Big XII: 1995-2010, Mountain West on the Rise
After a crazy, clusterf#@k time in a span of two weeks, Colorado goes to the Pac-10, Nebraska goes to the Big Ten, and Texas and Texas A&M will expect to announce something by Tuesday whether they’ll go to the Pac-10, Big Ten or the SEC. I would like to congratulate Colorado on becoming the 11th member of the Pac-10, and especially Nebraska to FINALLY come to a conference where they felt they were in all along, the Big Ten. Although I am a die-hard Hawkeye fan and don’t get deep into this sort of things, I felt emotional when reading and watching the press conference on the Big Ten Network of Nebraska coming home. Just thinking of that makes me teary-eyed that they’ve finally have come to the conference they were destined to be in.
But setting that aside, all I have to say is: BRING ON THE CORNHUSKERS!
However, with the departure of Colorado, Nebraska and a somewhat loyalty statement to the Big XII from Mizzou, the Big XII is literally screwed at this point, and gasping it’s last breath of fresh air before it passes away into the history books. So Big XII, it was nice knowing you since I’ve first heard of you a long time ago, but time always changes and everything has to move on, but we’ll always remember you in our hearts…
Anywho, reports have circulated around that the 5 schools in Big XII’s Southern Division will go to the Pac-10, with others saying that Oklahoma is petitioning to get into SEC, Oklahoma State will likely accept the invite to the Pac-10, and Texas and Texas A&M deciding to go to Pac-10, Big Ten or SEC together [with possibly A&M just going to SEC alone]. To some it up to this point in time, we still don’t EVEN know what the southern division of the Big XII will do next till Tuesday rolls around.
When reading the Wildcat Report’s Board, the Big Ten is targeting at least Texas and Notre Dame, according to member of the message board, PurpleBook Cat, who has a friend that apparently has ties to the league or works for the league. However, I’m going to be skeptical until I get some good ol’ confirmation from the conference itself.
Apparently, though, Texas and Texas A&M had discussions with one another yesterday of what they should do for their futures, what conference would best fit them and should they be together in the same conference. With that, I’ve heard somewhere on the interwebs that the way Mizzou wants to get invited into the Big Ten, is to have Texas and Notre Dame come along, but I’m not sure if that’s an actual statement from officials from that school.
But with the Big XII on its deathbed, we do, however, have another conference that I believe that’s on the rise to become Big XII’s successor and become one of the premier college sports leagues, the Mountain West Conference. They, earlier today, added Boise State and became their 10th member. The conference should be able to achieve an automatic bid to the BCS sooner than later, especially the way things are going with the Big XII.
I’ve predicted that when the Big XII is no more, and that Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, and Iowa State will be left with no conference to call home, I predict that the Mountain West Conference could pick up Kansas and Kansas State, possibly Texas Tech too. That then leaves Baylor, Mizzou and Iowa State. I predict that Baylor might accept an invite to the Pac-10, or try to get into the SEC. Mizzou has been keeping it shut lately, which is strange, even though there have been some interest on wanting to go to the Big Ten, especially Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon. We should hopefully find out soon on their stance since Big XII is practically screwed now.
Now, Iowa State would all be left in it’s own little world because they’ve stated that they don’t have the negotiation power like its counterparts in the Big XII. Iowa Gov. Chet Culver would like to try and get Iowa State into the Big Ten, but it’ll be a REAL tough challenge for Iowa State to get into the Big Ten, and their chances are slim. There are at least a few conferences that they would have to resort to if their Big Ten pursuit is a failure; they should either look into the MAC, Conference USA, Mountain West, or the Big East. Those I say are Iowa State’s most logical conferences to affiliate to. With two of the four conferences mentioned, they’ll have to sacrifice of being a BCS school.
Well, I believe that’s all I have to say now. I’ll leave you with a logo I made a few minutes ago of the new Big Ten with the inclusion of Nebraska.
(You can follow me on Twitter @jasonnessa)
