So...I got some great information this past weekend from some of my friends. My old connected friend, really gave up some stuff. Now, his stuff is really old and what was happening behind the scenes. But the stuff I got all sort of fit together. The important part is where David Boren's thoughts are (or were anyway), along with the regents (again, maybe past tense, and things change)
1) the OU + OSU move to the PAC that OU accepted on the offer from Larry Scott, that fell through, when the PAC schools balked on just OU+OSU, really embarrassed Boren and left him looking very bad (we know that...pretty obvious). But this embarrassment, has made Boren very cautious when looking at other conferences. He doesn't want it to happen again.
Also...it burnt a bridge to the PAC. First, folks in the know at OU, now believe that any PAC expansion will be blocked and killed, and it just won't happen. Too many schools fear replacing games with schools in California with games not in California, that they won't be expanding, maybe ever again (well, ever's a long time and things change...) EVEN though the same schools are very concerned about falling far behind the B1G and the SEC in revenue and even the ACC to some extent.
2) Boren and OU are committed to: TEXAS (not OSU first). They think that much of the growth of OU as a university and athletically over the years has been because of the Big 12...and specifically because OU has been tied to Texas in the Big 12 South. Those Powers that Be, think OU+Texas is the way to go. OU is committed to Texas, and they fully believe that commitment is reciprocated by Texas.
3) When I asked if they were committed to Texas over Oklahoma St, they said "right now, and in perfect world it's all three together". Where ever we move Boren wants to keep all 3 in the same conference.
4) Which obviously brings up problems. There is only 4 other Power Conferences. If the PAC isn't or can't expand you are down to 3.
5) Which brings us to OU looking to other conferences. Let's start with the oldest thing in the timeline. Nebraska on behalf of the Big Ten, approached OU about joining the Big Ten along with Kansas. They (specifically Osborne) thought that we (OU) needed to break away from Texas and we'd be better off without UT. Because of the mind set at OU (see #2) we weren't really receptive to this suggestion. (from another KU connected friend) KU said that they couldn't be the first (or next I guess) to leave the Big 12, because they share a board with K-State. The conference situation would have to be close to having only a few spots left for KU to take the last seat before they could jeopardize leaving K-state in lower level conference. We left this with the price of admission to the Big Ten was OU+OSU. As folks keep in contact in the academic world, it seems the Big Ten have been verbally open to the price of OU+OSU, but when we approached them this summer while not saying "never" they didn't say "yes" either (see #1)....but seemed to leave the impression that they might take OSU if it meant getting Texas and Oklahoma. (see #3).
6) ESPN really tried to get a group from the Big 12 into the ACC (where ESPN controls all the TV rights) in 2015. My friend knew OU officials looked at it and ran numbers. I said who would be in the group moving, but he wasn't for sure how many, but that it would have included OU, OSU, and Texas, and maybe many more. ESPN would guarantee UT, their payout from the LHN deal, and would have used the LHN as ACC network channel. In the end, OU officials didn't like the travel as they thought it would be a lot, and they weren't really impressed with the money ESPN was offering. OU thought it was a little on the low ball side. So that was turned down.
7) this Summer, OU approached the SEC about joining. It was OU+OSU (I've written this a couple of times). What came back, was the SEC didn't want just OU+OSU. They might consider OSU in a package, that included OU and Texas, if it meant getting OU+Texas combo. Texas wasn't and isn't so keen on the idea of the SEC. Boren isn't 100% on the SEC either because of academics. BUT....OU was given assurances, again, that we still have a standing invitation to join the SEC on our own, if we want it. (see #3)
8) One of the ideas from the TV people is that they saw future of college football won't be in conferences, or even "super-conferences" but rather in NFL like cooperatives or conglomerates. The PAC and the Big want Texas TV, but the PAC maybe CAN'T expand, and UT may not want to be so far on the fringe. The idea is there would be no conferences for football, just one or two large divisions for the Power 5 schools, but there would be for the other sports were playing regional rivals is more important especially for travel costs. The suggestion is one of the football divisions would be controlled by ESPN (SEC & ACC schools). The other division would be of B1G, PAC & B12 schools mainly controlled/supported by Fox, and the PAC & B1G networks. The tricky part on this concept right now, is OU is a Fox school at the moment, and Texas is obviously a ESPN school. By the way, I saw a national reporter on twitter talking about a cooperative for the G5 schools....so it's going be floated a lot over the next few years. (sorry didn't save who) There is time to chew this over and work out the details and who would be in, and who wouldn't be, but this idea seemed to easy some anxiety about the future from the Big 12 dwarves and the concept was well received.