Everything else is speculation. Rumors swirl about teams that could be added to replace the departing/departed Aggies, with the names mentioned ranging from comical to realistic. My opinion of a few of the teams:
This one seems like the biggest name, simply because it's "sexy" and because, as I said, Texas calls the shots, and Notre Dame would bring the luster back to the Texas Conference (aka Beebe's Bumbling Bullcrap League). First off, Notre Dame ain't leaving their independent status to join a league with unequal revenue sharing, period. Add to the fact that Texas is in the league and would have as big or bigger piece of the money pie, and you can see Notre Dame telling Dan Beebe and DeLoss Dodds, "Yeah, umm....you two aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer, are you?"
Odds of it happening: 5,000:1
I don't get this one either, other than I guess the Utah TV market? The Mormon TV market? The Utah tv market is ranked in the low 30's in the country. There's less than 1,000,000 tv-equipped homes in the entire state. Somebody much smarter than me would have to explain the allure of adding BYU to the league.
Odds of it happening: 300:1
Finally one that makes logistical sense, but not monetary sense. Texas already is huge in the Dallas market, and if A&M leaves for the SEC, Aggies in the Metroplex do nothing for the Big 12. SMU has a small alumni base, small stadium, but are trying to get their athletics up to speed over the last few years. The football team is MILES ahead of where they have been since '89's "death penalty" from the NCAA, but still....
Odds of it happening: 150: 1
So far, 2 that sound completely out of left field (but shallow left field, since we are talking about one school that calls the shots in the conference - Texas - and what they say, goes) and one school that doesn't bring in any substantial TV money. Lately, I've heard Pittsburgh, Louisville, and even a play for Arkansas.
HA!!
Pittsburgh isn't leaving the Big 10. They can challenge in that conference in football and basketball every single year. In the Big 12, they would be 7th or 8th in football but could possibly be the cream of the crop in basketball (only Kansas and Texas could out-recruit them).
Louisville, could be an option, but I guess I just don't see the fit. The would be the proverbial step-brother in the family. Tolerated, can be entertaining, but unless someone brings up their name, you find yourself going "Oh yeah, I forgot you were here."
Arkansas? Next....not even going to give reason for why they would leave a conference that they get as much money as 'Bama, LSU, and Florida does, to be 3rd fiddle to Texas and Oklahoma. The people of Arkansas get made fun of a lot, but they ain't THAT stupid.
Which brings us back to the original question: Who do they add that makes sense and makes the Texas Ten more money? Do they add 1 team? 3 teams (to get back to 12)? Does OU and OSU agree that Texas is too powerful in the conference, and therefore head west to form the PAC-16 (in my opinion, if OU and OSU did that, the PAC-12 could add Boise State and BYU)
Poke Pass' Personal Preference for Probable Placement:
First - Add SMU, UofH, and UTEP.
EVERYONE OUT OF TEXAS DIVISION:
TEXAS DIVISON:
It's all just a stop-gap anyway. I think once A&M officially leaves the Big 12, we are going to see The Big Eartquake in collegiate athletics, and I think it will last 4-5 years before everything is said and done and settled. I see Texas going independent; Oklahoma and Oklahoma State going to PAC conference; Missouri going to Big 10 or SEC; Kansas and Kansas State going Big East; Baylor and Texas Tech going Conference USA or Mountain West; Iowa State going Conf. USA.
Just my $.02
