Not too long ago we were speculating that the Big 12 will no longer be a conference in the college system.
Every team in the Big 12 besides Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, and Kansas State were invited to join the Big Ten or Pac-10 conferences to form what they call a "Super-Conference." Each one with a unique purpose of going.
Each team could have left and increased their school's profit. The Pac-10 would have supplied more money to each of the schools but it seemed to me like loyalty and heart played a part in the commitments of Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Texas.
None of the teams enjoyed the thought of the Big 12 collapse and helped the survival of the conference.
Now, since we are aware that there is no possible chance that the Big 12 will fall apart, let's start asking questions that need to be answered. I've assembled a few questions to ask myself and here they are.
Will the Proposed 10-Team Big 12 Work?
To me, it seems like the Pac-10 and Big 12 just traded names.
The Big 12 gave away the heart of their conference in football with Nebraska, but besides that, they retained every other powerhouse.
Which means that the Big 12, or newly Big 10, will survive and here is why.
The Big 12 lost Nebraska and Colorado. Colorado is not a huge loss, considering the fact that they are a much weaker sports school and could be easily replaced if the Big 12 wanted to add a few teams.
Now with Nebraska, they are a consistent contender of the Big 12 conference during football. Nebraska filled the seats every night and TV ratings were always high. Nebraska is a substantial lost for the Big 12 unless one of the conference teams steps up and fill their role.
With that said, the Big 12 shouldn't have a problem with only a 10-team conference. Especially since they only loss on key contributor to success of the Big 12. A 10-team conference could bring about more money for each program and more scholarships.
From a football prospective: My thoughts on a 10-team conference.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Big 12 will be a much weaker conference without the services of Nebraska.
Kansas State could step up and take the role of Nebraska, however, those shoes are too big for any of the football programs left in the Big 12.
However, you still do have the Sooners, Aggies, and Longhorns to hoist as superior talent in the Big 12. So, not everything is bad. You still have the fierce rivalries, and not to mention, everybody likes to watch the Border Showdown.
The proposed conference should be solid during this upcoming football season.
From a basketball prospective: My thoughts on a 10-team conference.
Now this is where the 10-team conference sounds like a wonderful plan. Last year, if you were to drop Colorado and Nebraska from the Big 12, the conference RPI rating would have been off the charts, solidifying the conference as the best in college basketball by far.
Now that it has happened, the Big 12 doesn't look like much of a loser at all.
A 10-team conference makes college basketball that more interesting for fans. Just think about catching the rivalry games in the Big 12 more than once a year. I wouldn't have a problem watching each of the teams in the Big 12 take a crack at each other two times a year.
That's what makes college basketball interesting and competitive. Not to mention, each of these teams are going into next season with talented rosters.
For the Big 12 conference, it didn't have a setback, more like gained an advantage.
Is the Big 12 Going to Add Two More Teams?
Right now, I only see this playing out with the proposed 10-team conference.
The Big 12 may reach out to some mid-major schools like TCU and Boise State to help the competitive edge in football, but as of now, the Big 12 shouldn't add anymore squads.
Who Was the Biggest Loser of the Conference Realignments?
The biggest loser of conference realignments would have to be the Pac-10. They added the Colorado Buffs', which is a very weak football school, however, their basketball program is starting to turn around.
Out of all the teams that the Pac-10 invited, only Colorado came forward for a merger. Every other team declined the offer.
Lastly, What is the Next Step for the Big 12.
Well, as I asked earlier, I don't think the Big 12 will add any other schools, but I think they should. The Big 12 conference could be surrounded by some of the top mid-major talent ready for a BCS bid.
Utah, or maybe even TCU or Boise State could come in and develop into a Big 12 powerhouse. But in my mind, the next step for the Big 12 is expanding, and staying consistent with their reputation as a power conference.
Written by DeAnte Mitchell
