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.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

O Quinn how we miss you...

And to think we could have had Self....

{sigh}

[Pants]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

And to think we could have had Self....

{sigh}

We would have probably ended up with Cal.

/shudder

[eazyb81]

What happened to Louisville being the front-runner to replace Mizzou? It seems like West Virginia almost came out of nowhere to leapfrog both BYU and Louisville.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...ves-conference

Louisville is a close third behind West Virginia and BYU with Cincinnati the fourth choice, according to the source.

I wonder if there is a hangup with BYU.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

And to think we could have had Self....

{sigh}

Realistically he probably would have left Mizzou to go to OSU when their job opened up.

[Saul Good]

West Virginia would be the best choice, but they are trying everything they can to get into the SEC. If the SEC goes to 16, they gone.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

What happened to Louisville being the front-runner to replace Mizzou? It seems like West Virginia almost came out of nowhere to leapfrog both BYU and Louisville.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...ves-conference



I wonder if there is a hangup with BYU.

BYU wants to be independent in FB, no?

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Realistically he probably would have left Mizzou to go to OSU when their job opened up.

Possibly, but think of the good years you would of had with him. No offense, but Thank God for whoever made that decision.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by Pants

BYU wants to be independent in FB, no?

I didn't know if that was their final choice. Makes sense if they can swing it, try to be a mini version of Notre Dame I guess.

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Pants

BYU wants to be independent in FB, no?

Well they already have their own SiriusXM and TV channel, so why not try and stay independent.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

You gotta give it to them, they've made changing the subject an absolute art form:



I couldn't make this up.

Wickedson!

[Saul Good]

KSU pres has arrived in Dallas. Looks like the fog was blown out by what has been described as SEC speed.

[Saul Good]

ESPN reporting that Mizzou is going to the SEC East. Gabe DeArmond has been saying this for weeks, but when ESPN reports it, it must be coming from somewhere credible.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by frazod

Wickedson!

Would make sense, since it wasn't entirely factual.

[Al Bundy]

I wonder what ole Kietz is going to have to say today.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by UCF Knight

I wonder what ole Kietz is going to have to say today.

KK: "Missouri will never win again. It will be impossible for them to play. They'll never have it as easy as they do in the Big 12!"

Anyone else: "Um, Kevin, Missouri actually has played the second-toughest schedule in the country THIS season. In the Big 12."

KK: "Well, of course. But once the Big 12 goes back to divisions and Missouri is in the North again, it would be FOOLISH to let that opportunity go!"

Anyone else: "Um, Kietz, the Big 12 is only going back to 12 if Missouri leaves - because there's concern just adding one of the expansion options wouldn't be enough to maintain market value. And even if the Big 12 goes back to 12, the North is likely going to have Oklahoma or Oklahoma State or both in it. as well as West Virginia. Missouri might even get moved to the South division!"