Arkansas to Big 12......

[fishwater99]

http://kansascity.sbnation.com/2010/6/17/1522710/arkansas-big-12-jerry-jones

<div class="entry-body">

On Wednesday, a report emerged that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones<font color="#232e80"> would like to see Arkansas (and Notre Dame) join the Big 12 </font>which would instantly make it one of the top conferences.According to Chip Brown of Orangebloods.com (<font color="#232e80">via Twitter</font>), that report has some legs.</p>

<span class="status-body"><span class="status-content"><span class="entry-content">Sources tell OB Arkansas has definitely put out feelers about possibly joining the Big 12, but the B12 votes don't appear to be there yet.</span></span></span></p>

Arkansas has a better chance of joining than Notre Dame but its unclear if Jones was implying the two are a package deal.Arkansas, since joining the SEC, has seen its national profile drop. If it joined the Big 12, it would get back part of its Texas recruiting base as well as some relevance.Jerry Jones is a powerful man and, most importantly, has lots of cash and influence to make something happen. This is a situation worth monitoring.</p></div>

 

[RebelBruiser]

If Arkansas were to jump ship though, who would you want to get as a replacement? I'd personally make another run at A&M and then maybe Missouri.

It would be nice if Arkansas would go away though.

 

[AzzurriDawg4]

I don't see A&M leaving as long as the Big 12 is intact. I would look to Clemson or G-Tech as a good replacement for Arkansas.

 

[dosequisdawg]

first of all there is less than a zero percent chance that Arkansas and Notre Dame are a package deal of any kind. I'm pretty sure Arkansas still recruits Texas a good bit and joining the Big 12 will not give them any better chance to steal the best players from UT or OU. Also, why would Arkansas leave the best league in the country for one that is still going to be unstable? It's just a matter of time until the Big 10, Pac-10 and maybe even SEC start to consider cherry picking Big 12 teams again. I also don't think they would have much more success in the Big 12 than they have now, it's not the old SWC. They may finish 3rd or 4th more often, but they will still trail the top 2 schools by a wide margin as they do in the SEC. It would be an incredibly stupid move on their part.

 

[GhostOfJackie]

I don't see A&M leaving as long as the Big 12 is intact. I would look to Clemson or G-Tech as a good replacement for Arkansas.

Everything associated with that University reminds me of a "middle of the pack" SEC school. I have been wondering why there was not more talk about getting them to join. However, I know one SEC school that might fight that to the very end.

 

[ckDOG]

Pick up Va Tech, Ga Tech, or FSU and slide Vandy on over to the Western Division. I'd be thrilled if that happened.

 

[Sutterkane]

Then move Vandy to the west. Easy win for State and OM every year. Then redo the yearly east rivals:

Vandy-UK
State-USC
OM-Clemson/GTech

 

[Dollabillz]

if we lose Arkansas and/or ever think about expanding to the East.

 

[ckDOG]

first of all there is less than a zero percent chance that Arkansas and Notre Dame are a package deal of any kind.

Agree. You could package Arkansas State with ND and the Big 12 would still take the deal. There is nothing specific about any school out there that would cause package deals with ND. It's just simply a formality of keeping an even number.

I'm pretty sure Arkansas still recruits Texas a good bit and joining the Big 12 will not give them any better chance to steal the best players from UT or OU.

They do recruit Texas. But, I think the Big 12 label gives them an advantage since they identify with that part of the country better geographically and culturally than the rest of the southeast. As you stated, look at their ties to the old SWC. With Mississippi being in the middle of SEC territory, I believe we would have a tough time recruiting kids to the Big 12 if we were a part of that conference. I think it's just tougher to convince somebody to play in a conference they aren't very familiar with (unless it's their only option).

Arkansas is an oddity in the SEC. I think they simply blend in better with the Big 12 schools. If there is any SEC school that would leave the SEC on their own accord, Arkansas would be it.

 

[nsvltndog]

Arkansas, since joining the SEC, has seen its national profile drop

So now they are playing Alabama, Florida, LSU, Auburn etc instead of Rice, TCU, and Baylor.In the pre-Jackie Sherrill era,you can also includeTexas A&M in that list. There just aren't as many easy W's in the SEC as there were in the old-SWC.

Some pretty solid ranked Arkansas teams in the 1980's got massive beatdowns (40-50 point differential if I remember correctly)when they played Miami. The competition in the SWC just wasn't up to par nationally as the conference wound down. However that was a fun conference to watch back in theearly 80's when the money was flowing.

Looking at the new Big 12, Arkansas could probably compete for 3rd or 4th place with regularity. However, it would be a rare event for them to challenge Texas or Oklahoma.