OT - Texas A&M to the SEC?

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

The Big XII may be imploding.

http://college-basketball-blog.blogs.cb ... a_txt_0001

Just when we thought all this league shuffling speculation was over.

Now it appears as though Texas A&M, which is disgruntled by Texas’ Longhorn Network, could be headed to the SEC in time.

Governor Rick Perry told the Dallas Morning News that talks are ongoing with the league.

"As far as I know, conversations are being had,” he told the newspaper. ``That's frankly all I know. I just refer you to the university and the decision-makers over there."

Then came the statement from school president R. Bowen Loftin:

"President Loftin is committed to doing what is best for Texas A&M not only now, but also into the future. We continue to have wide-ranging conversations regarding all aspects of the university, including both academics and athletics."

Not exactly a denial.

Remember, Texas A&M was one of the schools that was believed to be headed to the Pac-10 (now the Pac-12) last summer.

Now the Aggies could be using this potential move as leverage against rival Texas and this new network.

But is this truly a good move for Texas A&M?

Not really.

But it would be a nice addition for the SEC.

If this happened, I think we'd start to see the birth of the four 16 team super conferences. The Big Ten would probably take a team from the Big XII (Mizzou) and a team from the Big East at the very least (Pitt, ND, or Rutgers). Texas would probably go independent because I don't see any conference wanting to deal with the Long Horn television network.

[MickeyDavis]

I hate "super conferences". Maybe in basketball it isn't a big deal because you play so many games and because they actually have a tournament to determine the champ. But these huge conferences where you play less than half of the other teams I absolutely hate. It's bad enough the way it is now that you don't play everyone in your conference. I fugured Texas having their own network would cause trouble.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

Yeah I get what you are saying. I'm thinking they'd go to two 8 team divisions where each team would have 1 protected rivalry and then 1 game against a team from the other division. It would be interesting if they split the conference into 4 divisions and then each year a division plays 1 of the 3 other divisions, kind of like how the NFL does their scheduling.

Rutgers, PSU, Pitt, and 3rd Big East Team (Syracuse?)
Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Indiana
Ohio State, Northwestern, Illinois, Missouri
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska

That would be pretty sick. A division of WI, MN, IA, and NE would be awesome from a rivalry standpoint.

[emunney]

What in the hell? Why are they asking Rick Perry about it?

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

Texas Governor and went to Texas A&M.

[emunney]

Still don't get it.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

I'm sure he's well connected within the University so the newspaper probably asked him about it while they were interviewing him for something else (like his big announcement this Saturday). I don't understand why that's so hard to believe.

[emunney]

What's hard to believe? I just think it's weird to ask him about it. The second part of the quote, he refers them to people who are actually connected to the situation.

[Allanon23]

Yeah I get what you are saying. I'm thinking they'd go to two 8 team divisions where each team would have 1 protected rivalry and then 1 game against a team from the other division. It would be interesting if they split the conference into 4 divisions and then each year a division plays 1 of the 3 other divisions, kind of like how the NFL does their scheduling.

Rutgers, PSU, Pitt, and 3rd Big East Team (Syracuse?)
Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Indiana
Ohio State, Northwestern, Illinois, Missouri
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska

That would be pretty sick. A division of WI, MN, IA, and NE would be awesome from a rivalry standpoint.

There is no way the Big Ten goes to 16 teams without Notre Dame.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

There is no way the Big Ten goes to 16 teams without Notre Dame.

Yeah you're right, I can't believe I forgot to include them. Maybe something like this...

PSU, Pitt, Rutgers, Michigan State
Notre Dame, Purdue, Indiana, Michigan
Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska
tOSU, Illinois, Northwestern, Missouri

Some rivalries would be broken up but I think those divisions look pretty good.

[Flames24Rulz]

In NCAA 12, I added Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Mizzou and Rutgers to the Big Ten after a couple of years. Seems plausible to me.

It's obvious that the Big 12 would get the shaft if they went to super conferences. Either the ACC or Big East will get boned too.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

Eventually the Big 12 will dissolve and the Big East will become a basketball only conference, with the football teams going to one of super conferences. I'd love to add Oklahoma to the Big Ten but apparently they are a package deal with Oklahoma State, same goes for Kansas and KSU. But who knows if that changes if the Big 12 dissolves and it's every man for himself.

[Allanon23]

In NCAA 12, I added Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Mizzou and Rutgers to the Big Ten after a couple of years. Seems plausible to me.

It's obvious that the Big 12 would get the shaft if they went to super conferences. Either the ACC or Big East will get boned too.

OU is a package deal with Oklahoma State : /

[MikeIsGood]

What in the hell? Why are they asking Rick Perry about it?

Because the government in that football-crazy state is very involved in what those schools can and cannot do, most notably Texas A&M actually. I don't think TAMU can move conferences and separate itself from Texas/Baylor/TTU without political approval.

[Flames24Rulz]

In NCAA 12, I added Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Mizzou and Rutgers to the Big Ten after a couple of years. Seems plausible to me.

It's obvious that the Big 12 would get the shaft if they went to super conferences. Either the ACC or Big East will get boned too.

OU is a package deal with Oklahoma State : /

Which is unfortunate. I don't think the Big Ten would ever let Okie State in the conference because of their admission standards.

[Icness]

Eventually the Big 12 will dissolve and the Big East will become a basketball only conference, with the football teams going to one of super conferences. I'd love to add Oklahoma to the Big Ten but apparently they are a package deal with Oklahoma State, same goes for Kansas and KSU. But who knows if that changes if the Big 12 dissolves and it's every man for himself.

This.

I think you're going to see four 18-school megaconferences. That gives enough room for the lower-tier wannabes (Boise, Fresno, Houston, ECU, Nevada, SDSU) to buy in and play with the big boys. No more BCS crap, those 72 schools run a single elmination tourney where every school gets in, division winners in each conference (each one will have 2 divisions) get byes, and they play it out. The leftover current D-I schools either go FCS or try and get the top-tier FCS schools to join them, but essentially they are SOL.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

GottliebShow Doug Gottlieb
High ranking source at Texas A&M confirms, going to SEC.Clemson,FSU,Missouri likely to join.

If this is true we could have Super Conferences by next year or the year after. Always thought Missouri would be one of the Big 12 teams to come to the Big Ten.

ACC losing Clemson and FSU means they will likely look to the Big East to recruit two more football schools which will start a mass exodus of football teams from the Big East. The already dwindling Big 12 will be forced to scramble to find at least 2 more teams to get to 10, but will Oklahoma and all the other teams not named Texas be willing to hang around when better conferences (Big Ten and Pac-12) are willing to take them on?

Interesting time for college athletics.

If Missouri isn't coming and OU/OKST and KU/KSU are package deals, where does the B1G get their additional teams? Notre Dame is obviously at the top of the list. I'd say Rutgers would be #2. Pittsburgh would seem to be a close #3. Then it's not quite so clear. Iowa State could make sense geographically but it doesn't really do much for the Big Ten Network. Syarcause and UConn have excellent basketball programs, are on the east coast, but only so-so football programs. Cincinatti and Louisville could fit both geographically and both have strong football and basketball programs, but I'm not sure how good their academics are.

[MikeIsGood]

LOL @ ACC. God that conference is going to be as putrid as the BE.

When push comes to shove, we'll see if the Oklahoma and Kansas stay in package deals. I believe it now, and maybe it does hold up, but if things get crazy we'll see what happens. Texas A&M has been a part of package deals, too, and now they're apart of package deals.

A 6 fits perfectly into the Big Ten logo right next to the 1. Just sayin'.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

It would be awesome to add Notre Dame, Rutgers, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

[Bucksfans1and2]

It would be awesome to add Notre Dame, Rutgers, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

I don't want to ever play Oklahoma unless it's in a bowl game.