How about creating one single mega thread for all Big 12 expansion news and info, rather than creating 50,000 separate threads covering the same topics over and over.

Great idea. This place now reminds me of the old Big East forum when everybody was jockeying for position to leave. It basically turned into a realignment forum. In fact the current Conference Realignment forum was born from all those threads.

Joey Knight of Tampa Bay Times thinks USF is a legit candidate.

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/b...ot/2286018

While a handful of schools (Houston, Cincinnati, Memphis) have made no secret of their desire to join the Big 12, others such as USF have taken a more covert approach with their lobbying efforts. Bulls administrators are believed to be diligently working their Big 12 contacts behind the scenes.

"We have been contacted by a number of institutions," Bowlsby said, "and my guess is after this news breaks we'll be contacted by them again."

Based on the criteria stated Tuesday by Boren, USF's odds appear viable.

USF currently resides in the nation's 11th-largest media market, according to Nielsen. Academically, it recently earned a major accolade — not to mention $5 million from the state — when it was awarded "emerging preeminence" status by the Florida Board of Governors Strategic Planning Committee.

It also ranks 25th nationally among public universities — 41st when counting private universities — in research dollars, according to the National Science Foundation.

Why isn't Temple getting much talk about the Big 12?

Seems if your gonna mention UCONN you'd mention Temple.

If the Big 12 adds Memphis, Cincy, Temple and UCONN you get a pretty impressive arch across the eastern part of the country, into some heavily populated areas.

(07-20-2016 09:03 AM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  Joey Knight of Tampa Bay Times thinks USF is a legit candidate.

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/b...ot/2286018

While a handful of schools (Houston, Cincinnati, Memphis) have made no secret of their desire to join the Big 12, others such as USF have taken a more covert approach with their lobbying efforts. Bulls administrators are believed to be diligently working their Big 12 contacts behind the scenes.

"We have been contacted by a number of institutions," Bowlsby said, "and my guess is after this news breaks we'll be contacted by them again."

Based on the criteria stated Tuesday by Boren, USF's odds appear viable.

USF currently resides in the nation's 11th-largest media market, according to Nielsen. Academically, it recently earned a major accolade — not to mention $5 million from the state — when it was awarded "emerging preeminence" status by the Florida Board of Governors Strategic Planning Committee.

It also ranks 25th nationally among public universities — 41st when counting private universities — in research dollars, according to the National Science Foundation.

Crazy. Next thing we know, an Orlando writer will think UCF is a great add.

Orlando Sentinel article touting UCF and USF

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/co...t12aH-1gp2

The Big 12 appears to be moving closer to conference expansion, which could be good news for UCF and USF.
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UCF and USF are two schools rumored to be considered as possible expansion candidates along with Boise State, BYU, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston and Memphis. The two Florida schools provide the combination of being located in a recruiting hotbed and are located in top 20 television markets.

The schools already have touted the value they can add to the Big 12 and will surely be doing their best to make strong presentations to Bowlsby. The potential jump in revenue from a non-Power 5 conference to a Big 12 affiliation would be huge for any teams invited to join the league.

(07-20-2016 09:07 AM)isidnirb Wrote:  

(07-20-2016 09:03 AM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  Joey Knight of Tampa Bay Times thinks USF is a legit candidate.

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/b...ot/2286018

While a handful of schools (Houston, Cincinnati, Memphis) have made no secret of their desire to join the Big 12, others such as USF have taken a more covert approach with their lobbying efforts. Bulls administrators are believed to be diligently working their Big 12 contacts behind the scenes.

"We have been contacted by a number of institutions," Bowlsby said, "and my guess is after this news breaks we'll be contacted by them again."

Based on the criteria stated Tuesday by Boren, USF's odds appear viable.

USF currently resides in the nation's 11th-largest media market, according to Nielsen. Academically, it recently earned a major accolade — not to mention $5 million from the state — when it was awarded "emerging preeminence" status by the Florida Board of Governors Strategic Planning Committee.

It also ranks 25th nationally among public universities — 41st when counting private universities — in research dollars, according to the National Science Foundation.

Crazy. Next thing we know, an Orlando writer will think UCF is a great add.

Knight is not a fan/homer. He just reports info from a USF perspective. He's actually put out negative info and balanced info in the past.

http://newsok.com/article/5510288

And a number of schools. BYU, Cincinnati, UConn, Central Florida and Houston are the favorites, but the Big 12's announcement at least gives Boise State, Memphis, South Florida, Tulane and Colorado State a smidge of hope.

(07-20-2016 09:03 AM)8BitPirate Wrote:  Why isn't Temple getting much talk about the Big 12?

Seems if your gonna mention UCONN you'd mention Temple.

If the Big 12 adds Memphis, Cincy, Temple and UCONN you get a pretty impressive arch across the eastern part of the country, into some heavily populated areas.

I think part of the problem is Philly being a pro sports town at this time of the year the Philly media spends their time covering:

1. The Phillies
1a. The Eagles off season
2. The Democratic National Convention
3. The Sixers feeble attempts to right the ship
4. The Flyers
.
.
.
27. Temple being a Big12 expansion candidate

College sports are pretty far down the list. Now that doesn’t mean that Temple isn't working behind the scenes as hard as anyone trying to gain an invitation, it just may be the reason you don’t hear much about it.

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/190...ealignment

Multiple Big 12 sources indicated that Cincinnati and Connecticut top the Big 12's "fluid," so-called "wish list," but Oklahoma president David Boren noted that the Big 12 is still open to expanding by two or four teams. News could come quick, too. Bowlsby told ESPN that the league could conceivably vote on specific expansion candidates as soon as September.

(07-20-2016 09:14 AM)HartfordHusky Wrote:  http://newsok.com/article/5510288

And a number of schools. BYU, Cincinnati, UConn, Central Florida and Houston are the favorites, but the Big 12's announcement at least gives Boise State, Memphis, South Florida, Tulane and Colorado State a smidge of hope.

I don't see any logic in taking one FL school and not the other. Why get the #11 or #19 market when you can get the combined #4 market and two of the largest universities in the country.

I also notice that Tulane has been getting some mention lately.

Side note, USF will have an outstanding year, IMO, the deeper this decision goes into the season, the better for USF.

http://collegefootballnews.com/2016/big-...on-schools


Big 12 Expansion: The Four Schools Should Be ...

By Pete Fiutak 1 hour ago

Step Two: Immediately grab UCF and South Florida

These are the two sleeping giants out there among the Group of Five programs. They have massive enrollments, big TV markets, are in the thick of a tremendous recruiting base, and they add some pizzazz to the mix.

UCF has almost 61,000 students, while USF has around 49,000. Tampa-St. Pete is the 11th-biggest TV market, and Orlando is 19th. These are the numbers that matter.

Florida, Florida State and Miami might own the Sunshine State, but thinking several years from now, getting UCF and USF starts to build a rivalry and creates a whole new area for the conference. This would be the sexy move, and for some reason, the ACC hasn’t jumped all over it yet.

Step Three: Eh, screw it. C’mon aboard, Houston.

In terms of the Houston TV market, the school isn’t a necessary get with Texas up the road and in a state with Texas Tech, Baylor and TCU, too. But if I’m expanding to 14 teams – and I am – I’ll truly own Texas by inviting Houston.

With almost 43,000 students, it’s a massive school that’s twice as big as Memphis and has a far bigger football footprint.

The natural rivalries are obvious, but now I have to get a little bit funkier.

Step Four: Cincinnati, your table is ready.

I despise the “checks all the boxes” cliché, but Cincinnati does just that.

Close to 44,000 students – almost double of Louisville – the 34th-ranked TV market, and it’s just three hours away from Charleston, WV to create a friend for West Virginia, who’s on a sort of Big 12 island. Again, think of what’s possible a decade from now.

Step Five: Sit back and marvel at my Big 14 empire

Oh yeah, and I’m changing the name. If the Big 8 could go to the Big 12, and the Pac-10 could go to the Pac-12, then I’m doing this right.

Here’s what I’ve done by bringing on Cincinnati, Houston, South Florida and UCF.

1. I’ve created one hell of a Big 14 South: Baylor, Houston, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF and USF.

2. The Big 14 North makes perfect sense: Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and West Virginia.

3. You want rivalry games, TV people? UCF vs. USF. Cincinnati vs. West Virginia. Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State. Kansas vs. Kansas State. All the Texas teams in one division. Over time, these showdowns will grow in status.

4. You want fans? I don’t care about the commuter aspect – lots of students means lots of alumni meaning lots of potential interest. The four schools I’m bringing in adds close to 200,000 students into the equation and an alumni base of millions. You want to go big? Here you go.

5. I’ve done just about as well as I can do with the TV markets getting a piece of Houston, Orlando, Tampa and Cincinnati.

6. I’ve expanded into the top recruiting areas. There will always be competition, but now the Big 14 has a base in the heart of Florida, parts of Ohio, and gets stronger in the Houston area. Boom.

No need to hire some rep firm or search committee, Commissioner Bowlsby. I just did your job for you. Make it happen for 2017.

http://www.si.com/college-football/2016/...ob-bowlsby

The leaders in the clubhouse for Big 12 expansion remain BYU, Cincinnati and Connecticut. The next tier includes South Florida, Central Florida, Memphis, Colorado State, Houston, Boise State and Tulane. If the league does add four schools, there’s really no standout candidate for that fourth slot. (Houston has the best program and television market of available schools, but there’s still some hesitancy within the state of Texas to allow the Cougars to use the Big 12 to potentially leap over current members). Schools like Temple, San Diego State and Northern Illinois don’t really have a chance, but will give it a shot anyway. “They’re going to open it up like an auction,” one Big 12 source said. “They don’t want it to be like they’re out there soliciting schools.”

http://www.foxsports.com/college-footbal...ind-071916

First on the list is Cincinnati, which has done nothing to hide its courtship. The Bearcats have strong revenue programs and would make a logical geographic partner to current outlier West Virginia.

Connecticut will get more serious consideration than some imagine both because of its proximity to the New York media market and the presence of its powerhouse men’s and women’s basketball program.

Houston may seem obvious to some, given its Southwest Conference roots and current football renaissance under coach Tom Herman, but Texas and likely TCU are believed to strongly object. As we’ve seen, though, things change.

UCF is a potential wild card. Tapping into Florida recruiting footholds and TV sets is tempting, but to this point there hasn’t been much buzz about the Knights.

And then there’s BYU, with its massive fan base, proud history and Power 5-caliber facilities. Many Cougars fans believe they should have been invited five years ago. But BYU, with its religious mission, is a much different institution than the others, one that brings with it scheduling difficulties (no games on Sunday).

Not seeing your school listed in any reports hurts.......

(07-20-2016 09:31 AM)HartfordHusky Wrote:  http://www.si.com/college-football/2016/...ob-bowlsby

The leaders in the clubhouse for Big 12 expansion remain BYU, Cincinnati and Connecticut. The next tier includes South Florida, Central Florida, Memphis, Colorado State, Houston, Boise State and Tulane. If the league does add four schools, there’s really no standout candidate for that fourth slot. (Houston has the best program and television market of available schools, but there’s still some hesitancy within the state of Texas to allow the Cougars to use the Big 12 to potentially leap over current members). Schools like Temple, San Diego State and Northern Illinois don’t really have a chance, but will give it a shot anyway. “They’re going to open it up like an auction,” one Big 12 source said. “They don’t want it to be like they’re out there soliciting schools.”

I posted this in another thread, I don't think the B12 goes BOTH east AND west in expansion. All the TV money and eyeballs are east. Yes, I know Salt Lake is an ok mid size market.

IMO, it HAS to be something along the lines of UC, UConn, USF, and UCF. You could also exchange USF and UCF for Houston and Memphis (which I hope doesn't happen). Either way, you are getting mega markets for the eventual B12 network.

BTW, I know it's every man (and school) for himself, but IMO the old BE schools need to stick together - UC, UConn, USF - as well as a program like UCF.

(07-20-2016 09:36 AM)8BitPirate Wrote:  Not seeing your school listed in any reports hurts.......

Here you go.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/76568...tml?pg=all

Boren said the Big 12 intends to explore the possibility of expanding by two to four teams and that the league will recontact schools to gauge their level of interest. Among the schools widely considered top candidates for Big 12 expansion are BYU, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, South Florida, Central Florida, Memphis, Boise State, East Carolina and Colorado State.

http://www.gazettenet.com/UMass-will-eag...on-3542171

Openings in the American would be the most enticing for UMass because of location and potential rivalries. Cincinnati, UCF, USF, Memphis, UConn, Houston and to a lesser degree SMU and East Carolina, have all been rumored as potential Big 12 targets.

Wow, what a difference 1 bad season makes. Last year around this time, ECU was at least being mentioned in these articles.

Let me start by saying that I do not expect the Big 12 to invite East Carolina to the conference if/when they do expand. But I honestly don’t understand why. Our fellow AAC schools have a LOT to offer, and by touting ECU’s positives, I’m in no way discounting what Cincy, UCONN, Houston, Temple, Memphis, SMU, Tulane, UCF, USF, Navy, or Tulsa have to offer – which is a lot!

ECU is ranked #2 in the G5 for football attendance, behind BYU.

Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium is the 2nd largest stadium (on campus) in the G5, behind BYU with major renovations to upgrade the pressbox, add suites, luxury seating, etc..

ECU is located in North Carolina, an extremely fertile recruiting ground for the SEC & ACC. The top recruits in the Carolinas routinely get poached by SEC schools, even though the states are saturated by ACC schools.

ECU has the best football culture in the state of NC, despite sharing the state with FBS programs UNC, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, Charlotte, and Appalachian State.

ECU is located closer to the Tidewater VA region than most schools in Virginia, and this area is a hotbed of SEC-caliber talent.

ECU has a top-notch baseball program with tremendous support and a dynamic young coach, which the Big 12 desperately needs.

ECU’s fanbase is DYING for a good basketball program, and with the Big 12 financial support, we could hire the right coach and invest more than we already have in the basketball program. The new basketball facility is top-notch, and is a good start!

ECU has just under 30,000 students and a LARGE alumni base spanning all 50 states. (Most people don’t realize that.)

ECU has thrived on doing more with less since its inception. I can only imagine how great we could be with the financial backing of a P5 budget.

That said, I know this is driven by markets… which is sad. Because you see what happened to C-USA when they decided to invite teams based solely on market. I would like to think that the Big 12 understands potential & tradition as much as they understand population density… because you’ve got a program in Greenville, NC that could eventually have the success of a Baylor (recent events excluded), TCU, etc and would immediately come in and beat teams like WVU, Texas Tech, ISU, Kansas, etc. ECU is plug and play, and the potential is tremendous.

(07-20-2016 09:27 AM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  http://collegefootballnews.com/2016/big-...on-schools


Big 12 Expansion: The Four Schools Should Be ...

By Pete Fiutak 1 hour ago

Step Two: Immediately grab UCF and South Florida

These are the two sleeping giants out there among the Group of Five programs. They have massive enrollments, big TV markets, are in the thick of a tremendous recruiting base, and they add some pizzazz to the mix.

UCF has almost 61,000 students, while USF has around 49,000. Tampa-St. Pete is the 11th-biggest TV market, and Orlando is 19th. These are the numbers that matter.

Florida, Florida State and Miami might own the Sunshine State, but thinking several years from now, getting UCF and USF starts to build a rivalry and creates a whole new area for the conference. This would be the sexy move, and for some reason, the ACC hasn’t jumped all over it yet.

Step Three: Eh, screw it. C’mon aboard, Houston.

In terms of the Houston TV market, the school isn’t a necessary get with Texas up the road and in a state with Texas Tech, Baylor and TCU, too. But if I’m expanding to 14 teams – and I am – I’ll truly own Texas by inviting Houston.

With almost 43,000 students, it’s a massive school that’s twice as big as Memphis and has a far bigger football footprint.

The natural rivalries are obvious, but now I have to get a little bit funkier.

Step Four: Cincinnati, your table is ready.

I despise the “checks all the boxes” cliché, but Cincinnati does just that.

Close to 44,000 students – almost double of Louisville – the 34th-ranked TV market, and it’s just three hours away from Charleston, WV to create a friend for West Virginia, who’s on a sort of Big 12 island. Again, think of what’s possible a decade from now.

Step Five: Sit back and marvel at my Big 14 empire

Oh yeah, and I’m changing the name. If the Big 8 could go to the Big 12, and the Pac-10 could go to the Pac-12, then I’m doing this right.

Here’s what I’ve done by bringing on Cincinnati, Houston, South Florida and UCF.

1. I’ve created one hell of a Big 14 South: Baylor, Houston, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF and USF.

2. The Big 14 North makes perfect sense: Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and West Virginia.

3. You want rivalry games, TV people? UCF vs. USF. Cincinnati vs. West Virginia. Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State. Kansas vs. Kansas State. All the Texas teams in one division. Over time, these showdowns will grow in status.

4. You want fans? I don’t care about the commuter aspect – lots of students means lots of alumni meaning lots of potential interest. The four schools I’m bringing in adds close to 200,000 students into the equation and an alumni base of millions. You want to go big? Here you go.

5. I’ve done just about as well as I can do with the TV markets getting a piece of Houston, Orlando, Tampa and Cincinnati.

6. I’ve expanded into the top recruiting areas. There will always be competition, but now the Big 14 has a base in the heart of Florida, parts of Ohio, and gets stronger in the Houston area. Boom.

No need to hire some rep firm or search committee, Commissioner Bowlsby. I just did your job for you. Make it happen for 2017.

If I tweak a post I just made in the "Woe is Me ECU" thread and assume the 4 teams we lose (although we could possibly lose 1, 2, 3 or even 0) are the ones listed above, the American Remnants aren't so bad when you consider academic reputation and the major sports:

Connecticut - #57 USNWR Rankings, 2015 Bowl Team, 2016 NCAA Tourney Team, NCAA Women's Champ, AAC Baseball Tourney Champ

East Carolina - #194 USNWR Rankings, 2014 Bowl Team, #1 3-year FB Attendance Average among G5 Schools, 2016 NCAA Baseball Tourney team

Memphis - 2014 #25 FB team (both polls), #3 3-year FB Attendance Average among G5 Schools, 2014 NCAA Tourney Team, #1 3-year BB Attendance Average among G5 schools

Navy - 2015 #18 FB team (both polls), 2015 Bowl team

SMU - #61 USNWR Rankings, 2012 Bowl team, 2014 NCAA Tourney Team, would have been 2015 too if they were treated like UNC-Chapel Hill

Temple - #115 USNWR Rankings, 2015 Bowl Team, #10 3-year FB Attendance Average among G5 Schools, 2016 NCAA Tourney Team

Tulane - #41 USNWR Rankings, 2013 Bowl Team, 2016 NCAA Baseball Tourney Team

Tulsa - #86 USNWR Rankings, 2015 Bowl Team, 2016 NCAA Tourney Team

Those 8 should have no problem finding 2 more to get back to 10, which is all we really need with championship game deregulation and the max on the shared part of the CFP money being capped at 10 schools.

A week ago these same motards were saying expansion was dead.

Click bait fools