(07-09-2015 01:04 PM)brista21 Wrote: So assuming there are some legs to this Oklahoma to the Big Ten rumor. What's everyone's take?
I think there's a possibility of OU to the BIG, but my own theory is that more is going on behind the scene. The timing of Boren's comments about expansion are curious because he knows there are no worthy candidates for expansion. He could have made that point privately with Big 12 reps but chose to go public. Public comments stir up controversy and debate, sometimes forcing issues to be resolved.
I think the timing is related to the upcoming BIG media deal negotiations. OU is rumored to have an SEC invitation in hand. If Delany thinks the ACC is solid and expansion there is not likely, then his next candidates would be in the Big 12 and Oklahoma would be one of them. The BIG added Rutgers and MD in part to make sure Penn State had some eastern friends, and I could see Delany pushing the Presidents to give OU an invitation to assure that Nebraska is taken care of too.
I think Delany's real target is Texas and he has made overtures to Texas, OU and KU hoping to get at least 2 of the 3. If OU has an SEC offer in one hand and a sort of promise of a BIG offer in the other, going very public with his complaints about the Big 12 could be Boren's way of forcing Texas' hand. I think he could be telling Texas it's time to make a move, whether it's to the SEC, BIG, PAC or ACC, but now is the time, not 10 years from now.
OU wants to stay in the same conference as Texas for rivalry and recruiting purposes, if they can. My hope is that all three go BIG, but for now I suspect Texas is driving the decision with Boren saying if you don't decide, OU will leave you behind.