Big 12 Expansion

[tulaneoutlaw]

Long article in the athletic about G5 realignment. Some good and some bad as far as AACs current position. Surprised no mention of Coastal. Surprised at the seriousness of James Madison. Hard, hard pass on ULL. Every G5 conference covered.

https://theathletic.com/2826426/2021/09 ... group-of-5

Coastal is fun but it’s had one good year. We should focus on Boise State, San Diego State, ULL, and James Madison. JMU’s athletic budget is probably larger than ours….we get a rivalry game with ULL and bring in a west coast audience. James Madison brings a lot of hype and national recognition. Also, we should be close to favorites to win every year. There’s no reason why we can’t be the next UCF of the G5. Basketball needs to get better but I think that will happen with Ron Hunter.

Oh I don't want coastal. I was just surprised they weren't mentioned at all as the list was pretty exhaustive. It's a big plus for JMU that their budget is substantial, but I'm not sure they bring national recognition. Not a fan of ULL for a number of reasons, the biggest being as soon as Napier leaves, and leave he will, I think they could fall back to being pretty meh. We want sustained success. App St. is the only Belt school that can really claim that.

[wavedom]

If we are looking for media markets and fan base. Buffalo (media) and Liberty (large student body from around the country) should seriously be considered. We need four schools and six would be better so that we can have 7 schools in each division. Boise State, Army, Air Force, Utah State, large west coast MW schools (if the travel expenses are not outrageous). You can have a west and east division with 7 or eight teams in each. Tulsa and SMU in the west and the rest in the east along with some new teams.

Liberty should be a hard no. We have nothing in common with them and they bring a ton of drama and extremist-religious views which don’t add value. Utah State sucks but the others are interesting.

Agree, no Liberty. I'd probably try Colorado State over Utah State. A Buffalo/Army and CSU/Air Force combination for travel could be something. Or just a whole merger with the Mountain West. I'm also not interested in ULL.

Colorado St. just lost to Vandy.

[gerryb323]

If we are looking for media markets and fan base. Buffalo (media) and Liberty (large student body from around the country) should seriously be considered. We need four schools and six would be better so that we can have 7 schools in each division. Boise State, Army, Air Force, Utah State, large west coast MW schools (if the travel expenses are not outrageous). You can have a west and east division with 7 or eight teams in each. Tulsa and SMU in the west and the rest in the east along with some new teams.

Liberty should be a hard no. We have nothing in common with them and they bring a ton of drama and extremist-religious views which don’t add value. Utah State sucks but the others are interesting.

Agree, no Liberty. I'd probably try Colorado State over Utah State. A Buffalo/Army and CSU/Air Force combination for travel could be something. Or just a whole merger with the Mountain West. I'm also not interested in ULL.

Colorado St. just lost to Vandy.

Irregardless

[Charlie Dunn]

Surprising we are ranked 42 when our acceptance rate is now 11%. I do not get these us world new rankings honestly. Seems too subjective.

[gerryb323]

Surprising we are ranked 42 when our acceptance rate is now 11%. I do not get these us world new rankings honestly. Seems too subjective.

They are extremely subjective. Mostly based on peer ranking from other Presidents and Provosts. Almost entirely reputation.

[wavedom]

If we are looking for media markets and fan base. Buffalo (media) and Liberty (large student body from around the country) should seriously be considered. We need four schools and six would be better so that we can have 7 schools in each division. Boise State, Army, Air Force, Utah State, large west coast MW schools (if the travel expenses are not outrageous). You can have a west and east division with 7 or eight teams in each. Tulsa and SMU in the west and the rest in the east along with some new teams.

Liberty should be a hard no. We have nothing in common with them and they bring a ton of drama and extremist-religious views which don’t add value. Utah State sucks but the others are interesting.

Agree, no Liberty. I'd probably try Colorado State over Utah State. A Buffalo/Army and CSU/Air Force combination for travel could be something. Or just a whole merger with the Mountain West. I'm also not interested in ULL.

Colorado St. just lost to Vandy.

Irregardless

Regardless the AAC would have to be looking for their own version of Vandy to go there.

[waverider]

According to a Baylor blogger, Tulane could be in the next round of expansion. Shoutout to FTW for tweeting it.

Could the Big 12 add beyond Memphis and Boise State?

Other than Memphis and Boise State being next in line, look for visits and/or discussions to take place with Tulane, SMU and possibly even Southern Mississippi. Sources say there's a method to this madness and while on the surface many won't see or understand the appeal, ESPN will have its hand in which teams would be added.

https://sicem365.com/s/10554/big-12-exp ... -vs-big-12

[tulaneoutlaw]

According to a Baylor blogger, Tulane could be in the next round of expansion. Shoutout to FTW for tweeting it.

Could the Big 12 add beyond Memphis and Boise State?

Other than Memphis and Boise State being next in line, look for visits and/or discussions to take place with Tulane, SMU and possibly even Southern Mississippi. Sources say there's a method to this madness and while on the surface many won't see or understand the appeal, ESPN will have its hand in which teams would be added.

https://sicem365.com/s/10554/big-12-exp ... -vs-big-12

It's not bad to hear our name mentioned, but the fact they also mention USM makes me wonder who their sources are, if any. It's pretty hard to see USM being included in these kind of talks. FtW had the same reaction in a follow up tweet

[waverider]

According to a Baylor blogger, Tulane could be in the next round of expansion. Shoutout to FTW for tweeting it.

Could the Big 12 add beyond Memphis and Boise State?

Other than Memphis and Boise State being next in line, look for visits and/or discussions to take place with Tulane, SMU and possibly even Southern Mississippi. Sources say there's a method to this madness and while on the surface many won't see or understand the appeal, ESPN will have its hand in which teams would be added.

https://sicem365.com/s/10554/big-12-exp ... -vs-big-12

It's not bad to hear our name mentioned, but the fact they also mention USM makes me wonder who their sources are, if any. It's pretty hard to see USM being included in these kind of talks. FtW had the same reaction in a follow up tweet

USM fans speculated that it has to do with proximity and the Big12 wanting us and them because we are close to each other. I don’t know what that would have to do with it.

[wavedom]

Likely has to do with UCF and giving them some closer members.

[SlidellWave]

Instead of USM could it have benn USF?

USM feels like a reach and they should check with UC first ( UC and Louisville tried to get USM and ECU booted from CUSA because of problems getting to those schools).

[gerryb323]

Instead of USM could it have benn USF?

USM feels like a reach and they should check with UC first ( UC and Louisville tried to get USM and ECU booted from CUSA because of problems getting to those schools).

No, the article definitely means Southern Miss. But it's also just a blog post. FTW could write one that says Tulane is applying for SEC membership and it would have as much weight...

It also mentions how ESPN will have a say but ignores the Big 12 has a big contract with Fox

[WaveProf]

Surprising we are ranked 42 when our acceptance rate is now 11%. I do not get these us world new rankings honestly. Seems too subjective.

As I said when we were low and continue to say now that we are high, they are ENTIRELY subjective and not worth the paper they are printed on.

Also, the numbers can easily be "gamed", which is what Tulane hired people to do about 8 years ago, and they did it successfully. The quality of education didn't get radically better in that time, I actually think I could make a case it got worse, but they did things to game retention (and other) numbers and suddenly they are at 42

[Baywave1]

Those both could be tips, that it’s a trolling post

Look Tulane has a chance. Yes it does have all facilities either on or off campus as needed including Saints IPF, Dome and Smoothie King.

It’s about the winning and mostly losing that makes it a longshot.

Win and they may come (calling.) Lose and it’s Tulsa, OK here we come.

[LawGreenie]

Could be a strategy to establish a foothold in SEC dominated markets. An ascendant Tulane arguably nips at LSU’s heel and perhaps gives Big 12 a recruiting chip in Louisiana. I think Ole Miss and Miss State cancel each other in the SEC — so not sure the same argument applies to USM. I’m guessing UCF is keeping USF out, much like TCU and SMU, UH and Rice.

[gerryb323]

Could be a strategy to establish a foothold in SEC dominated markets. An ascendant Tulane arguably nips at LSU’s heel and perhaps gives Big 12 a recruiting chip in Louisiana. I think Ole Miss and Miss State cancel each other in the SEC — so not sure the same argument applies to USM. I’m guessing UCF is keeping USF out, much like TCU and SMU, UH and Rice.

And OSU/Tulsa. We really are a fairly unique opportunity as the "second" school in a state rich in talent. LSU hopefully declining should also help us.

[Yankeewave]

Lets hope they dont fire Ed

[wavedom]

Tulane and USM are not under consideration. The story has been updated- https://sicem365.com/s/10554/thursday-t ... ees-update

[tulaneoutlaw]

Oof. It's one thing to simply leave rumors out there in the ether, it's another to come out and issue a correction. That's a pretty clear strike against us being a serious candidate at this time. We need to hope they stand pat for another couple of years AND that we can put together some big wins on the field. That game against Kansas St. next year could be big.

[gerryb323]

Oof. It's one thing to simply leave rumors out there in the ether, it's another to come out and issue a correction. That's a pretty clear strike against us being a serious candidate at this time. We need to hope they stand pat for another couple of years AND that we can put together some big wins on the field. That game against Kansas St. next year could be big.

Agree, worse than not being mentioned in the first place!

[waverider]

Two ways to convince them otherwise: Win the conference this year. Fill the stadium for home games starting this weekend.

[ml wave]

The best/only chance for us to upgrade our conference situation would be an under the radar, out of the blue announcement like when we moved to the Big East. There's way too many obvious warts for our candidacy to stand up to any kind of public scrutiny.

[PeteRasche]

So a Baylor blogger puts together a nice, formal-looking (and this "it must be right") website and claims to have communication with "sources" or "officials close to the situation". Does anyone have any idea whether this site has ever gotten any information correct before it happened?

I mean, maybe they are legit, I have no idea, but it's certainly worth knowing before getting worked up about it - in either direction.

[Rotorooter]

So a Baylor blogger puts together a nice, formal-looking (and this "it must be right") website and claims to have communication with "sources" or "officials close to the situation". Does anyone have any idea whether this site has ever gotten any information correct before it happened?

I mean, maybe they are legit, I have no idea, but it's certainly worth knowing before getting worked up about it - in either direction.

Baylor puffing their chest out, huh? If not for the Art Briles years (and we know what a mess that turned out to be), Baylor would be a "hanger-on" like Vandy. Yeah, Matt Ruhle, but that job would not have been very attractive to a Ruhle without Briles' success. They owe their entire athletic success to Briles, who was their fundamental building block to stay in the B12 and collect the big P5 money. They have made the most out of it, for sure. I guess selling your soul to the devil does work. Now they come out as all high and mighty.

We just need to win football games and build the fan base, pure and simple. We have everything else.

I heard from a TU fan who had gone to FSU that FSU, to build loyalty among students, would offer academic points if they stayed through the 4th quarter. I doubt seriously Tulane would ever agree to that, but we need a creative way to get the d@mn students to stay through the game (not to mention to get the Glazer folks to fill up their seats).

[WaveProf]

if we are counting on butts in seats to get us in we are doomed. butts in seats may improve (a lot even!) but not enough to get us in the B12

the answer is win enough to make New Orleans and AAU look appealing, because those things aren't going to be appealing on their own. If winning won't do it, then we ain't getting in.