OT: Which 2 Teams Should B12 Add to Become Eligible for CCG

Submitted by Victor Valiant on

In light of Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowslby essentially saying today that the conference needs to look at adding teams to become eligible to have a conference championship game, it seems relevant to discuss likely candidates. It's fairly obvious their lack of championship game cost them a spot in the playoff. I don't see many strong choices out there unless they manage to pull a team or 2 from a Power 5 conference, which seems unlikely.

Likely Candidates:

BYU (Independent)

Boise State (Mountain West)

Colorado State (Mountain West)

Cincinnati (American)

Memphis (American)

Less Likely:

Houston (American)

Southern Miss (Conf USA) 

SMU (American) 

 

EDIT: Added Cincy and Memphis to likely candidates.

 

 

MGoBoard

The Dirty Nil

December 7th, 2014 at 2:06 PM ^

I always thought Boise State should have been added when TCU was added. But the Mountain West needs them, and Boise State enjoys the 10+ wins per season (usually).

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Victor Valiant

December 7th, 2014 at 2:08 PM ^

I doubt Boise State would care what the MWC thinks if they had the chance to jump to a Power 5 conference. I'm not sure how it would work as far as Boise St's obligations to the MWC, contracts, etc. They may enjoy the 10+ wins in a lesser conference but if you are given the chance to join a Power 5 conference, you take it.

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Tater

December 7th, 2014 at 2:26 PM ^

Boise State people have a lot of condifence; they look at their results against an easy schedule and think they would have the same record in a major conference.  Utah showed just how flawed that thinking is when they joined the Pac 12.  However, I do think Boise would "figure it out" in a couple of years.

All in all, I think Boise and Houston would both be great fits in the Big 12.  I would say BYU, but their honor code, specifically the prohibition of pre-marital sex, keeps them from competing with the rest of the country for a lot of athletes.  BYU is better off being a big fish in a small pond.

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M-Dog

December 7th, 2014 at 2:11 PM ^

Truthfully, the ideal fit would be Nebraska.  For both sides.

The Big Ten has not worked out well for Nebraska.  I'm sure there are a lot of Nebraska people that would really like to go back "home".

 

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Hagen

December 7th, 2014 at 3:41 PM ^

Agreed.  Academics are important to the school.  However let's not forget about the real reason they came to the B1G and the reason they won't leave - money.  They are better off fiscally being in our conference and without Texas, where they'll never be on an even financial playing field (at least when it comes to conference payouts) because of TV deals.

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Victor Valiant

December 7th, 2014 at 2:20 PM ^

I'm seeing Memphis and Cincy thrown around on twitter quite a bit right now, that's why I added them to the OP. I tend to agree with Cincy, but I"m not sure Memphis has the resume or resources to make the jump. Also, if Fuente jumps ship, and that is a big if since he is apparently negotiating a new contract, they will probably fall back into the cellar of college football.

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Brodie

December 7th, 2014 at 4:40 PM ^

It depends on what you think their primary goal in team selection would be. Most saying BYU/Boise seem to be thinking strictly in football terms but, like Rutgers and Maryland happened.

Cincy and Memphis (and USF/UCF if they want to get to 14 quickly) provide the following things:

A.) large TV markets

B.) fertile new recruiting territories

C.) the closest thing to a bridge from WVU to the rest of the conference possible

They both have very strong basketball traditions, Cincinnati has recent football success and is upgrading their facilities while Memphis would need to get up to the Big 12's level but already has a P5 caliber stadium.

Those three are far more likely than BYU or Boise.

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funkywolve

December 7th, 2014 at 2:23 PM ^

This makes the most sense to me.  You then have 3 teams relatively close to each other in Cincy, Memphis and WVU.  With Memphis and Cincy you encroach on the SEC's territory some as well as the Big Ten.

They also both have decent basketball programs so it helps you there as well. 

If BYU joins in all sports you can have scheduling headaches cause BYU insists they don't play games on Sunday for religous reasons.  BYU is always placed in a Thurs/Sat region in March Madness.

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bamf16

December 7th, 2014 at 2:18 PM ^

B1G then adds Pitt.

 

Neither at all likely though!

 

In all honesty, heard on ESPN that the Big 12 could petition for some time of waiver/exemption from the 12 team rule that forbids a conference championship game in a 10 team conference.  After what happened this year, you have to figure they'd get it.

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Victor Valiant

December 7th, 2014 at 2:23 PM ^

I would expect them to get the waiver, but why not expand? It's probably better for the conference as a while to expand, and college football is inevitably headed toward 5 super conferences anyway, so might as well get into the mix now instead of waiting for other conferences to snatch up the BYUs and Boise States of the world.

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xcrunner1617

December 7th, 2014 at 2:21 PM ^

If I were the Big 12, I would hold off on adding any additional teams and begin fighting for the college football playoff to be expanded to 6 or 8 teams. If that can occur within a reasonable time frame, they wouldn't have to add two sub-par teams and their seat at the table is then assured every year. 

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bj dickey

December 7th, 2014 at 3:01 PM ^

Cindy would make more sense than Marshall and would bring a natural rival for wvu. NIU is probably too small, and wouldn't carry any weight in Chicago anyway. From a geographical and football perspective CSU makes the most sense. If I were SDSU, I'd take this opportunity to sell California as a destination and recruiting plus.

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Wolverine Devotee

December 7th, 2014 at 2:30 PM ^

Michigan and Cincinnati. Our new rival from Ohio. 

I'd seriously be stoked to play Oklahoma, Texas, TCU, Baylor, Kansas State, West Virginia every year. 

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Mpfnfu Ford

December 7th, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^

Are Boise/BYU, but BYU has weird issues with its Mormon background (no sports can play on Sunday) and adding those two makes the travel even more insane for WVU. Cincy/Memphis make the most geographical sense, but what are you getting?

If I had to guess, I'd say Cincy/Memphis. 

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