New Conference re-alignment thread

[Saulbadguy]

The old one has AIDS.

Anyways, Chip Brown from Orangebloods.com reports OU may apply to the Pac-12 by the end of the month.

Oklahoma will apply for membership to the Pac-12 before the end of the month, and Oklahoma State is expected to follow suit, a source close to OU's administration told Orangebloods.com.

Even though Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said Friday the Pac-12 was not interested in expansion at this time, OU's board of regents is fed up with the instability in the Big 12, the source said.

The OU board of regents will meet within two weeks to formalize plans to apply for membership to the Pac-12, the source said.

Messages left Sunday night with OU athletic director Joe Castiglione and Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder were not immediately returned.

If OU follows through with what appears to be a unanimous sentiment on the seven-member Oklahoma board of regents to leave the Big 12, realignment in college athletics could be heating back up. OU's application would be matched by an application from Oklahoma State, the source said, even though OSU president Burns Hargis and mega-booster Boone Pickens both voiced their support for the Big 12 last Thursday.

There is differing sentiment about if the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors are ready to expand again after bringing in Colorado and Utah last year and landing $3 billion TV contracts from Fox and ESPN. Colorado president Bruce Benson told reporters last week CU would be opposed to any expansion that might bring about east and west divisions in the Pac-12.

Currently, there are north and south divisions in the Pac-12. If OU and OSU were to join, Larry Scott would have to get creative.

Scott's orginal plan last summer was to bring in Colorado, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and put them in an eastern division with Arizona and Arizona State. The old Pac-8 schools (USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State) were to be in the west division.

Colorado made the move in June 2010, but when Texas A&M was not on board to go west, the Big 12 came back together with the help of its television partners (ABC/ESPN and Fox).

If Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were accepted into the Pac-12, there would undoubtedly be a hope by Larry Scott that Texas would join the league. But Texas sources have indicated UT is determined to hang onto the Longhorn Network, which would not be permissible in the Pac-12 in its current form.

Texas sources continue to indicate to Orangebloods.com that if the Big 12 falls apart, the Longhorns would consider "all options."

Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe held an emergency conference call 10 days ago with league presidents excluding Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M and asked the other league presidents to "work on Texas" because Beebe didn't think the Pac-12 would take Oklahoma without Texas.

Now, it appears OU is willing to take its chances with the Pac-12 with or without Texas.

There seemed to be a temporary pause in any possible shifting of the college athletics' landscape when Baylor led a charge to tie up Texas A&M's move to the Southeastern Conference in legal red tape. BU refused to waive its right to sue the SEC over A&M's departure from the Big 12, and the SEC said it would not admit Texas A&M until it had been cleared of any potential lawsuits.

Baylor, Kansas and Iowa State have indicated they will not waive their right to sue the SEC.

It's unclear if an application by OU to the Pac-12 would draw the same threats of litigation against the Pac-12 from those Big 12 schools.

Stay tuned.

[Coach]

Sources: Colorado is in discussions about a move to the Big 12, and the school has just completed a board meeting and scheduled another for tomorrow to discuss the move. The Big 12 is also holding a presidents meeting tonight where there's expected to be an expansion update.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) July 26, 2023

Colorado just completed a board meeting of its regents and has scheduled a second one for Thursday, presumably around a potential move to the Big 12, sources tell @YahooSports

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 26, 2023

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by Coach

Sources: Colorado is in discussions about a move to the Big 12, and the school has just completed a board meeting and scheduled another for tomorrow to discuss the move. The Big 12 is also holding a presidents meeting tonight where there's expected to be an expansion update.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) July 26, 2023

Colorado just completed a board meeting of its regents and has scheduled a second one for Thursday, presumably around a potential move to the Big 12, sources tell @YahooSports

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 26, 2023

Looks like one of the prodigals might be coming home.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by tredadda

Looks like one of the prodigals might be coming home.

Perhaps. There's also a possibility of another one or two.

Colorado is likely to move within the next 48 hours.

Also, there's another school in the Pac-12 beyond the rumored four corners that will surprise people and is seriously contemplating a jump to the Big 12.

— Jason Scheer (@jasonscheer) July 26, 2023

Respectfully,

Washington State and Oregon State aren't attractive enough for full Big 12 shares.

Stanford and Cal don't even know they have athletic departments.

Think elsewhere.

— Jason Scheer (@jasonscheer) July 26, 2023

[FloridaMan88]

Have to think Arizona or Arizona State is the other school.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

Have to think Arizona or Arizona State is the other school.

It said "another school beyond the 4 corners."

So it wouldn't be Oregon State or Washington State because neither offer any value.

California and Stanford also isn't any good either.

So it's either has to be Washington or Oregon?

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by Coach

It said "another school beyond the 4 corners."

So it wouldn't be Oregon State or Washington State because neither offer any value.

California and Stanford also isn't any good either.

So it's either has to be Washington or Oregon?

I would think Oregon would opt for the Big Ten, so Washington is my guess.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by Coach

It said "another school beyond the 4 corners."

So it wouldn't be Oregon State or Washington State because neither offer any value.

California and Stanford also isn't any good either.

So it's either has to be Washington or Oregon?

That would be a massive get for the Big 12... I wonder if the Big 10 has shut the door on Washington and Oregon because that was their rumored destination for a while now.

[ChiefsCountry]

UConn will be #14 with Colorado.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

UConn will be #14 with Colorado.

Hmmm.... I wouldn't be so sure yet.

The University of Oregon Executive, Audit and Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees will hold a meeting Thursday at 10 AM PT.

This looks to be scheduled very last minute. https://t.co/uMSaSalCTb

— Matt Prehm (@MattPrehm) July 26, 2023

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by Coach

Hmmm.... I wouldn't be so sure yet.

The University of Oregon Executive, Audit and Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees will hold a meeting Thursday at 10 AM PT.

This looks to be scheduled very last minute. https://t.co/uMSaSalCTb

— Matt Prehm (@MattPrehm) July 26, 2023

Of course, what do I know?

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

Have to think Arizona or Arizona State is the other school.

I think Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado are the "four corner schools". All of those schools are expected to become Big 12 members eventually. Colorado is starting the domino. But the tweet says something about an additional unexpected school.....perhaps Washington or Oregon if they know they aren't getting a Big Ten invite.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Raiderhater

I would think Oregon would opt for the Big Ten, so Washington is my guess.

I'm only speculating as this front has been very quiet for a while but consider this. If UO/UW did get B1G invite at the time, they would have done it already and we would know about it, wouldn't you think?

I'm not sure they simply got an invite because I don’t see how they can increase the per school number or even keep it where it is when it comes to the B1G pie? I don't know.

[BryanBusby]

Hm yes time to get excited to see the cum dumpster husk of Colorado

[FloridaMan88]

Looks like it’s happening…

Colorado leaving Pac-12 to return to Big 12 in 2024, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. CU will receive full Big 12 share ($31.7M) from ESPN/Fox media deal. Buffs left because of Big 12 stability & Pac-12’s uncertainty, sources said. Announcement Thursdayhttps://t.co/IOo8LWAuTF pic.twitter.com/4Ilq91C0EO

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 26, 2023

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by Coach

It said "another school beyond the 4 corners."

So it wouldn't be Oregon State or Washington State because neither offer any value.

California and Stanford also isn't any good either.

So it's either has to be Washington or Oregon?

Almost has to be, at least from an athletics perspective. Arizona and ASU are the only other two that would be possible. Stanford academically would be a great fit. Cal culturally would be an absolutely awful fit.