, such as Florida State and Clemson.
That could have been one heck of a football conference in that scenario. Certainly better than everyone outside of the SEC.
Texas-Texas A&M-Oklahoma-Nebraska-Arkansas-Florida State-Clemson - 7 traditionally strong football schools
Baylor-TCU-Kansas State-Oklahoma State-Missouri - 5 traditionally middle of the pack schools that all have had moments of greatness that could rise up to a higher level from time to time
Kansas-Iowa State-Colorado-Texas Tech - 4 traditionally weaker football schools, but every conference has a group of bottom feeders.
Now, imagine that those schools formed a conference network. Maybe not as large a population base as the BTN or SEC Networks, but certainly nothing to sneeze at either.
The Big 12 had great potential that Texas didn't want. Texas had to be the alpha dog.
If Texas had continued playing nice in the sandbox, none of the other teams would have sought out other conferences. If Texas could have led the way to spear a movement to have designated North-South rivals, it would most likely have happened. This means Oklahoma and Nebraska would have played every year as they did in the past. Not saying Nebraska would have stayed in the Big 12 with a Big Ten invite, but it sure would have been more like "home" if they had Oklahoma as a yearly rival and Texas playing nice.
Now, let's assume the Big 12 also moved to 14 schools like the B1G, SEC and ACC..........you would have had the original Big 12 plus Arkansas plus one other school (assume TCU here).
That would have been a formidable conference, even though it would still lack a population base outside of Texas. However, that grouping would have been strong, thus making it likely that other schools might have wanted to join from the ACC, such as Florida State and Clemson.
That could have been one heck of a football conference in that scenario. Certainly better than everyone outside of the SEC.
Texas-Texas A&M-Oklahoma-Nebraska-Arkansas-Florida State-Clemson - 7 traditionally strong football schools
Baylor-TCU-Kansas State-Oklahoma State-Missouri - 5 traditionally middle of the pack schools that all have had moments of greatness that could rise up to a higher level from time to time
Kansas-Iowa State-Colorado-Texas Tech - 4 traditionally weaker football schools, but every conference has a group of bottom feeders.
Now, imagine that those schools formed a conference network. Maybe not as large a population base as the BTN or SEC Networks, but certainly nothing to sneeze at either.
The Big 12 had great potential that Texas didn't want. Texas had to be the alpha dog.
