NCAA: Big 12 to interview 17 schools for expansion

[No Fun Shogun]

First off, the article states that they will at most expand by four, and more likely by only two or none at all. But, an interesting list, albeit one with only a few medium-hitters:

BYU
Boise State
Cincinnati
Colorado State
East Carolina
Houston
Memphis
New Mexico
Northern Illinois
SMU
Southern Florida
Temple
Tulane
UCF
UConn

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...er-bob-bowlsby-interview-17-schools-expansion

Does not list who the remaining two schools are.

Would be neat to see another major conference Illinois school, though.

Click to read more...

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Boise St and Houston plz.

 

[GKJ]

Some strange schools on that list

 

[DaveG]

Please bring in Cincy. In part because it's not a damaging brand to bring in, and in part because LULZ Tuberville.

 

[hockeykicker]

This is most likely gonna be byu and one of Boise st/Colorado state.

Get that Colorado/Colorado state game to mean a lot more

 

[GKJ]

Colorado State? It should be a bigger deal to give West Virginia a closer rival.

 

[DaveG]

Colorado State? It should be a bigger deal to give West Virginia a closer rival.

Honestly that's the biggest reason I think Cincy is a lock. They can get WVU someone nearby and it sounds like OU wants them as well for whatever reason.

Unless it's a 4 team expansion, then it's probably Cincy, UConn, and two western teams (2 of Houston/BYU/CSU)

 

[hockeykicker]

Seems like a lot of coaches are against Houston based on recruiting issues that it may cause

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...36/houston-big-12-texas-recruiting-mike-gundy

 

[Bonzai12]

I really want CSU to get this, but they seem like such a supreme underdog.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Cincy/WVU in basketball would be fire too.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Seems like a lot of coaches are against Houston based on recruiting issues that it may cause

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...36/houston-big-12-texas-recruiting-mike-gundy

Because teams raid the Houston/East Texas area for talent. With Coog high in a power 5, they would lock it down. Plus Hermann will stick around. Killing all Longhorn dreams.

 

[Tecumseh]

UNM has enough trouble winning games in their current state. Moving to the Big 12 won't help that matter.

 

[DaveG]

I really want CSU to get this, but they seem like such a supreme underdog.

They probably have a better shot then you might think, especially if they're seriously looking at the 14 team option. Maybe not at the top of the list but definitely right there at the top of the 2nd tier of the list.

 

[mouser]

Seems kinda silly to hit up that many schools.

 

[GKJ]

Honestly that's the biggest reason I think Cincy is a lock. They can get WVU someone nearby and it sounds like OU wants them as well for whatever reason.

Unless it's a 4 team expansion, then it's probably Cincy, UConn, and two western teams (2 of Houston/BYU/CSU)

Cincy would be a good move because of the market, and also because it's a great recruiting strategy. Kids from Ohio who can't get into Ohio State have another in-state before going mid-major.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

As a part-time Colorado State fan this actually intrigues me, since that one makes a bit of sense.

Lots of random schools on that list...plenty of attempts at securing a television market despite limited interest (Temple is in Philly, but how many Philadelphians really care about Temple? Northern Illinois could get your foot in the door for Chicago, but an even smaller percentage of Chicagoans have any sort of ties to NIU), a couple basketball schools that make varying levels of geographical sense (Cincinnati isn't that close to it, but at least it's in the same range as WVU, while UConn is...far). New Mexico fits the geographical footprint and would bring a good basketball program, but that football team would lose every conference game by 40 and Albuquerque isn't a really desirable market.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Seems kinda silly to hit up that many schools.

They have to give the impression they are doing their due dilligence. Kind of like coaching searches. They know who they want.

 

[GKJ]

As a part-time Colorado State fan this actually intrigues me, since that one makes a bit of sense.

Lots of random schools on that list...plenty of attempts at securing a television market despite limited interest (Temple is in Philly, but how many Philadelphians really care about Temple? Northern Illinois could get your foot in the door for Chicago, but an even smaller percentage of Chicagoans have any sort of ties to NIU), a couple basketball schools that make varying levels of geographical sense (Cincinnati isn't that close to it, but at least it's in the same range as WVU, while UConn is...far). New Mexico fits the geographical footprint and would bring a good basketball program, but that football team would lose every conference game by 40 and Albuquerque isn't a really desirable market.

I think enough Philadelphians would care about Temple a lot if they joined a big conference and were able to keep up with them. Temple has to go a few more rounds before then though, but they're already trying to leverage one great year into a stadium deal. That said they showed that there was a Temple-specific market here that was left dormant because their football program was so poor, last year was almost like watching all the Blackhawks fans coming out of the woodwork around 2008. Philadelphia in general is an underserved college football market, Virginia Tech is one of the 4 or 5 most popular FBS schools here.

 

[BigMac1212]

Some people just want to watch the universe burn.

 

[Voight]

It's actually 18 schools, Air Force was added to the list.

 

[MMC]

If expansion happened, when would the new alignment start?

 

[DaveG]

If expansion happened, when would the new alignment start?

2017 probably, but possibly 2018

 

[HisIceness]

I would really like to see Colorado State join the Power 5 ranks.

 

[hockeykicker]

It's actually 18 schools, Air Force was added to the list.

Ooh Air Force would be a great choice imo

Also San Diego state and Arkansas state are now on list too

 

[cutchemist42]

Purely as a CFB fan with no horse in the race, who just wants more games involving good programs, Boise St and BYU please.

I really dont get the CSU appeal, and Im not convinced B12 branding automatically makes UCF/USF/Temple CFB markets. UConn is close to peak realignment silliness to me.