Chicageaux

Bringing in Oklahoma would be ideal, however like yh said, there's too many holes and it'd be too much of a stretch. The biggest factor is Oklahoma State and the SEC frankly doesn't want them. When they were in talks last year with A&M and Oklahoma, OK State wasn't even part of the negotiations. There's also the factor that I don't think Oklahoma wants to come to the SEC.

From what I'm hearing, when Missouri joins the SEC, they'll be joining the East or else Alabama and Tennessee have been overruled. Not sure if it'll be similar to the mockup I posted way earlier or what. Doesn't really make sense to me, but I guess if they're trying to preserve these inter-conference rivalries, it does.

I'll just redact it before the mod does.

That's exactly what A&M did though. They announced they were leaving the Big XII and a week later they were accepted into the SEC. I gotta believe that Missouri is doing the same thing with the notion that they are getting accepted into the SEC.

Not to mention, and I'm not sure how much a role it actually played, but the fans have shown a tremendous amount of support for a move to the SEC. In my opinion, that speaks volumes.

If Mizzou's application to SEC is ?inevitable and imminent,? and the same source is also positive make me think that Slive has convinced his presidents/chancellors to admit them and even Alabama had pull not to move Auburn to the SEC East.

Just to follow up on this.

Missouri could decide on SEC by Thursday.

What does Louisville bring to the Big 12 football wise?

An easy W for Oklahoma and Texas.

I read on twitter (take it as you will) that there is an offer, but Slive is making MU jump through hoops like they did with aTM. Not certain about, just what's being said around out there.

I've heard something similar, pretty much it's not if Missouri gets invited, but when (in case anyone didn't assume that).

Nonetheless, this non-scandal does highlight the need for Mizzou and the SEC to move this dance along. If Slive wants MU in the SEC fold, then he needs to get Alabama and Tennessee on board, suggest to MU that the time "might be right" to file an application and let's get going. At this juncture it appears MU remains poised to apply for SEC membership and I have to believe that they're sitting on their hands waiting for the secret wink or hand signal or whatever from Slive to make the application. If there's no way to turn the present SEC no votes to yes, then let's establish that so that MU can move forward with making the best out of its continued membership in the Big XII and the SEC can move on finding what now appears to be a very essential 14th school (in light of the BCS's requirement that all conferences with 2 divisions play at least 8 conference games).

This is exactly how I look at it. It's seems as of right now, the SEC is set on making Mizzou the 14th member and obviously Mizzou has shown interest in becoming that 14th member. Now we're at this stalemate and it seems like no side is making that necessary move. Like you said, either get the votes changed and let's move on, or don't get them changed and let's move on.

I mean, I don't think the Big East establishing themselves as a dominant basketball conference was necessarily a BAD idea. They could have realized that they really won't be able to compete with the Big 10 and the SEC in football for the Midwest to East markets... even the ACC to an extent.

I think they had foresight enough to look at the revenue making sports and establish a strong foothold in basketball and just assumed football is football and will always turn a profit. However, I don't think they had enough foresight to think about this dramatic re-alignment that may or may not take place... or already has tUCF coach: ?Everything in place? for Big East move taken place (Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Texas A&M, Pitt, Syracuse, Texas Christian).

I think its inevitable that we will move to 5 major football conferences. I think the SEC and Big 10 are going to pick up a few ACC/Big East schools, the Big XII will settle in at 10, the Pac 12 will settle at 12, and the Big East and ACC will form some sort of left over conference. It may not be in the foreseeable future, but I think it is an inevitability.

FSU and Clemson are the only schools that might leave, an even that seems unlikely. They'll probably add UConn and Rutgers an go to 16, maybe down to 14, but that's about it. ACC has pretty much already engulfed the Big Easy schools it wants. Whatever us left after WCU, L'ville an Cincy find a new home will just be CUSA essentially.

That's pretty much exactly what's happening:

UCF coach: ?Everything in place? for Big East move

Right now, the BTN makes more money than the SEC broadcasting contracts... and I believe the Big 10 splits their money evenly. I don't think that is the case for the SEC. I think once the SEC gets their own Network, it will make more than the Big 10, but I think the Big 10 is proactive in a lot of ways. I think BTN + Mizzou would be greater than SEC Network + Mizzou. I think the sleeper bargaining chip the Big 10 has is Nebraska. I think the Big 10 values tradition more than other conferences, so they may be able to BS something about re-starting the Nebraska/Missouri Rivalry to go along with a lot of the other Big 10 rivalries.

Just to throw it out there, the SEC does split it's money evenly.

I can tell you that it seems like the vast majority of Mizzou fans want the SEC. Myself included. Better recruiting AND more money.

That's what it seems like. The fans are pretty much what pushed the school to "explore" other options and the passion they've shown at rallies shows me you're obviously bringing in a school with passionate fans, something the SEC sort of prides itself on. Besides, like I said before, I wouldn't mind it either since Columbia's only 5 hours from me, it's easily the shortest distance to any other SEC school for me, so I'd be able to see LSU play every other year.

I've read that if Mizzou leaves before December 1st, they only have to pay what aTm paid, around $12.5m. Neinas has sorta been in denial ever since he took over. He said Mizzou was no doubt staying.. now they're exploring. He's basically just trying to do the whole "if I say it enough, it will come true" thing.

Bleh. I just hope the Big 10 sees how they have a golden egg just waiting, hoping to get picked up by them. I think the SEC is a better football-style fit for Mizzou, but geographically, economically, and rivalry-wise, I think the Big 10 would better suit them.

(If you haven't noticed... I'm trying the same method. I say Mizzou to the Big 10 enough, and hopefully it happens.)

And looking at it from the SEC side, I really hope the SEC adds them before the Big 10 realizes what they could be missing out on. I believe Mizzou is a huge addition to the conference and really hope they can learn to deal with the scheduling conflicts they're supposedly having.

Notre Dame has been invited to join the B1G about 25,000 times. Now every B1G school, even ones like Northwestern who aren't good in football or basketball, gets more revenue from the BTN than Notre Dame does from their NBC deal plus their Big East TV contract. It's not about economics or logistics. Notre Dame's independence at this point is based around arrogance, as though they have some divine birthright to be treated differently than everyone else because they won a bunch of National Championships 60 years ago.

You mean you don't know that Notre Dame is God's gift to college football?

Coming from a fan prespective, I wouldn't want to see LSU have to give up the game against Florida every year. I know the majority of Tigers fans enjoy the game as well and taking Alabama out of the west would risk losing playing atleast one of those two big games every year. Then again, whatever is good for the conference.

According to the Boston Globe, the Big Least is considering adding Boise State, Air Force, and Navy for football only. Temple and UCF would be added in all sports.

If this happens, I hope it's just a stepping stone to the Big 12 (like what happened with TCU).

Now its just getting ridiculous. If that is the direction this realignment is going to take place, then what is the point of even having conferences?

It's just their last ditch effort to maintain their BCS AQ status. May it fail miserably.

Ai

Obviously... but wouldn't it almost be better to try and pick up some MAC schools that going out to Boise State and Air Force? I mean, are they really thinking that flying across the country can maintain conference stability?

MAC schools aren't going to help them retain AQ status when it runs out in 2 years. After the 2013-14 season, they'll basically be reevaluated. These schools give them a better chance at saying an AQ conference, however I think they're gonna end up losing Louisville, Cincinnati and UWV to probably the Big XII, maybe UWV to the SEC if they go 16, and even possibly USF to the Big XII. So I think they're gonna end up losing they're AQ status or folding as a football conference altogether.

What is UWV?

UWV is an autonomous administrative authority (ZBO) and is commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW) to implement employee insurances and provide labour market and data services. The Dutch employee insurances are provided for via laws such as the WW (Unemployment Insurance Act), the WIA (Work and Income according to Labour Capacity Act, which contains the IVA (Full Invalidity Benefit Regulations) and WGA (Return to Work (Partially Disabled) Regulations)), the Wajong (Disablement Assistance Act for Handicapped Young Persons), the WAO (Invalidity Insurance Act), the WAZ (Self-employed Persons Disablement Benefits Act), the WAZO (Work and Care Act) and the Sickness Benefits Act.

Or, the University of West Virginia.

I was really hoping that he was just trying to be a smartass.

I know Alabama's not too keen on having Auburn move out of their division if Missouri comes into the conference, but I've seen ideas where Missouri moving into the east fixes that.

Of course, I'm not sure how exactly it would work with time zones, but I think there are ways to keep the peace in the SEC.

Why not Houston to the SEC along with Louisville and west Virginia one the big east collapses? Houston evens out the west and gives a&m, lsu close comp and they are about to finalize plans on a brand new stadium (and renovation of arena) and will more than likely play in reliant for a couple of years until it's completed. West Virginia and Louisville not only bring in good comp in football, they raise the bar even higher in basketball. Louisville and Kentucky are rivals. Houston area has some of the best high school recruits in the country. Thoughts anyone?

Missouri also evens out the west and gives everyone else in the west close competition. Besides, by adding A&M, they have the Houston area market, they really don't need to add Houston. And why would they? I honestly see no scenario where the SEC extends an invitation to Houston. The SEC has already stamped DENIED on West Virginia's application, they don't want them. They'd be much better going after Virginia Tech IF they extend along the east coast.

Boise state should have gotten in the PAC 12 rather than Colorado...but I am certain that the PAC 12 will expand they just probably noticed that Texas okla are a tad bit outta the way and the costs to travel would take away from the large amount of money being made. They will expand once the big 12 is solidified again so they won't have to choose between Boise state and Texas. They will add and should add byu and Boise state. I think thats where it should stop. Those two teams are logistically ok and will only bring the PAC ## to SEC level once the depth of talent catches up to the rest of the PAC schools

Their reasoning for not adding Texas/Oklahoma wasn't because of the fact the schools were out of the way, it was because Texas wouldn't budge on the TLN. As was stated in this thread before, besides for football, Boise State brings nothing else to the table. They're not good athletically or academically. As far as BYU, I think they should add them, but I don't think they will considering they already stated they won't.

The big 12 has to go after notre dame hard and I'm not against adding smu as the 12th school. This will allow ok state to head to the north division and have some real tough competition in both division much less the conference championship. With the addition of tcu the league should stay at 10 until they can add at least another bcs team to compete with the front runners every year.

I'm sure the Big XII would love to go after Notre Dame, however I don't believe Notre Dame would go to the Big XII. Notre Dame has a pretty good deal right now and I don't believe throwing them in a conference with Texas would be beneficial to anyone.

"Settling" for the premier football conference in the country? Mizzou might be one of those schools that still has the far-fetched notion that college athletics has the slightest thing to do with academics.

That's how I look at it. I almost wish the SEC doesn't accept them now.

That could be a great wake up call to the Big Ten to get into the realignment business. Also says to me Mizzou is saying, "Hey, we're still here waiting."

I know I've mentioned it a few times and it's been mentioned elsewhere about Florida not wanting Florida State in the SEC is kind of humorous because it was actually Florida trying to get FSU into the conference in the 60s.

FSU and the SEC

Cant link anything so take it for what it's worth. Word around Tallahassee is that the SEC is taking their time but FSU is a done deal. West Virginia is also likely.

That was your original statement. I can't talk for everyone else, but I took that as meaning FSU was the 14th team. How is FSU a done deal for their 15th or 16th team when they don't even have a 14th team?

Also, I am watching the Big 10 network right now. I live in Florida. Don't need a conference team in your state to have a conference network in your state.

I never said you needed to.

Except right now, it's not happening. The SEC is looking to add it's 14th team, not it's 16th, and for it's 14th team Mizzou makes a whole lot more sense than Florida State. By bringing in Missouri, you're adding TV households and ratings to make a SEC Network. You're not just adding the St. Louis market, but you're also adding part of the Kansas City market as well and you're extending into the Big Ten country, while taking one of the Big XII's top teams. You're also adding a school that's strong in athletics, they'll have a decent football program and a top 4 basketball program and also a strong academic school.

Besides, you also don't have to jump that "little" hurdle of Florida being unhappy with FSU joining the conference. As long as Florida's unhappy, then Georgia and South Carolina are unhappy as well. I highly doubt any school will have a problem with Mizzou coming aboard.