2021-22 NCAA Football Thread

[Ronnie-]

I figure they play in the Big 12 this season (obviously), and in 22 depending on what happens to the conference.

I would bet they are in the SEC playing a SEC schedule in 23.

 

[Don in CT]

Folds, as in disbands. Throws in their hand. Ceases to operate. ...

Of course Texas and Oklahoma both have boosters with deep pockets if it comes to that.

I've heard rumors of a Big 10 Pac12 merger.

 

[SamCdbs]

Follow the money.

This whole thing is ESPN’s doing. To understand we have to go back to the previous realignment.

The catalyst for it was, likewise, Texas. Texas engineered this Longhorn Network deal with ESPN. To get content, the Big 12 adopted this “third tier” TV rights system. Each team would retain one football game, three basketball games, and buckets full of other sports. Texas’ went to the Longhorn Network; Oklahoma’s to the local RSN (most people believe that Texas pays Oklahoma some of its LN $$). After bouncing about for a bit, the other 8 (the Little 8) sold their rights to ESPN+ for a very small amount.

Every other conference shares TV revenue equally. Faced with this idea, the four teams in the Big 12 1.0 with the ability to get out, got out. TAMU, Mizzou, Nebraska, and Colorado. The remaining ones had no such options. So Texas found two mid-majors and got to 10. The idea was that Texas and Oklahoma would dominate the Little 8 and settle the matter between themselves, 9 years out of 10.

But it just has not worked.

On the field, Texas has made a series of bad coaching hires, but the main issue is that the five star athletes want to see if they can really make it at the top level. Beating West Virginia or Iowa State is not the top level. The SEC is. So Texas and Oklahoma have lost a lot of recruits to SEC teams, not the least of which is TAMU. Winning games over nobodies sounds fun, unless you are trying for the NFL.

Off the field, ESPN is losing $$ by the buckets full on the LN. One cupcake football game, a handful of early season basketball games, the other sports Texas plays, and endless reruns of Texas victories from decades ago is just not must-see-TV.

So Disney has a problem, and Texas has a problem. So, ESPN jiggers up Texas and Oklahoma to the Big 12, meaning it gets out of its LN deal, and the Big 2 get in the SEC. ESPN is happy, the Big 2 are happy, and the SEC is happy. And some sort of bone will be thrown TAMU’s way to make it happy too.

As to the Little 8? Do not believe a word about Kansas to the Big 10 or whatever. ESPN will point all 8 to an expanded AAC. The fix is already in.

 

[Howard Simmons]

I've heard rumors of a Big 10 Pac12 merger.

The Big Ten and the ACC should get together.

 

[Jimbo]

I've heard rumors of a Big 10 Pac12 merger.

Some teams, yes.

I've heard USC, Oregon and Washington ... thats all ... so far.

 

[Jimbo]

The Big Ten and the ACC should get together.

Some of the ACC and Some of the Big Ten could make a very good conference.

The lower half can go play the rest of the Big 12, whats left. Maybe along with the other half of the Group of 5 that don't go Big Boy soon.

 

[Jimbo]

I figure they play in the Big 12 this season (obviously), and in 22 depending on what happens to the conference.

I would bet they are in the SEC playing a SEC schedule in 23.

From what I have heard they are talking THIS year .... in the sec.

 

[Ronnie-]

Well A&M board of regents voted 8-1 directing the president to vote to approve Texas and Oklahoma.

That being said, it’s a done deal.

 

[Ronnie-]

From what I have heard they are talking THIS year .... in the sec.

Where have you read that? It’s a virtual impossibility at this point.

I have not seen that anywhere.

 

[Howard Simmons]

From what I have heard they are talking THIS year .... in the sec.

I saw on ESPN Sports center they would go to SEC in 2025.

 

[Ronnie-]

I saw on ESPN Sports center they would go to SEC in 2025.

That’s basically what they have to legally say at this point.

I don’t think there is anyway it takes that long, but it’s impossible for it to be this season. It’s too close to starting, there is no way they could reasonably reschedule everything.

 

[Jimbo]

That’s basically what they have to legally say at this point.

I don’t think there is anyway it takes that long, but it’s impossible for it to be this season. It’s too close to starting, there is no way they could reasonably reschedule everything.

Good point ...

My info that I had came from espn

 

[Jimbo]

I REALLY tired of these 20-30 team conferences.
I know they are not there yet, but will be soon.
sec is almost to 20 now.
Maybe it only seems that way (I really thought they were at 16 or 18, but see they are only at 14)
Only 3 are good in any year, but you sure hear how GREAT they are ...

Same could be said about the Big 10 ... but they don't Obnoxiously promote themselves.

 

[tigerfan33]

Good point ...

My info that I had came from espn

Your ESPN source should be fired
Football season is only a month away.

 

[Jimbo]

Your ESPN source should be fired
Football season is only a month away.

Your right, I typically only use espn for scores, but once in awhile something else pops up of interest.

 

[Ronnie-]

Only 3 are good in any year, but you sure hear how GREAT they are ...

Same could be said about the Big 10 ... but they don't Obnoxiously promote themselves.

Well lets just look back.

Last year was an anomaly, but 4 ranked in the top 10.
In 2019 it was5 in the top 15, with 3 other teams with 8-5 records.
In 2018 it was 6 in the top 16 with 2 more at 8-5.
In 2017 it was 3 in the top ten, two more in the top 20.
Another 5 ranked in 1018.


Its well established that the SEC is the strongest conference, top to bottom and has been for a while. Yes, they are also top heavy as well, even being strongest top to bottom.

 

[SamCdbs]

As to timing, again, follow the money.

- This year is already set.
- ESPN owns 100% of SEC TV rights, except as noted below. ESPN and Fox split Big 12 rights 50-50.
- CBS has the “best game from the best conference” 3:30 ET SEC package through the end of the 23 season. Then Disney takes over 100% of SEC rights. Thus nothing will happen until 24.
- The question, thus, is the 24 and 25 season. Texas and Oklahoma have “granted” their TV rights to the Big 12 until the end of the 25 season. But, this is just paper. Really its just $$. Disney tosses some $$ the Big 12’s way, and reminds them that they really are not in a position to make Mr. Mouse unhappy, and tosses a few $$ Fox’s way, and the deal is done.

Thus I believe that the realignment will happen for the 24 season.

As to “20 to 30 team super-conferences”, this is the new normal. The NCAA, for all practical purposes, has no function in a pay-the-players era other than to order trophies and rent venues for the other sports besides football. It is 99% dead. That means the conferences, especially in football, are the marketers of the sport. Look for four 16 team leagues, AKA TV packages. Everybody else, no matter what they call it, is Division II.

 

[SamCdbs]

And the plot thickens.

The remnant Big 12 commissioner has accused ESPN of what can only be called a conspiracy theory (and not all conspiracy theories are false, this one just might be true, considering the players involved).

According to the theory, for several months, ESPN, which owns 100% of the AAC TV rights, has been working with two “unnamed” Big 12 members to move to the AAC. While unnamed, these are clearly West Virginia and Iowa State, the two teams with the least to offer to a new conference and thus the most likely to be lost in the shuffle.

Thus, with four teams applying to leave the league, the league’s contract apparently says it can just be declared “collapsed” and teams can leave without notice and without paying a exit fee.

ESPN gets Texas and Oklahoma more quickly. The AAC gets more money from ESPN, and two teams that have belonged at that level all along. WVU and ISU get a place to land where they can compete and absolve themselves of being left out. UT and OU get out of the Big 12 more quickly and don’t have to pay the exit fee $$.

Everybody wins.

Except Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas Tech, Texas Christian, Kansas, and Kansas State. And Fox.

 

[Ronnie-]

SEC presidents officially vote to extend invites to Oklahoma and Texas

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said that the vote was unanimous.

www.yahoo.com

SEC expansion is officially moving forward.

The presidents of the 14 schools currently in the conference voted to accept the application of Texas and Oklahoma into the SEC. The likely addition of the two Big 12 schools paves the way for the SEC to become a 16-team conference sooner rather than later.

Expansion will become official on Friday when the boards of regents at Oklahoma and Texas approve moving to the SEC.

“Today’s unanimous vote is both a testament to the SEC’s longstanding spirit of unity and mutual cooperation, as well as a recognition of the outstanding legacies of academic and athletic excellence established by the Universities of Oklahoma and Texas,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said. “I greatly appreciate the collective efforts of our Presidents and Chancellors in considering and acting upon each school’s membership interest.”

 

[Ronnie-]

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