Texas' Independence

[FlabLoser]

Anybody else think Texas is going to have a VERY hard time scheduling football games as an independent?<div>
</div><div>Notre Dame can do it because they've been doing it forever - since long before conferences were strong. They have established rivalries and such that are keeping them going.</div><div>
</div><div>Army and such get to do it because they are scrubs that teams actually want to schedule.</div><div>
</div><div>Texas? Good luck scheduling ye olde Big 12 opponents who are ending up in tougher conferences and don't have any interest in scheduling Texas. Texas is going to have to buy just about every game on the schedule. The only interesting games they'll get are going to be mandate (funded) by corporate sponsors. I think Dr Pepper sponsors (or used to sponsor) the Texas-OU game. I can see ESPN throwing their weight around to get Texas some a few quality opponents, especially since they've sunk money into the LHN.</div><div>
</div><div>I hate that Texas is coming out as ESPN's pet team in all this. Texas is going to be hanging on to ESPN for dear life.</div><div>
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[therightway]

Nobody is going to want to play them. They think that they are better than everone but fail to remember that they went 6-6 last year.

 

[hotdigitydog]

NT

 

[MedDawg]

a lot will depend on what happens to Texas' rivals. If Texas A&M comes to the SEC, they may not want to add a tough Texas game to a difficult SEC schedule. Same with Oklahoma. Without those two, Texas' schedule strength and appeal will take a huge drop. Texas may find themselves with a weak schedule if they go independent, and their TV money will eventually drop way below what they were making in the Big12. ESPN will come to regret paying UT all that money for the Longhorn Network.<div>
</div><div>ND has long time rivals and series with USC, Michigan, Michigan State, Navy, Boston College, and others, so they can always fill out their schedule. Plus, they give a lot of home and homes, so new teams ALWAYS want to schedule the Irish.</div><div>
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[TnRebel.sixpack]

I think their schedule will end up looking a lot like BYU's this year. A lot of the small regional teams, with a few big games.<div>
</div><div>They may be able to play BYU and Notre Dame yearly. Then they can possibly keep aTm and OU. They'll probably be able to schedule Texas Tech and Baylor (who may both get left out when all of this is said and done). I'm sure SMU would love to start playing them again. TCU might, depending on Big East expansion.</div>