Kinda liking how the "new" Big Twelve may end up looking.

M

Mesaclone

Banned
The New Big Twelve Conference (circa 2014)


MOUNTAIN WEST DIVISION
Boise State
Brigham Young
Utah
Wyoming
UNLV
San Diego State
Colorado State

GREAT PLAINS DIVISION
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
Cincinatti
TCU
Louisville
Air Force

I have to admit...I really kinda like how that sets up. Covers a big region with some very nice population centers...Kansas City/Denver-Front Range/Dallas/Las Vegas/Salt Lake City/San Diego/Cincinnati/Louisville. I think as a football conference its very competetive with the other major conferences...and in basketball it would be elite from the start. Some outstanding "traditional" basketball programs in schools like Kansas, Kansas State, Louisville, Cincinnati, UNLV, BYU and Utah. It seems very likely this new Big 12 would keep its BCS status...which is CRITICAL. So while this is a tough situation for ISU right now, it could come out of things in pretty darn good shape if this is close to the final configuration.
 
Except for the fact there is no automatic BCS bowl bid and except for the fact this is a huge step down in prestige.

Maybe they can make the Utah game a conference game this year?

Making lemonade out of lemons already -- gotta give you credit!
 
The Big Twelve already has an automatic BCS bid and would likely retain it in such a scenario. That's part of the beauty of this scenario...and what would pull the bigger Mountain West programs into the new Big Twelve. It would also solve some of the problem of having non-BCS schools like TCU and Boise State jamming up the BCS process...they would now be just a part of it as BCS schools.

As the Big East comes apart. That leaves the Pac 10, Big Ten, ACC, SEC, and "new" Big 12 as the 5 major conferences. Thus receiving automatic BCS bids.

And, no doubt, this would be making lemonade out of lemons...but that's always how lemonade is made isn't it? At least, good lemonade is made that way. =)
 
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Mesaclone said:
The Big Twelve already has an automatic BCS bid and would likely retain it in such a scenario. That's part of the beauty of this scenario...and what would pull the bigger Mountain West programs into the new Big Twelve. It would also solve some of the problem of having non-BCS schools like TCU and Boise State jamming up the BCS process...they would now be just a part of it as BCS schools.

As the Big East comes apart. That leaves the Pac 10, Big Ten, ACC, SEC, and "new" Big 12 as the 5 major conferences. Thus receiving automatic BCS bids.

And, no doubt, this would be making lemonade out of lemons...but that's always how lemonade is made isn't it? At least, good lemonade is made that way. =)
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What in the world leads you to even think that the Big 12 (if poached the way it is sounding like it is going to be) will have an BCS bowl bid?

The Mountain West is not going to change it's name to the 'Big whatever'. I hate to say it (really) but this looks like ISU is headed to Conference USA.

For the sake of discussion lets say that ISU does approach the Mountain West (and it is no certainty that if they went hat in hand that they would be accepted) that conference has NO BCS auto tie in. Do you really think that ISU or KSU or Baylor are going to influence a BCS decision? Wishful thinking.

Face it this is apocalyptic news for ISU as it means less money. Besides losing TV money, how do you get ticket-buyers to pay similar prices for a less-attractive product? How do you sustain the same level of contributions to the athletic program? These are the real questions.

Your making this stuff up to make you feel better. It is called rationalization.

Now I do not think Iowa fans should relish this development as it means less stature for the state -- and in the long run that hurts everybody.
 
The Mountain West would join the remaining Big 12 schools IN THE BIG TWELVE. Already a BCS conference, this new grouping would simply need to remain in the top 5 conferences to retain its BCS status. The Pac 10, ACC, Big Ten and SEC...and the new Big 12...would almost certainly be those top 5. The HUGE advantage, then, for the Mountain West schools...is that they would become BCS programs simply by joining into the leftover Big 12. So its a win-win for the leftover Big 12's and for the Mountain West...who could retain that name for their division of the conference...while still becoming BCS programs.
 
This conference would work out for ISU. Good teams athletically, but no dominate force. Some good competition in there. Down the road ISU could actually win a conf-championship.... er... I mean, boo ISU.
 
I agree Norm. Its a grouping of some very sound programs but no superstars...which increases some opportunities for all of the schools with regards to winning conference championships. Basketball is another story....that league would be absolute dynamite in basketball...as good as any conference in the country.
 
First of all this process will eventually kill the BCS for all intents and purposes. So talking about any current automatic bid scenarios is kind of moot.
This is going toward a playoff system. The issue will then be about which schools belong in the available pool of bowl teams.

Also, with Boise going to the Mountain West it will take care of the whole Boise and TCU issue.
 
No, Boise going there WON'T take care of that because they still won't be BCS. As for the playoff system....keep holding your breath on that one. Someday perhaps, but not someday in the foreseeable future. The BCS is here, and its here for some time...at least another decade and perhaps much longer is my guess...and I'm no fan of it for the record.
 
What I mean by taking care of the issue is the chance there are 2 undefeated credible non-auto bid schools will be very slim. There is still a spot for a non-BCS team high in the polls. The Mountain West is in position to qualify for an automatic bid at this moment. Adding Boise will help that cause initially. However, it will be interesting to see what happens when they add another tough game.

As far as heading for a playoff, when it becomes 4 Superconferences it will be more easy to make that transition. In fact, they could have a defacto playoff just by having a conference championship format. The Presidents won't agree to a 16 team playoff after conference play. But they will agree to a four team playoff after conference play.
 
Pooker said:
Except for the fact there is no automatic BCS bowl bid and except for the fact this is a huge step down in prestige.
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Any notion of prestige is out of their hands. Nobody is going to want the remnants of the Big 12 (save perhaps KU basketball) if they're poached by both the Big 10 and Pac-10.

In the end, the Big 12 has lost all power to the Big Ten, Pac-10, and Texas.
 
Why would Louisville and Cincinnati (2 predominantly basketball schools) leave the best basketball conference in the nation for a new hodge podge league of leftovers and wanabes? Although combined this would be a formidible league, I think you are dreaming. I would bet everything I own this will never come close to fruition.
 
Why do you think the MWC would automatically break up and throw teams out that have been together as a league for a long time?

Why wouldn't it be the other way around with the MWC inviting a couple of Big 12 (Kansas, KSU) to join their conference. Boise St will already by a member of the MWC by then.

Why would MWC members want to travel all the way to Cincy and Louisville to play games when their conference is already set up just fine along the Mountain front?
 
It seems like the problem for ISU in this scenario is that they aren't going to have any real rivals and especially none in a bordering state. While San Diego and Las Vegas would be fun destination road trips for Cyclone fans, I don't see SDSU and/or UNLV fans being real fired up to travel to Ames. Not to mention that it will be additional travel expenses for an athletic department that is at the lower end of the Big 12 in revenue/funding.
 
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Mesaclone, I like your thoughts but I think it would be best to focus on getting 12 teams that make sense instead of piecing together as many teams from around the country as possible. The new conference you mentioned has schools that are over 2,000 miles apart from each other.

There is very little chance this conference would get Louisville, since upon the destruction of the Big East it will be invited into the SEC or ACC. Cincinnati is probably the least desirable school from the Big East conference, but I think it is probably low on the list for this league based on location and fan-base. Here would be my suggestions:

Big 12 - ISU, KSU, Kansas & Baylor (but honestly Kansas or Baylor may be involved in a package of some sort to the PAC 10)

MWC - TCU, BYU, Utah, UNLV & Colorado State

WAC - Boise State

C-USA - Houston & Memphis

I think Houston and Memphis are better options than the likes of San Diego State (location) and Wyoming & Air Force (fan support), since they will help recruitment and television exposure.

In this conference I think you split the division East & West like you had:

East - Memphis, Houston, ISU, KSU, Kansas & TCU
West - Baylor, Colorado State, Utah, BYU, Boise State & UNLV

I think the 2 big ifs will be can the new conference gain a guaranteed BCS Bowl bid and as NewMexHawk mentioned, would the MWC see itself in the better bargaining position to just invite a couple of schools (Kansas & KSU) to make it 12 teams (after the addition of Boise State) instead of dropping some of its current teams? Also, there has even been some talk that the MWC will only add Boise State to go to 10 teams and wait out the next 2 years to find out if it will automatically qualify for a BCS bid without any help. If this were to happen, the MWC could essentially name its own price and carefully select which Big 12 cast-offs to join the league.
 
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