Expansion continues to be the number one topic in college sports. Numerous teams have already changed conferences and many more are scheduled to move in the near future. It does not yet appear that the great conference realignment is over. West Virginia may not be the last team to join the Big 12.

"There has been a lot of discussion about expansion," Luck stated. "I won't divulge the contents of those talks. But, I do think there is a high level of discussion amongst the various schools. There is discussion and we will see how it all plays out. I think there is a high level of interest in the part of the conference to look around and see what the other conferences are doing. It is easy to count the schools in the Pac-12 and the Big Ten, which is 12, and the SEC and ACC with 14. That is something that is front and center in the minds of Big 12 folks."


http://www.wvillustrated.com/story/17294...transition




http://twitter.com/#!/gswaim

"Top six major programs most likely to make a move by this summer... #BYU, #CardNation, #FSU, #Clemson, #Rutgers, #UConn."


"@kotisamani: @GSwaim Any specific order out of those six?" // that is in order.

Look for any move to be made after the Big XII chooses a new commissioner...

(03-31-2012 09:28 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  Look for any move to be made after the Big XII chooses a new commissioner...

care to go on record with a prediction?

OK. When the Big XII has a new commissioner, they'll decide who wants to join and invite 'em...

(03-31-2012 09:44 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  OK. When the Big XII has a new commissioner, they'll decide who wants to join and invite 'em...

Now that's going out on a limb.

I'll go out on a limb. My prediction is no one is invited this school year. I could certainly see expansion and don't think it's unlikely, but this is more a presidents decision than commissioners and my guess is that if we were going to see an invite go out, it most likely would have already gone out. I'm guessing they reevaluate after the next football season.

To me, Louisville to Big 12 is inevitable, there are just too many reasons to add the Cards.

Now beyond slam dunk UL, I have no idea who and how many they would go for.

(03-31-2012 09:11 AM)EerMeNow Wrote:  Expansion continues to be the number one topic in college sports. Numerous teams have already changed conferences and many more are scheduled to move in the near future. It does not yet appear that the great conference realignment is over. West Virginia may not be the last team to join the Big 12.

"There has been a lot of discussion about expansion," Luck stated. "I won't divulge the contents of those talks. But, I do think there is a high level of discussion amongst the various schools. There is discussion and we will see how it all plays out. I think there is a high level of interest in the part of the conference to look around and see what the other conferences are doing. It is easy to count the schools in the Pac-12 and the Big Ten, which is 12, and the SEC and ACC with 14. That is something that is front and center in the minds of Big 12 folks."


http://www.wvillustrated.com/story/17294...transition




http://twitter.com/#!/gswaim

"Top six major programs most likely to make a move by this summer... #BYU, #CardNation, #FSU, #Clemson, #Rutgers, #UConn."


"@kotisamani: @GSwaim Any specific order out of those six?" // that is in order.

I am not saying he is right but with that "order" he must be predicting FSU and Clemson to the SEC because if he was predicting them to the Big 12 there is no way BYU and UL move first.

I've heard rumors that BYU and Louisville, with those two being "in the bag" certain to move when asked that bringing them on board to get back to 12 w/a conference championship game would help lure FSU and Clemson. It adds extra value (with the CCG) and stability, both of which would help lure the bigger "gets" (and even I can admit Clemson and FSU are bigger gets than Louisville) to the BigXII.

Frankly, I'm not in the least surprised that the BigXII is looking to expand again. Ignoring everything Louisville fans have heard from insiders and JUST looking at the facts on the very surface of things...it makes good sense. There's no way the BigXII is going to want to keep WVU out on an island by themselves. BYU is a special case because they DO have a certain national appeal...but otherwise, Eastward expansion just makes good sense on the part of the BigXII. If they can lure Clemson and FSU (and I don't think it's out of the realm of possible), then they'd get two big markets right in the heart of SEC territory. Louisville would bridge the gap. Rutgers would get the foot in the New York door. Either way, I don't look for the BigXII to be content at 10 while everyone else is at 12+ including the NBE.

Where would UConn or Rutgers go to, the ACC, the Big 12, Big Ten? FSU and Clemson are not going to the SEC, maybe Big 12?
Louisville has rumored to the Big 12 for over year now but FSU and Clemson would ahead of them I am not sold on BYU joining either.

What happens to the Big East if Rutgers, UConn, and Louisville leave. Even without those schools basketball will fine with Cincy, Georgetown, Temple, Marquette, Nova, Notre Dame, Memphis, St. John's, and the rest of the bunch that rises up every now and then. Football would probably grap the best of the rest; however, a football only to Air Force and all sports invite to Southern Miss could work.

There's been talk of Rutgers to the BigXII, though I'm skeptical of that. The ACC seems like a reasonable choice for UConn and Rutgers, especially if they lose the two of Clemson and FSU.

I think there's some very good schools left out there honestly to do something with that just aren't being looked at by the big leagues. Boise, Houston...those schools are stout and would help make a solid backbone. While I think Cincy is a dark horse candidate for the BigXII, I wouldn't write them completely off just yet depending on what BYU decided to do.

I think BYU sees the writing on the wall and it will be UL and BYU to get the Big 12 back to 12. If BYU doesn't pull the trigger, Rutgers could be #12 (although I believe the Big 12 would be better served by taking Cincinnati myself).

FSU and Clemson remain in the ACC as long as the ACC TV contract nets an additional $4 to $5 million a year per school. If it only does $2 million a year, they will entertain offers.

Rutgers and UConn will go to the ACC if FSU and Clemson were to leave, otherwise they will have to sit and wait until the next round of expansion.

None of the above is earth-shattering in terms of predictions.

Cheers,
Neil

(03-31-2012 10:54 AM)3rdandBlunder Wrote:  I've heard rumors that BYU and Louisville, with those two being "in the bag" certain to move when asked that bringing them on board to get back to 12 w/a conference championship game would help lure FSU and Clemson. It adds extra value (with the CCG) and stability, both of which would help lure the bigger "gets" (and even I can admit Clemson and FSU are bigger gets than Louisville) to the BigXII.

Frankly, I'm not in the least surprised that the BigXII is looking to expand again. Ignoring everything Louisville fans have heard from insiders and JUST looking at the facts on the very surface of things...it makes good sense. There's no way the BigXII is going to want to keep WVU out on an island by themselves. BYU is a special case because they DO have a certain national appeal...but otherwise, Eastward expansion just makes good sense on the part of the BigXII. If they can lure Clemson and FSU (and I don't think it's out of the realm of possible), then they'd get two big markets right in the heart of SEC territory. Louisville would bridge the gap. Rutgers would get the foot in the New York door. Either way, I don't look for the BigXII to be content at 10 while everyone else is at 12+ including the NBE.

If the lure to pull FSU and Clemson is the Big 12 having a Championship game then why is BYU and Louisville necessary for that? FSU and Clemson then become #13 and #14. They could be #11 and #12 which would bring the Championship game back to the Big 12 without having to have two more hands in the pot. If FSU and Clemson are all about seeing the Big 12 be about expansion past 12 in order to keep up with the SEC then instead of UL and BYU right away I would think that FSU and Clemson would be more interested in seeing some of their southern friends in the ACC offered a position in the Big 12. Number #13 and #14 would be two programs probably brokered for in the negotiations of FSU and Clemson coming to the Big 12. Louisville might get in then after that because any #15 and #16 expansion would indeed be about not leaving WVU on an island.

To me BYU is a last resort kind of candidate and them paired with Louisville, I'm sorry, are not an enticement to FSU and Clemson in Any way whatsoever.

If the point you are trying to make is a luring of FSU and Clemson then BYU and Louisville moving before them is not going to happen.

I still think there's the discontent amongst a few ACC schools that lead me to believe a few may defect to the Big East back before the Pitt and Cuse movements were announced. I truly think there's discontent, more than anything, with the fact that the ACC continues to lowball their TV deals compared to everyone else. It just seems that they're leaving money on the table. Money talks, loudly at that, and especially in a day and age when states are having to adjust their budget 'cause of shortfalls. I think it will take the BigXII making moves to legitimately PROVE they're stable to lure the attention of ACC schools, hence my prediction of BYU & Louisville to get back to 12, get the CCG, and prove that bringing in schools will bring more money before Clemson and FSU got legit about jumping...but I think they can be lured. FSU didn't form their conference exploratory committee for giggles and Clemson seems legitimately interested in at least listening.

Right now, FSU and Clemson are comfortable where they're at. The BigXII is really going to have to prove themselves and their stability to attract them...but it's doable.

When was the last time Greg Swaim was right about expansion?

(03-31-2012 11:11 AM)3rdandBlunder Wrote:  There's been talk of Rutgers to the BigXII, though I'm skeptical of that. The ACC seems like a reasonable choice for UConn and Rutgers, especially if they lose the two of Clemson and FSU.

I think there's some very good schools left out there honestly to do something with that just aren't being looked at by the big leagues. Boise, Houston...those schools are stout and would help make a solid backbone. While I think Cincy is a dark horse candidate for the BigXII, I wouldn't write them completely off just yet depending on what BYU decided to do.

I would definitely agree that the Rutgers and UConn invites to the ACC go out soon after FSU and Clemson departures, if they were to happen.

Cincy's only chance to the Big 12 really lies in if for some reason Pitt decides to not leave the ACC after the Southern group leaves. Then perhaps Cincy becomes that third program up in the WVU area.

Should 18 become the lucky number as JR professes then perhaps Cincy works itself in but Cincy has some very serious issues in regards to expanding their facilities. That would be hard to overcome.

In being a fan of Louisville, and our long standing rivalry with Cincy...I'd love to keep that going where and whenever we move. That being said, you are absolutely correct in your assessment of their facilities being a hindrance. On top of that, they have issues when it comes to fan support. Ohio is dominated with OSU and the Cincy market is more interested in the Bengals than the Bearcats.

That being said, Cincy has a neat campus and some solid academics. They've put together some good years and are on an upswing. It's not as though they don't have anything to offer...there's just schools on the table that offer more.

(03-31-2012 11:34 AM)3rdandBlunder Wrote:  In being a fan of Louisville, and our long standing rivalry with Cincy...I'd love to keep that going where and whenever we move. That being said, you are absolutely correct in your assessment of their facilities being a hindrance. On top of that, they have issues when it comes to fan support. Ohio is dominated with OSU and the Cincy market is more interested in the Bengals than the Bearcats.

That being said, Cincy has a neat campus and some solid academics. They've put together some good years and are on an upswing. It's not as though they don't have anything to offer...there's just schools on the table that offer more.

If Cincy cannot expand their campus stadium and they are serious about trying to move up the chain, they need to experiment with having a game over at the Bengals stadium.

In a conference like the Big 12 I do not see Pitt playing at Heinz to be a bad thing. Recruits that want to make it to the professional level will like the idea of playing in a professional stadium once or twice while in college. That is why I like USF in an 18 team Big 12. Having two professional stadiums to play in with a league of that calibre isn't a bad way to give some value to those games against Pitt and USF considering who their competition would be.

I also think those large stadiums get filled much more so in the Big 12 than in the Big East as we have seen.

Well, the Bearcats HAVE played games at Paul Brown Stadium where the Bengals play. Last year they played us and West Virginia there. They've played Ohio State there once before. Unfortunately it apparently wasn't profitable as they announced this year that it wasn't likely they'd continue to do so this coming year. Now, if they were to land a schedule that included more big dogs then that might change....but I think the bigger issue is that the fans weren't showing up, even there, to support the Bearcats the way the Bearcats had hoped. They were relying more on our fans and the fans of WVU to fill the place.

(03-31-2012 11:29 AM)He1nousOne Wrote:  I would definitely agree that the Rutgers and UConn invites to the ACC go out soon after FSU and Clemson departures, if they were to happen.

I think if the ACC were to lose two schools then they'd sit at 12. If you lose FSU one of the top programs in football, and Clemson one of the better ones you don't replace them with UConn and Rutgers. Especially when you still have enough teams for a conference title game.