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Just pondering this morning...

...will "the alliance" try to freeze the Big 12 out by not scheduling non-conference football games against its members, in an effort to distance the B10/ACC/Pac 12 from a P5 conference outside its pact?

...alternately, will the SEC embrace scheduling opportunities with the Big 12, informally suggesting a partnership to obtain P5 scheduling opportunities in what, in TX, OK, and FL, will be a shared footprint of these two conferences?

...or, is "the alliance" much ado about nothing--simply a symbolic response to the most powerful P5 conference, the SEC, grabbing even more power?

Thoughts?

(09-13-2021 07:12 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  Just pondering this morning...

...will "the alliance" try to freeze the Big 12 out by not scheduling non-conference football games against its members, in an effort to distance the B10/ACC/Pac 12 from a P5 conference outside its pact?

...alternately, will the SEC embrace scheduling opportunities with the Big 12, informally suggesting a partnership to obtain P5 scheduling opportunities in what, in TX, OK, and FL, will be a shared footprint of these two conferences?

...or, is "the alliance" much ado about nothing--simply a symbolic response to the most powerful P5 conference, the SEC, grabbing even more power?

Thoughts?

It all depends on who the Big 12 gets as a media partner. If we go with Fox we will end up in the alliance, and if we go with ESPN we will probably tag along with the SEC for no real benefit.

It is nothing. It only matters for the top teams of those conferences (to help get more OSU vs Oregon type games).

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The schools in the Alliance have already indicated they will honor all existing contracts. Most of the ACC has long term OOC series with an SEC school (ie UK/UL, Georgia/Georgia Tech, South Carolina/Clemson, etc. ). In fact I doubt any of those go away.

As far as UC is concerned, we have OOC games lined up for the next several years that include Pitt H/H, BC H/H, NC State H/H and Nebraska at our place (I have doubts about that one). As IIRC, at the last Coffee Talk with John Cunningham, he indicates they have hired a consultant to work on future scheduling (this was announced before our move).

The big key is going to be whether the BXII remains at only 3 OOC games per year or go to 4. If we are 3 we are probably pretty much full through 2026.

I’ve been away from posting for awhile but have been dropping in to view every once in awhile..

First, I hope they go to four OOC games. If they stay at 9 you’re adding a combined 12 losses to your schools’ schedule (and 12 wins, but I believe losses matter more than wins.. a loss will drop you out of the playoffs more than a win will move you in.)

Second, we are gaining the Big 12/SEC Challenge in basketball assuming that stays which should be bonus points to our OOC basketball schedule.

Third, I’d like to think it’ll be easier to schedule home and homes with other P5 schools now that we’re in the club. Hopefully we get more regional P5 OOC matchups since we’ll still be moving to a conference with larger distances between schools. Would love to have Michigan State, Indiana, UK, Louisville, Pitt, Northwestern, Tennessee, Missouri, on the schedule but I could see us still getting “little brother” treatment for awhile.

I believe part of the Alliance goal is to squeeze the SEC in scheduling and make it tougher for them to get OOC games. If that’s truly the goal, the Alliance should be adding the Big12 to their club (which I believe I read that they would) and make scheduling easier for us).

Just sign us up to pound UK every year.