Here's an off-the-wall idea...

[missouridawg]

Please note that I don't necessarily believe the Big12 should do this... but I got to thinking about it and there are some arguments that it kind of makes some sense.

So let's assume that Mizzou is coming to the SEC taking the Big12 down to 8... Then let's assume they add WVU getting back to 9.

They really need a 10th team, although 9 could work... and I bet they'd really like to get back to 12 so they can have the championship game.

Does anyone here think the Big12 should look at Southern Miss? Yes, it's crazy. But what if they get desperate to fill a 12th team? Is Southern Miss such a bad choice?

 

[Hump4Hoops]

If they wanted, the Big Tex could add Louisville, WVU, and Cincinnati, and be done. Hell, even Memphis brings more to the table than southern, a bigger TV market, and a basketball team.

I don't really see any situation in which Southern gets accepted to any big conference.

 

[Sterling Archer.nafoom]

[No message]

 

[patdog]

Assuming the Big 12 loses Mizzou, that only drops them to 9, so they only need to add 1 to get to 10. Even if they decide to go to 12, I'm not sure USM would even be in their top 10 list of schools to consider. And nobody they offer is going to turn them down.</p>

 

[dawgs.sixpack]

louisville, cincy, byu, boise

those are the 4 schools that will be in the discussion to get the big 12 back to 12 teams. and more importantly, louisville, cincy, and boise would probably crawl over broken glass to get to the big 12 HQ and accept a conference invite. so i can't see the big 12 being in a position where they are so desperate for another team that they would get down to usm. <div>
</div><div>they'll probably talk to ND again too (who isn't when it comes to expansion these days)</div>

 

[RebelBruiser]

I'm a little bit interested in seeing who the Big 12 snatches up, but I'm slightly more interested in seeing who makes the cut when the best schools from the MWC, CUSA, and Big East decide to break off and form a modern Conference America.

My guess is the Big 12 closes out with maybe Louisville and either BYU or Houston to get back to 12.

Then the rest will fight over the combo league that will emerge from the CUSA/MWC/Big East collapses.

And the other fun one will be if the Pac 12/Big 10 ever decide to expand again and raid the remainder of the Big 12. I could see Oklahoma and OSU going as a package to either league to get them to 14.

 

[BudgetDawg]

I would think that even someone like Colorado State would be viewed as a more valuable option than USM, as they would help to replace the Denver market that was lost when Colorado bolted for the PAC-12. Or they could go a little further west and add San Diego State as they would bring a big market, as well as the fact that they are well balanced across the "big 3" sports.

 

[OneParticularHarbor]

Hmph...

 

[MaroonedNdaRock]

If OU and OSU put themselves back out there, Texas will be included. Texand OU willstick together. OU will also stick with OSU making a 3 team package andthe SEC better be fighting like hell to be in the mix for them. Another reason to pump the brakes on this Missouri deal. We are going to need three spots to land OU and OSU.

People can talk about TV markets. However, what makes for good TV, what really brings in viewers, is not the location of the school but if the game is an interesting matchup. You want a big fat new contract with ESPN.......show themmarqueematchups that create great games.That willappeal across the nation........not just in Kansas City and Houston. Give them...........Tex,OU, OSUvs Alabama.....OU vs LSU, Alabama, UF.....UTenn vs Tex, OU....and so on.

However, Missouri is looking like a done deal. So with thatin mind,if the SEC doesn't fill it's 15th and 16th spots with traditional football power schools, the conferenced failed with this expansion. With that said though,it is looking like the Big12 will easilyget back to 12 and keep their AQ.It is not up for reevaluation until 2013. So, I don't see UT and OU going anywhere anytime soon aslong as they got their AQ and a schedule full ofmid-tier opponents.

</p>

 

[RebelBruiser]

That's a good point. If you're OU or Texas, this implosion of the Big 12 might actually be a good thing. They already dominated the league for the past decade anyway. Now they will have a league that's even more watered down in the middle and at the bottom. They'll still get to keep the lion's share of the revenue, and they'll basically play each other every year for a BCS bowl and possibly for a national title shot.