This sounds crazy (and wonderful) RE: Big Ten(11) expansion!?!?!?!
According to this link Texas is in preliminary talks with the Big Ten Conference about joining the conference.
http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/02/11/report-big-ten-texa…
Sounds crazy. Check
Offseason. Check
Crazy internet speculation. Check
Chance in hell?
February 11th, 2010 at 1:51 PM ^
+1 for the MSU as "Michigan Agricultural College" reference.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:26 PM ^
Actually, I thought it was a plot by all the conferences to show they're all moving on without Notre Dame so they get scared they're going to get left out (Texas > ND now), so they finally break down and do the logically thing and join the Big Ten.
February 11th, 2010 at 6:28 PM ^
From a financial and cache standpoint, Texas may be the single best get for any conference, and that isn't going to change. They've got great academics, sports, alumni, etc and UT is far and away the best school in the whole region. Any conference would be very lucky to have them.
That said, I really see Pitt leaving the Big East, which may be enough to eliminate their automatic bid after the next review. That probably leads to a twelve team Pac 10 with some combination of Utah, Colorado, and BYU, followed by TCU joining the Big 12.
February 11th, 2010 at 1:57 PM ^
Adding a few more teams from the Big 12 and Pittsburgh, we'd have a super conference that provides two divisions with decent parity between them, solid rivalries, and contiguous conference geography:
East:
Michigan
Ohio State
Penn State
Pittsburgh
Purdue
Michigan State
Northwestern
Indiana
West:
Oklahoma
Texas
Iowa
Wisconsin
Nebraska
Missouri
Minnetonka
Illinois
Sure it's just crazy talk, but the look on the Domers faces would be priceless.
You had your chance, bitches!
February 11th, 2010 at 2:04 PM ^
thought. Bring it up at the next Big 10 meeting and see if it sticks.
February 11th, 2010 at 2:21 PM ^
for domer hate. I'll laugh and laugh when they finally join the burnt out and charred remains of the big east.
February 11th, 2010 at 2:01 PM ^
has some interesting info on the different expansion possibilities for the big ten:
http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/2009/12/27/the-big-ten-expansion-inde…
After reading this, it makes a compelling argument for why Texas might be interested in the Big Ten. Not saying it will happen, but the Big ten can potentially give Texas more money and stronger academics (more research dollars). That is something a University President is going to take a look at. The Texas fans might not like it, but the University leaders will at least consider it.
February 11th, 2010 at 2:05 PM ^
Cred=zero
Just like the ginger from the video yesterday complaining about someone with the user name "ISHATONU" "I thought you were more respectful ISHATONU, but I was wrong"
Why would you think that someone with that username would be a non-douche and why would you think that someone with the name of FrankTheTank would know anything about the Big Ten Expansion possibilities. Just saying.
February 11th, 2010 at 2:13 PM ^
He's done a great job detailing the reasons why Texas to the Big 10 actually could happen and makes some sense, not the least of which was doing a little research and finding TX fans wouldn't necessarily be opposed to it (and have little Big 12 loyalty).
But you're right, his name is FRANKTHETANK, analysis over.
February 11th, 2010 at 2:19 PM ^
is insider info or that it will happen. i could care less what his name is. The fact is he lays out some good arguments and info on why this could be a possibility. No one is saying this will ever happen, but based on many of the reasons he presented in the blog, I think Texas at least has to listen to overtures from the Big Ten.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:47 PM ^
That post flat useless. His mutual interest metric is the least valuable portion and he only gives Texas 60% of the points possible (3 out of 5). He's just pulling junk out of his ass there.
February 11th, 2010 at 4:27 PM ^
Because he has more degrees than you.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:35 PM ^
The political heavyweights in Austin will never permit their beloved 'Horns to become just another power in a foreign conference headquartered up north in Yankee country. Texans love the fact that their state was once an independent country, and being the dominant power in the B12 fits that worldview perfectly. Texas can do whatever the fuck it wants in the B12, but that won't be the case if it joins the B10 where it would have to bend to the desires of a bunch of schools in comparatively tiny states that all Texans look down on anyhow. The Texan collective ego is far, far, far too large to ever allow that to happen.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:02 PM ^
Whether its Texas, Pittsburgh, Missouri or whomever. What I am really in favor of is being the first conference to institute change and staking claim to what is perceived to be a changing climate anyway. Gathering a strong conference is essential to get more quality recruits nationwide rather than the majority being regional. Even if Texas says no it will alert these other conference teams that they in fact listened. BCS conferences who are asleep at the switch will marginalize themselves by taking C-USA teams. Seems as if the Big Ten is playing with house money at this point.
February 11th, 2010 at 4:00 PM ^
While having UT in the conference would clearly benefit the Big Ten, I'm not quite sure how it would benefit Michigan.
February 11th, 2010 at 6:24 PM ^
$$$- 90 million cable households in Texas. The vast majority start paying attention to the Big 10. BIG, BIG $$$ in advertising revenue for the conference and the B10 network. More money in every schools pocket.
Academic - Texas is a high class learning institution. They are the only school in the Big 12 that could academically fit into the Big 10. I have been on the Texas bandwagon ever since I read that article a couple of months ago about how UT is the ONLY logical solution for the Big 10. The research sharing between Big 10 schools is hugely important and Texas can contribute mightily to that.
From a purely athletic standpoint, how could you not want Texas. They bring instant credibility in football, that the Big 10 sorely needs. They would beef up the baseball strength of the conference as well. Playing Texas every year in football would mean sooo much more than ND. Beating Texas would put Michigan in the MNC conversation.
Having Texas in the Big Ten would also diminish OSU's "dominance" of the conference in football. Texas would be a win-win for every school in the conference.
I heard Shep/Sharp talking this afternoon saying it would cost B10 schools too much to travel there. The increase in $$$ from the cable advertising in the state of Texas as part of the Big 10 would more than make up for any increase in travel costs.
Bring on the 'Horns!
February 11th, 2010 at 6:33 PM ^
Um, Texas's population was 24,326,974 in 2008 per the US Census. Where are the 90 million households coming from? It's probably more like 8 million.
"Having Texas in the Big Ten would also diminish OSU's "dominance" of the conference in football. Texas would be a win-win for every school in the conference." Who exactly does this help? Texas?
Regardless, see Brian's post as to why this isn't happening.
February 11th, 2010 at 6:36 PM ^
90 million cable households in Texas
This is the second recent thread in which someone has thrown out this weird fake statistic. Why 90 million?
The actual population of Texas is 24.7 million. Assuming there are three people per household, and that 75% of households have cable, that works out to around six million cable households.
February 11th, 2010 at 6:29 PM ^
For what it's worth, the major Texas blogs are mum on the subject and the Austin-American Statesman has no real info.