If I Were in Charge of the Big 12...

I don't really care what happens to the Big 12. Whether they stay a conference or not, I really only care about the SEC. But if I were in charge of the Big 12 I think there is something I'd be pushing...and that's major conference expansion.

As we all know, the Big 12 is hanging by a thread and just staying together would be an accomplishment. But since the PAC 12 has denied Oklahoma, Texas, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech, the conference still has life. Texas A&M has officially joined the SEC, so they now have 9 teams in the Big 12. I would make a strong push towards 16 teams if I were them.

Everyone is talking about four 16-team super-conferences. The Big 12 should be making it's way towards becoming the first. It's easy to me. You've already got nine. Add West Virginia, Cincinnati and Louisville since the Big East is falling apart. That makes 12. Then add TCU, Boise State, BYU and SMU. Then go ahead and change the name to the Big 16. This would also serve as a way to include TCU and especially Boise State into the BCS.

We all know Texas is the main problem. While the PAC 12 says they didn't admit those four teams because of academics, the real problem is the Longhorn Network. Many people say Texas has strapped itself financially alongside having the Longhorn Network so they can't live without. If this is too much of a sticking point then drop Texas and add Houston to the Big 16. This would still be a strong league, most likely stronger than the ACC. Now of course, if Texas were to drop the Longhorn Network to keep the Big 12 together, chances are OU, TT, and OSU would pack their bags again for the PAC 12 to form the PAC 16...and this is moot. But I don't think Texas is going to drop it.

The assumption is that the four 16-team super-conferences will break off to form a division separate from the current FBS. If this Big 16 were to happen, it would give us five solid conferences, and the one with the least would be the ACC. Fearing a fall into obscurity Florida State, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami and maybe N.C. State try to join the SEC. The SEC accepts FSU, VT, and Clemson, but reject GA Tech and Miami since their big city location doesn't fit with the style of SEC schools.

So that makes two 16-team super-conferences (Big 16 & SEC), two 12-team conferences (PAC 12 & Big Ten) and one 14-team conference (ACC - I think they add UConn, Rutgers, and South Florida after losing those three schools to the SEC). Notre Dame and possibly Texas are left as independents. The BCS now realigns and only considers the SEC, Big 16, PAC 12, and Big 12 BCS conferences with a caveat for the ACC and Notre Dame/Texas that if they are in the Top 5 they are invited in. The Rose Bowl goes back to the traditional Big Ten vs. PAC 12 champ. The Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl rotate hosting the SEC vs. Big 16 champ. The ACC Champ or Notre Dame/Texas plays the top at-large in the Orange Bowl. Recalculate the polls after the BCS and have the BCS Title Game at one of the four locations like there is now.

Example using current rankings:

Rose Bowl: #6 Stanford vs. #7 Wisconsin

Sugar Bowl: #1 LSU vs. #2 Oklahoma

Orange Bowl: #3 Alabama vs. #4 Boise State

Fiesta Bowl: #5 Oklahoma State vs. #8 Nebraska


*Maybe 1 in 5, or 1 in 4 years would have #1 vs. #2 facing each other like this...so maybe a rule is put in place so that if after these games are played there is a unanimous #1 (95% of the vote--save the doufus trying to create a game) then that's it, a champion is crowned. In this case it would be LSU (because no way OU could beat them). This isn't perfect, but like I've always said, I'm for a playoff...but this is better than nothing.

Recap: (2) 16-team, (1) 14-team, and (2) 12-team conferences, plus (2) independents makes 72 Division 1-A schools. If you're not in one of those conferences then you are in Division 1-AA.



JB