RE: OU & KU in B1G
Many of the SEC fans see Texas going to the SEC, not unlike many Big Ten fans see Texas going to the Big Ten. The problem I see with Texas, Texas Tech (or TCU, Baylor, or whomever Texas wants), Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State to the SEC is that Texas would have a minimal shot at a conference championship, much less a national championship. They'd be following little brother A&M which I imagine would be terrible for the perception of the school so they'd REALLY have to market it differently.
The Big Ten can't give Texas all the friends they want, it would be wise to market the move to the Big Ten as emphasizing Texas as a national brand to differentiate from the regional Texas A&M (southern) and the other schools in lesser conferences (non-SEC). Market the move as bringing the Texas brand to the mid-west and northeast and bringing the mid-west and northeast to Texas. New rivalries will form over time and old ones can be played as non-conference games. Add some conference championships to the state of Texas and allow them to keep the LHN through the end of the current contract with no renewal. I don't think the LHN is as big of a deal as others and it certainly isn't a deal-killer the way an Oklahoma State, Texas Tech/Baylor/TCU? would be as a partner. Rice is a decent alternative and adds a non-threat for the conference championship. I know they are pretty much a non-threat in most sports with a small alumni base and that may be enough to kill their chances but you won't get much better than them in academics and they would significantly improve the Big Ten's baseball which needs help and can anchor the spring sports with lacrosse.
My gut says that it is 60% chance that no moving occurs when the time comes in the mid 2020's. The rest is some combination of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas moving to either the SEC or Big Ten. I think it is slightly favorable to the Big Ten but you never know. People want to dismiss academics in conference realignment but the schools moving who weren't desperation adds have been at least decent to good academics: Texas A&M, Missouri, Rutgers, Maryland, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse are either AAU, were AAU, or are borderline. Louisville was a back-fill, as was West Virginia and TCU. We'll see what happens.
|