Tracking The Cougars: If The Big 12 Comes Calling

Unless you are refering to something else.

As far as Big12 goes, it depends on the circumstance, the timing & what texas does. If texas manages to go indy (with their new network) I think that conference would fall apart. If that happens, we will see the USC’s & Ohio State’s of the world consider that path as well. If that happens, the BCS would evolve into something else run by just the top teams. If we could get in on that as an indy, I would think it be a better option.

All that aside, we now have the freedom & (based on rumors) top notch scheduling in the pipeline. We need to go win.

Ps side note on scheduling. We can’t have crazy loaded schedules everyweek. We need some “easy” games. I think tom should look to Conference USA west to fill those games.

as it currently stands would be huge for BYU. First of all, automatic BCS bid to the winner. Secondly, the ability to have our own television network. If Texas can have their own TV network while a part of the Big 12 why can’t BYU. Thirdly, it is such a well respected conference that even the second place team gets into the BCS quite often.

The only way I can see getting into the Big 12 as a problem would be if Texas leaves and it falls apart. Of course, we could always leave too but we would have to start from scratch again. I say stay Indy until/unless it is positive that Texas will stay in the Big 12.

Wouldn’t OU want to go indy too? Like an, “Anything you can do I can do better” thing.

on whether or not the Big 12 would let BYU keep their own network the way Texas does. The only reason the BIG 12 let Texas do it is because Texas is really the marquee University in the whole conference. I dunno if they’d let BYU have the same privileges or not.

While TX is definitely in the driver’s seat in the Big 12, the conference exists currently due to their willingness to remain in a conference. TX could have gone indy last summer but didn’t.
A couple of things to consider.
1. TX has their network (which was a big key to keeping in the Big 12) but it also allows any other school in the Big 12 to do something similar. The difference is the number of TVs in TX that make a TX network possible and profitable.

2. The Big 12 has tiered TV rights. The TX network is for the third tier rights including one non con FB game each year. Second tier is the recent 13 year TV deal with FOX for 40 FB games each year. That really upped the ante for the remaining 10 schools in the conference . Look for any expansion back to 12 to take place (or become effective) in 2014, when the conference’s first tier rights (18 games/yr.) go up for negotiation with ESPM/ABC. The Big 12 will be one of the last groups in this round of TV deals almost guaranteeing that they get top dollar.

3. Don’t forget about the politics involved. OU would not go indy as they don’t have the state population to make a go of it and may not have the following to have a network either. But the state of OK will not let OU go without OSU. TX is also tied to A&M and more loosely Baylor and Tech due to the Texas legislature. If TX went indy, A&M would find a home in a power conference. Tech and Baylor might not. The reps in the state house that fancy Baylor and Tech know this and will fight it tooth and nail. The teams and can and would bail are Iowa State (teams east and west are Big 10 but they don’t bring much to the table) and Mizzou. Mizzou is the second most populated state in the Big 12 at 5.5M people and only has the one flagship program. We obviously were not first on anyone’s list to leave either and the money makes it very profitable to stay.