Have to agree that conferences need that doormat.

Of course, not only does it pad win counts, but someone like Vanderbilt gives the SEC a whiff of academic air in a sea of smelly jocks. It's something the SEC points at when distracting academic fans from the mire.

Somebody has to be at the bottom. Look at the historical basketball powers in most BCS conferences vs. the historical football powers show that what goes around comes around...Kentucky, Vandy, Kansas, Duke, Stanford, Michigan St., etc.

Hmmmm...

I started thinking about this regarding a possible Texas "third option" for my outrageous post above, and I made sure it was mostly about the bling. The shock to this is that I AM sober, and I think Saturday's hangover is finally gone.

Notre Dame
Texas
Texas A&M

...that's three.

Army? Navy? Nah, even Notre Dame isn't that sentimental, though since this league would never go beyond 8 teams, Notre Dame will still have those scheduling opportunities.

Air Force? Now THAT is an option.

Brigham Young? Ooooh... but would ND invite them? The Magic 8 Ball says "Signs Point To NO."

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that no Big 10 team would jump to this league, because they like the overall position of that conference, including the academic component. That's a risk, and Penn State could start waffling... maybe.

Would they get USC? You know, I think Notre Dame would ask, but USC would probably try to attach a string or 6. Bet you Stanford would take the plunge, but that's a matter of whether Notre Dame would invite them or not.

The only SEC team Notre Dame would invite is Vanderbilt. Nah...

Boston College would jump in a second, but I suspect Notre Dame wouldn't invite them.

Miami... oh heck yes they would, and you know it. Would ND send them the invite?

Syracuse. Yes and yes.

I'm guessing this leaves us at:

Air Force
Miami
Notre Dame
Southern California
Syracuse
Texas
Texas A&M

The problem at this point: I think Notre Dame wants one more public school in this mix. I just thought of Tennessee, but I doubt Notre Dame wants to go there. Penn State is a thought. Maybe they punt and go with Stanford. Who would be your 8th? (Side bets on anything are allowable, especially the thought that Texas wouldn't give A&M the heave-ho before joining this little pack of Gremlins.)

I was of the thought that Notre Dame would want schools that could hold their own in conference, thus increasing the $$$ potential. I've considered the possibility, and I'm considering the concept that such a conference increases Temple's profile in Philadelphia. I just don't think that's enough, especially if Temple ends up as the doormat.

Of course, I was also of the thought that I posted that original "What Texas wants" post on this thread. I've definitely got the brain fry. Let this be a cautionary tale to those of you who are preparing to drink with a bunch of English football fans.

The perfect school is one that plays the doormat and still draws bonkers... kind of like South Carolina.

I don't think Temple is it.

Colorado, Colorado State rivalry returns to Invesco Field

By SPORTS NETWORK

newsobserver.com
The News & Observer
Raleigh, NC
March 1, 2006

"DENVER, Colo. -- The Metro Denver Sports Commission announced Wednesday that the annual football game between in-state rivals Colorado State University and the University of Colorado will return to Invesco Field at Mile High for the first time since 2002.
The two schools signed a three-year agreement with MDSC and Invesco Field insuring the game will be played in Mile High through 2008. The agreement also includes options that could extend the deal to 10 years. Financial terms were not disclosed.

This year's game will take place on September 9, 2006, with the following two years to be played the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend (September 1, 2007 and August 30, 2008).

"We are excited to play a role in bringing the state's premier college football event back to Denver," said executive director of the MDSC Jon Schmieder. "We see an opportunity to create a greater sense of community involvement by hosting several special events around the game."

Good, where that rivarly game should be played.

Tigershark, you claim you know about media markets. I've got news for you: Colorado ST is in the exact same market as Colorado. It makes no sense putting them in the exact same conference unless Colorado is eager to free up an OOC game. It would make more sense to go after Utah or New Mexico, since both offer completely new markets to the Big 12. I am rethinking my BYU to the Big 12 idea though. It might work, but given how the Big 12 is slanted against privates, it might not work.

Mich and Mich St
Auburn and Alabama
USC and UCLA
Cal and Stanford
Oregon and Oregon St
Arizona and Arizona St
Texas and Texas A&M
Miss and Miss St
Kansas and Kansas St
Purdue and Indiana
Thus Col and Col St

Auburn and Alabama played in the same conference as far back as 1910 (and even further, actually). TV markets didn't play as much of a role back then as they do now. Michigan State had to fight to get in the Big Ten, because Michigan did NOT want MSU in at all!! It took the approval of other Big Ten members to make the Spartans a member of the Big Ten.


All of these teams played in the same conferences for at least 80 years or more. Therefore, Tigershark, you are comparing apples and oranges here. (I don't think that Colorado and Colorado State have ever played in the same conference before, but I could be wrong. ) However, they have not been together long enough to make tv markets irrelevant. The ONLY way CSU gets into the Big 12 is if Colorado leaves.

Colorado and CSU played in the same conference from 1900 to 1947.

Virginia and Virginia Tech
Texas Tech and Baylor
Florida State and Miami
Boise State and Idaho
Washington and Washington State
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State

Musings on SI.com about Big 12.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/06/26/cfb.mailbag/1.html

"So I don't think the Big 12 is in danger of any imminent demise. First of all, the conference just signed a new deal with ABC/ESPN that runs through 2016, and secondly, I know of no other conference that is looking to expand anytime soon. One day down the road, however, I could see Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and maybe Nebraska breaking off and joining forces with the likes of USC and UCLA in something of a South/West mega-conference. Nothing lasts forever anymore."