Texas and Oklahoma have set their differences aside to try and make the Big 12 work. As a result, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State are staying put as well. Texas A&M has left the conference and Missouri is looking for the exit sign, hoping the SEC calls their name. Meanwhile, The ACC picked up Syracuse and Pittsburgh to expand to 14 teams.
Jim Delaney has stated that the Big 10 is sitting out this round of re-alignment roulette. Ditto for Larry Scott and the Pac 12. The SEC has 1 or 3 vacancies depending on if they are looking at going to 14 or 16. The Big 12 (which just picked up TCU) is currently at 10 teams, and looking into further expansion. The Big East is also looking to expand, but no one wants to join until they know what they are getting into.
I have a new plan. One which allows the Big 10 and the Pac 12 to sit by and enjoy their new companions. One in which the current members of the Big East all get to retain the BCS bowl berth, as well as the Big 12, albeit in a different format. The one flaw to my plan? The ACC would have to pick up UConn and Rutgers to expand to 16 teams. Let's also assume the SEC decides to pick up West Virginia to get to 14 teams and pick up an Eastern team instead of splitting up Alabama & Auburn. My plan works almost as well if the SEC picks up Missouri, but not quite as neat. For now let's assume WVU is off to the SEC
Our new look Big East:
Louisville
Cincinnati
South Florida
The Big 12 currently looks like:
Texas
Texas Tech
TCU
Baylor
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Iowa State
Missouri
Kansas
Kansas State
Strategy: We want to improve the strength of the conference while expanding the conference footpirnt. Let's add BYU and Air Force from Independence and the Mountain West to pick up the Utah (and actually national Mormon) TV sets as well as Denver. Next let's pick up South Florida and Central Florida to gain the Tampa and Orlando markets. Yes USF, it is time to let in your little brother UCF. The Big 12 would pick up more TV markets, but you get to keep your BCS eligibility which you would have otherwise lost. Lastly, if any conference knows what it is like to be a smaller market team in a state and get passed over it should be the Big 12. Don't be jerks and pick up Cincinnati and Louisville. They actually do increase the conference footprint. We have expanded to 6 new markets (I guess 5 if you count Orlando and Tampa together), and have acquired a number of up-and-coming programs (UCF, USF, Cincinnati) as well as some with a history of success (BYU, TCU, AF).
Next up is how to organize our new super-conference . I propose an East West split with certain rivalries preserved. There are two options...here is option 1:
Big 12 West:
Air Force
BYU
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas
Texas Tech
Kansas
Kansas State
Big 12 East:
UCF
USF
Baylor
TCU
Iowa State
Missouri
Louisville
Cincinnati
Alternatively, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State could be shifted to the East to make them more competitively balanced. In addition, if Missouri decides they still want out and the SEC takes them, you can substitute West Virginia. No one gets left out in the cold. Well except Boise State...
This would however spell the ultimate demise of the Big East. Let's look at the damages left for our basketball only compadres:
Big East Basketball Conference:
DePaul (Chicago)
Georgetown (Washington DC)
Maquette (Milwaukee)
Notre Dame (The Notre Dame National TV Market)
Providence (New England/Rhode Island)
St. Johns (New York City)
Seton Hall (New Jersey)
Villanova (Philadelphia)
If this is not satisfactory, Army and Navy could also join this conference as basketball only members and maintain Independence in football. Other schools potentially available include UMass, Charlotte and Temple. By adding these any of these schools, the quality and strength of the conference will improve.
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