Anyways, Chip Brown from Orangebloods.com reports OU may apply to the Pac-12 by the end of the month.
Oklahoma will apply for membership to the Pac-12 before the end of the month, and Oklahoma State is expected to follow suit, a source close to OU's administration told Orangebloods.com.
Even though Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said Friday the Pac-12 was not interested in expansion at this time, OU's board of regents is fed up with the instability in the Big 12, the source said.
The OU board of regents will meet within two weeks to formalize plans to apply for membership to the Pac-12, the source said.
Messages left Sunday night with OU athletic director Joe Castiglione and Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder were not immediately returned.
If OU follows through with what appears to be a unanimous sentiment on the seven-member Oklahoma board of regents to leave the Big 12, realignment in college athletics could be heating back up. OU's application would be matched by an application from Oklahoma State, the source said, even though OSU president Burns Hargis and mega-booster Boone Pickens both voiced their support for the Big 12 last Thursday.
There is differing sentiment about if the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors are ready to expand again after bringing in Colorado and Utah last year and landing $3 billion TV contracts from Fox and ESPN. Colorado president Bruce Benson told reporters last week CU would be opposed to any expansion that might bring about east and west divisions in the Pac-12.
Currently, there are north and south divisions in the Pac-12. If OU and OSU were to join, Larry Scott would have to get creative.
Scott's orginal plan last summer was to bring in Colorado, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and put them in an eastern division with Arizona and Arizona State. The old Pac-8 schools (USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State) were to be in the west division.
Colorado made the move in June 2010, but when Texas A&M was not on board to go west, the Big 12 came back together with the help of its television partners (ABC/ESPN and Fox).
If Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were accepted into the Pac-12, there would undoubtedly be a hope by Larry Scott that Texas would join the league. But Texas sources have indicated UT is determined to hang onto the Longhorn Network, which would not be permissible in the Pac-12 in its current form.
Texas sources continue to indicate to Orangebloods.com that if the Big 12 falls apart, the Longhorns would consider "all options."
Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe held an emergency conference call 10 days ago with league presidents excluding Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M and asked the other league presidents to "work on Texas" because Beebe didn't think the Pac-12 would take Oklahoma without Texas.
Now, it appears OU is willing to take its chances with the Pac-12 with or without Texas.
There seemed to be a temporary pause in any possible shifting of the college athletics' landscape when Baylor led a charge to tie up Texas A&M's move to the Southeastern Conference in legal red tape. BU refused to waive its right to sue the SEC over A&M's departure from the Big 12, and the SEC said it would not admit Texas A&M until it had been cleared of any potential lawsuits.
Baylor, Kansas and Iowa State have indicated they will not waive their right to sue the SEC.
It's unclear if an application by OU to the Pac-12 would draw the same threats of litigation against the Pac-12 from those Big 12 schools.
Originally Posted by BWillie:
Please do not add any of those schools. Keep waiting on the Big Boys. Do not dilute the conference. Hold steady for Pac 12 schools or ACC schools for a couple of years at least.
It’s posturing to tell any wavering P12 AD’s to shit or get off the pot.
Having UCONN as a fallback is the best spot the B12 has been in for years. [Reply]
Get to 16 teams with Washington, Oregon, and Arizona then wait for the ACC to inevitably implode and add teams from there… that’s the ideal scenario for the Big 12. [Reply]
If Im Yormark Im adding Oregon, Washington and Arizona to solidify the Pacific time zone and then heading east. Pluck those top tier teams away from the ACC and you have a heavy footprint in all 4 time zones. Need to expand in the East. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Rams Fan:
I agree with regard to Memphis. Tulane and SMU don't offer really any upside. Temple brings you to Philly, but that's it.
UCF has the potential to be a juggernaut given where its recruiting base is, its investment in facilities, its large alumni base, and its move to Power 5 which is coming after its success in football.
USF has the same benefits and possibilities as UCF except it is years behind in facilities and success.
I will have to respectfully disagree with you and Mark Davis on Memphis.
They don't bring any value and their facilities are woefully behind.
I believe Yormark would just go get UConn if nobody else bites from the Pac12 to go with Colorado, and just wait until the next round or if the ACC decides to dissolve. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Coach:
I will have to respectfully disagree with you and Mark Davis on Memphis.
They don't bring any value and their facilities are woefully behind.
I believe Yormark would just go get UConn if nobody else bites from the Pac12 to go with Colorado, and just wait until the next round or if the ACC decides to dissolve.
The Liberty Bowl is about to undergo $200 million in renovations and they share the FedEx Forum with the Grizzlies, which is also undergoing $150 million in renovations. Not ideal that they share an arena with a NBA team, but it is what it is.
Memphis football is slightly below average all-time, but not a complete dumpster fire like UConn's has been, and is in a much better place for recruiting. Basketball they're above average historically.
UConn brings stellar basketball teams, but they neglected their football team to the point they re-joined the Big East and their football team is independent as a result. Combine that with where they're located and there isn't a lot of upside financially.
Would basically be a counterpunch to Rutgers in the B1G, but with two dominant basketball teams. [Reply]
As a fan of a team that will probably be relegated to G5 status. I hope the TV money bubble implodes leading to the absolute economic ruination of the super conferences and their members. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Rams Fan:
The Liberty Bowl is about to undergo $200 million in renovations and they share the FedEx Forum with the Grizzlies, which is also undergoing $150 million in renovations. Not ideal that they share an arena with a NBA team, but it is what it is.
Memphis football is slightly below average all-time, but not a complete dumpster fire like UConn's has been, and is in a much better place for recruiting. Basketball they're above average historically.
UConn brings stellar basketball teams, but they neglected their football team to the point they re-joined the Big East and their football team is independent as a result. Combine that with where they're located and there isn't a lot of upside financially.
Would basically be a counterpunch to Rutgers in the B1G, but with two dominant basketball teams.
The problem is the Big 12 cannot add a group of five school without cutting the payout. No Big 12 Presidents/Administrators is going to agree to that. [Reply]
