Does the Big 12 Conference need a Title Game?

[cloverleaf]

I think they do because four of the Power 5 Conferences have title games. To me, it creates a lot of uncertainly on how the new CFP committee will vote come playoff time. I am well aware of the 12 team conference rule for championship games but that can be easily changed...especially with all the money involved now.

The last thing the Big 12 wants to do is leave doubt with the voting committee. Welcome your comments.............

 

[CoachCB]

Yes.

What the B12 needs to do is stop letting Texas run the show.

Texas' ego ran off TaM and Nebraska. The conference needs to get back to 12 teams (minimum)...which means possibly letting in "lesser" programs.

It's amatuer hour over there.

 

[cloverleaf]

I agree Coach.

Right now, it seems the Big 12 is content being the Big 12 -2.

 

[GoSooners]

Guys, in many ways I am in agreement with you. But there are a couple other things that bother me about having a championship game under a 10 team format. For one thing, doesn't a round robin conference like the Big 12 already crown it's true champ? It's almost similar to the suggestion that the ACC made last week that the two BEST teams from that conference should play in a conference CG because FSU's opponents in the other division in the CG for the last 2 years have been Duke and Ga Tech. But here is the problem with that suggestion. What if FSU had played Clemson again this season and lost the second time around? It basically would have kept the ACC out of the title game and hurt the conference. And made them look very very stupid for changing that rule.

The part I do agree with you on is the Big 12 teams DO need to play that extra 13th game, since all of the other Big 5 conferences already do. This gives them a big advantage to get a team in over the Big 12 for the 4 team playoff provided they have an equal or better record. But the thing is, this could all be a mute point and the championship game not needed if down the road they go to an 8 team playoff, which i think they eventually will. If that happens, the Big 12 will then be stuck with that same format where the Big 12 team with the best record will have to redo a 13 the game against a team they may have already beaten. Two things could come out of that. If the Big 12 regular season champ already has one loss, and then loses again in the Big 12 CG, there is a possibility that they wouldn't even get into an 8 team playoff. And we know 2 losses can happen. Stanford won the Pac-12 with two losses. And they probably would have barely made the bottom of an 8 team playoff. Even from a 12 team conference. Especially if there had been one or two undefeated non-BCS teams in the mix. The chances of a team from the 10 team Big 12 who has 2 losses making an 8 team playoff are remote.

The playoff committee would have definitely been looking at these undefeated squads first, along with a second, and possibly even a third SEC team to make it in. Lot's of if's, and's and butt's. If I knew that in the next 5 or 10 years they weren't going to change this 4 team format, I would be for either (1) the Big 12 expanding to 12 teams or (2) provided the NCAA grants permission, they go to two 5 team divisions with rivalries staying intact, like the RRR. They also play 8 conference games instead of 9. And then have a conference championship game. I would prefer this over what would have been done this year. Probably a Baylor/OSU rematch. If a 2 loss OSU team who just came off losing to OU plays and beats Baylor in the championship game, everybody has 2 losses coming out of the conference. More than likely we wouldn't have seen any Big 12 team in even an 8 team playoff. I definitely don't like that.

 

[cloverleaf]

Excellent GS.

Why I believe the RX CFB forum has the most knowledgeable posters on the net.

GoSooners is a Big 12 guy. He didn't bash, call out, raise hell with anyone with a different view.

 

[CoachCB]

GS, the bottom line is the B12 needs to expand to 12 teams. This solves all the "what if" scenerio's. Like I mentioned before, they let Texas run the show over there (sorry, I know that's touchy for a Sooners fan...but it's true). Texas basically ran off the legit schools (TaM and Nebraska) and now they are where they are. It's a shame.

And in order to expand they are going to have to allow "lesser" programs into the conference (as most of the bigger schools are already set). As the other thread mentioned, Nebraska probably made a mistake moving to the B10...but what's done is done. I'm not sure who the other 2 schools would/should be, but the B12 needs a CG to be on an even playing field w/ the other former "BCS" conferences.

 

[GoSooners]

GS, the bottom line is the B12 needs to expand to 12 teams. This solves all the "what if" scenerio's. Like I mentioned before, they let Texas run the show over there (sorry, I know that's touchy for a Sooners fan...but it's true). Texas basically ran off the legit schools (TaM and Nebraska) and now they are where they are. It's a shame.

And in order to expand they are going to have to allow "lesser" programs into the conference (as most of the bigger schools are already set). As the other thread mentioned, Nebraska probably made a mistake moving to the B10...but what's done is done. I'm not sure who the other 2 schools would/should be, but the B12 needs a CG to be on an even playing field w/ the other former "BCS" conferences.

Coach...I think the only thing that would sway the powers that be off of the 10 team format is if they have a conference champion who gets left out of the 4 team playoff with an identical regular season record but one less game as the other teams. Then they'll finally come to the realization that the Big 12 doesn't rule the world. Hopefully, if something like that happened I would much rather it happen to Texas first. Like I said, they MIGHT try to persuade the NCAA to change their division minimum rule from 6 teams to 5 teams, and then have the winners of those divisions play a CG at the end of the season. My bet is they would seek that solution before trying to add 2 more teams. Hopefully the NCAA would turn them down and say no to both the 5 team divisions and the conference being able to have a CG with just 10 teams. I'm all for expansion. But you can't add just ANY two teams, as simple as that sounds. There's way too much money and prestige involved. Personally I would like to see BYU come in as one of those teams. Not a great market team, but a little more prestige because of their ramped up schedule of playing more BCS programs. And they really aren't going anywhere as a Independent. So I don't think it would take a big push for them to join. If nothing else for just football. Then there is everybody else. This is where the pickin's get thin. If you are going to pick a lesser team, you need a good reason. If there was one more team to go after, I would go after somebody like possibly Memphis, which has a higher ceiling. Not because of the shitty team, but because of the recruiting area and market. If your going to recruit one of these schools, you need to get something out of it.

 

[MackDonald]

Yes.

What the B12 needs to do is stop letting Texas run the show.

Texas' ego ran off TaM and Nebraska. The conference needs to get back to 12 teams (minimum)...which means possibly letting in "lesser" programs.

It's amatuer hour over there.

Coach: It will never happen (Texas not running the show).....It's their nature....they "think big" and they have an inherent need to be in charge. Look at how they have looked down on the Sooners over the years, on and off the football field. Here's Oklahoma, 1/5 the size of Texas and, yet, they have held their-own,
but, that's one state/one school; The other schools/states won't do it.....stand-up to Texas. One school tried (for years), A & M then, they up and left.

The fans are the same way.....I make reference to our "pal" JBLonghorn.......Look at how "snarly" he gets when the Horns loose and we have to listen to all that "sad-stuff"; It's just his nature I guess. I'm sure (deep down) he is a good guy. The game of football does strange things to people. One thing I do envy about "Ol JB" is the stable of women he keeps in the coral.....Most Texans do that....its hard to fault them for that.

 

[GoSooners]

Something else I read lately that I found kind of interesting is the Big 12 owns the rights to the name the "Big 16." Just a wild guess, but something tells me if the Big 12 makes a move in that direction, they will skip the 14 and go straight from 10 to 16. Prospects on the horizon could be UCF, USF, Cincinnati, Memphis, BYU, Tulane, SMU & Houston. I also think the SEC could expand to 16. My wild guess of prospects for them would be Duke/UNC or NCST/Va Tech.

 

[CoachCB]

GS,

If the 16 team conference comes to fruition, I think SEC adds Va Tech & NC State.

Regarding the naming rights to Big 16, that seems like a good business move on their part "just in case". Does anyone own Big 14?

Anyhow, IMO, B12 needs to go to 12 teams ASAP. They are doing the whole conference a disservice by staying at 10. Of the teams you mentioned, SMU and Houston make the most sense. If they go out of state I could see Tulane or Memphis...but the others you mentioned would be a stretch. Expect to see USF & UCF move to bigger and better things and Cincy is a possibility...but I doubt in the B12. I think WVU is going to regret the move, as they would have been more suited for B10 or ACC.

 

[groundhog11]

i wouldnt be surprised to see possibly if players get some type of stipend...that a big 12/acc merger happens....big 12 wants to go to 12 teams , but outside of acc schools, nobody moves the needle. with wvu coming to big12, the move is east ,not west which would eliminate byu....

also, i think some acc schools, the big10 etc are waiting to see how much maryland will have to pay on the buyout....if its low, dont be surprised to see realignment start back again...