After listening to the last two podcasts and see multiple articles on Big XII expansion, I've been thinking a lot about it. @FITZ & @BrettGPC Had mentioned it a few times about how the Big XII could be in trouble if they don't expand back to 12 or go even further to 14 or 16 teams. In my opinion, the conference needs to go to 14 or 16 to stay ahead of the game instead of behind like they have been. I'm not here to say how that's going to happen, I just believe it needs to.
The questions I pose to you, the GPC community, are should the Big XII expand, how many teams should they expand to, and what teams are those?
I believe the conference needs to go to 16 teams. I see that being the future of the power conferences, so lets be one of the first to get there (yeah right). I believe we do this with the teams below. We saw what Big XII money can do to teams like TCU and WVU. I think that's how our expansion would be successful. By adding teams that will become more rounded sports programs once we add power conference money into them. I also believe that is how we actually end up having the presidents (UT & OU) agree upon the expansion and teams, as well as have continued success as a conference. We'd need to have a couple "bottom feeders" in these additions, by K-State fans' ungodly expectations, to make the blue bloods happy. The teams I would like to add are...
School / Conference / # of Students / 15 football record & conf rank / 15 bball record & conf rank / Reason
I would love to solidify a couple more southern teams and push a little into SEC territory with these two...
Houston U / AAC / 42,000 students / 13-1 football tied#1 / 15-6 bball #6 / The amount students at the school, being in the largest city in the US, and in our conference area already. What's not to like about H-Town U? Not to mention they just pulled the #29 recruiting class for football (current verbals). This would be one of my favorite addition because I see them blowing us as TCU has.
Memphis U / AAC / 20,000 students / 9-4 football #5 / 13-8 bball #7 / Pushing into SEC territory a bit and already an up and coming program. Football has been showing signs of stability and progression over a few years. Basketball could be good once again with a high athletic department budget. I think basketball wise, and football in the future, this would be a good addition.
As Fitz put it best, we need to build a bridge East toward WVU and going East means better/more basketball recruiting as well...
Cincinnati / AAC / 43,000 students / 7-6 football tied#6 / 16-6 bball #2 / An all around good sports program even though football was down a bit on 2015 (48-14 over previous 4 years). Basketball is very steady as well (on pace for 7+ season of 20 wins or more). Cinci would be my second choice behind Houston and they're more 1A & 1B.
UCONN / AAC / 31,000 students / 6-7 football tied#6 / 14-6 bball #5 / As we currently see, UCONN would be a great addition to this conference for basketball and only make it that much more of a brutal conference slate. Football may be a bit of a bottom feeder, but they will improve and what conference doesn't have those.
And now for the harder sells/hards gets...
Nebraska / BIG 10 / 25,000 students / 6-7 football #6 / 12-10 bball #9 / I know, my first thought was the same as yours. But, Nebraska is a Big XII team and their fans feel that way as well. I don't know if we could lure them back in as this would basically be them saying they made a mistake in the first place by going to the Big 10. This one's the hardest sell, but still a good fit.
Iowa / BIG 10 / 32,000 students / 12-2 football #1 / 16-4 ball #2 / I feel like they're a natural fit for this conference. In-state rival is already here and they are becoming a more consistent player a top the sports worlds. I don't know if we could draw them away from the BIG 10 right now though.
These are two others I wouldn't mind but are towards the bottom of my list...
Louisiana Tech \ C-USA \ 12,000 students \ 9-4 football tied#3 \ 16-5 bball #4 \ 35-28 over past 5 years with two losing seasons. Not the greatest, but I have a gut feeling on them for the future. Basketball is pretty steady eddie with a 65% winning percentage over the past 5 seasons (77% over pas 3 years) with three post season appearances; two NIT quarterfinals and one NIT second round.
Southern Miss \ C-USA \ 12,000 students \ 9-5 football #2 \ 7-12 bball #7 \ Previous 3 years was a combined 4-32. 3 years before that they were 27-13. I don't understand this football team, but I do think they would become more consistent under the Big XII. Basketball they've had a 67% winning percentage over past 5 seasons and made it to post season play 3 of those five with two NIT quarter finals and one NCAA appearance.
What do you think GPC? Other than the length of this post. What do you want this conference to do and what teams would you want/not want them to do it with?
The questions I pose to you, the GPC community, are should the Big XII expand, how many teams should they expand to, and what teams are those?
I believe the conference needs to go to 16 teams. I see that being the future of the power conferences, so lets be one of the first to get there (yeah right). I believe we do this with the teams below. We saw what Big XII money can do to teams like TCU and WVU. I think that's how our expansion would be successful. By adding teams that will become more rounded sports programs once we add power conference money into them. I also believe that is how we actually end up having the presidents (UT & OU) agree upon the expansion and teams, as well as have continued success as a conference. We'd need to have a couple "bottom feeders" in these additions, by K-State fans' ungodly expectations, to make the blue bloods happy. The teams I would like to add are...
School / Conference / # of Students / 15 football record & conf rank / 15 bball record & conf rank / Reason
I would love to solidify a couple more southern teams and push a little into SEC territory with these two...
Houston U / AAC / 42,000 students / 13-1 football tied#1 / 15-6 bball #6 / The amount students at the school, being in the largest city in the US, and in our conference area already. What's not to like about H-Town U? Not to mention they just pulled the #29 recruiting class for football (current verbals). This would be one of my favorite addition because I see them blowing us as TCU has.
Memphis U / AAC / 20,000 students / 9-4 football #5 / 13-8 bball #7 / Pushing into SEC territory a bit and already an up and coming program. Football has been showing signs of stability and progression over a few years. Basketball could be good once again with a high athletic department budget. I think basketball wise, and football in the future, this would be a good addition.
As Fitz put it best, we need to build a bridge East toward WVU and going East means better/more basketball recruiting as well...
Cincinnati / AAC / 43,000 students / 7-6 football tied#6 / 16-6 bball #2 / An all around good sports program even though football was down a bit on 2015 (48-14 over previous 4 years). Basketball is very steady as well (on pace for 7+ season of 20 wins or more). Cinci would be my second choice behind Houston and they're more 1A & 1B.
UCONN / AAC / 31,000 students / 6-7 football tied#6 / 14-6 bball #5 / As we currently see, UCONN would be a great addition to this conference for basketball and only make it that much more of a brutal conference slate. Football may be a bit of a bottom feeder, but they will improve and what conference doesn't have those.
And now for the harder sells/hards gets...
Nebraska / BIG 10 / 25,000 students / 6-7 football #6 / 12-10 bball #9 / I know, my first thought was the same as yours. But, Nebraska is a Big XII team and their fans feel that way as well. I don't know if we could lure them back in as this would basically be them saying they made a mistake in the first place by going to the Big 10. This one's the hardest sell, but still a good fit.
Iowa / BIG 10 / 32,000 students / 12-2 football #1 / 16-4 ball #2 / I feel like they're a natural fit for this conference. In-state rival is already here and they are becoming a more consistent player a top the sports worlds. I don't know if we could draw them away from the BIG 10 right now though.
These are two others I wouldn't mind but are towards the bottom of my list...
Louisiana Tech \ C-USA \ 12,000 students \ 9-4 football tied#3 \ 16-5 bball #4 \ 35-28 over past 5 years with two losing seasons. Not the greatest, but I have a gut feeling on them for the future. Basketball is pretty steady eddie with a 65% winning percentage over the past 5 seasons (77% over pas 3 years) with three post season appearances; two NIT quarterfinals and one NIT second round.
Southern Miss \ C-USA \ 12,000 students \ 9-5 football #2 \ 7-12 bball #7 \ Previous 3 years was a combined 4-32. 3 years before that they were 27-13. I don't understand this football team, but I do think they would become more consistent under the Big XII. Basketball they've had a 67% winning percentage over past 5 seasons and made it to post season play 3 of those five with two NIT quarter finals and one NCAA appearance.
What do you think GPC? Other than the length of this post. What do you want this conference to do and what teams would you want/not want them to do it with?
