[Sly Fox]

We find out what the Pac-B1G-ACC Alliance is all about at 2pm ET.

Allegedly it involves scheduling strategy in addition to a laundry list of other issues. Since most teams in the Alliance have contracts for a decade plus in advance, I wonder if this will involve buyouts that might open up opportunities for us.

[ballcoach15]

I bet the SEC will be laughing this afternoon, shortly after 2:00 p.m.

[LU 57]

Has anyone seen a link for the announcement? Maybe it is a press release and not a press conference?

[LUGrad2000]

https://pac-12.com/live

[LUGrad2000]

Nothing to see here.

[rmiller1959]

ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 alliance to focus on 'collaborative approach'


https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... mon-values

[Sly Fox]

The only thing I took away from the whole thing was that it sounds like the Big XII is not going to get poached. Otherwise there really is no agreement other than to be friends. OK. No contracts are being broken it is just a gentlemen's agreement to play nice together

I suspect that Bowlsby now will feel emboldened that his league is not going to fold and can now focus on the UT-OU transition and what comes next with expansion.

[rmiller1959]

The only thing I took away from the whole thing was that it sounds like the Big XII is not going to get poached. Otherwise there really is no agreement other than to be friends. OK.

I suspect that Bowlsby now will feel emboldened that his league is not going to fold and could focus on the UT-OU transition and what comes next with expansion.

The scheduling cooperation could be interesting, generating some cross-conference games with the potential for high TV ratings. It may not bear fruit until their current calendars clear, but it sounds like they're investing some pretty significant AD time and effort into that aspect of the alliance.

Big 12 - it's your move!

[tyndal23]

The only thing I took away from the whole thing was that it sounds like the Big XII is not going to get poached. Otherwise there really is no agreement other than to be friends. OK.

I suspect that Bowlsby now will feel emboldened that his league is not going to fold and could focus on the UT-OU transition and what comes next with expansion.

I don’t quite share your optimism just yet on Big 12 (8) staying together.

[Sly Fox]

If they don't get raided and have the ACC commissioner openly stating that they need the Big XII to succeed then I don't see impending doom at the league office in Dallas.

Now negotiations with Austin & Norman can commence with more clarity. If the Horns & Sooners ride out the deal then I suspect there will be invitations to join the Big XII pushed out based on a 2025 arrival. However if UT & OU escape early under some type of settlement/deal then the dominoes start falling towards us.

[tyndal23]

If they don't get raided and have the ACC commissioner openly stating that they need the Big XII to succeed then I don't see impending doom at the league office in Dallas.

Now negotiations with Austin & Norman can commence with more clarity. If the Horns & Sooners ride out the deal then I suspect there will be invitations to join the Big XII pushed out based on a 2025 arrival. However if UT & OU escape early under some type of settlement/deal then the dominoes start falling towards us.

IF is the key word. PAC 12 still exploring expansion and openly stated they are reviewing schools that have reached out to them. I think it is 50/50 still ( and invite would be for 2025 as well ) The one thing I got out of it was support for the playoff expansion ( which made no sense at all to me why some were reporting they were against it ). Hopefully PAC 12 feels comfortable enough to feel that adding 2-4 teams isn’t in their best long term interest. I don’t think it is but pretty good arguments on either side like adding teams with CST kickoffs in the mix.

[rmiller1959]

Note the wording of his statement; the Pac-12 will decide by the end of the work whether they will expand. If the answer is no, then the Big-12 has some decisions to make. If the answer is yes, all bets are off!

https://theathletic.com/news/pac-12-wil ... bsYi0ljqA1

[Sly Fox]

The tone from the Pac 12 commish in the news conference doesn't offer much reason for hope for the Remaining 8. It sounds like they have their minds made up already.

For the record, the two most attractive expansion targets in Texas IMHO are TCU and Houston. I don't think either get the call as mentioned above. But the markets do matter.

[cruzan_flame13]

Where the college world is at presently:

[alabama24]

Here is the real takeaway: these three conferences couldn’t agree to anything binding, so they shook hands and had a press conference.

[LUGrad2000]

If the Big 8 expands (assuming the Pac-12 does not add any), Cincinnati, UCF, Houston, BYU/Boise St.

The remaining AAC would be:
USF
Tulane
Tulsa
Temple
Navy
SMU
East Carolina
Memphis

Serious contenders in my opinion : Liberty, Army, App St., Louisiana, San Diego St., Air Force, Rice, Marshall.

Omissions?
Rice, really?

[ballcoach15]

Hopefully Liberty can "jump" the AAC and land in the Big 12.

[cruzan_flame13]

If the Big 8 expands (assuming the Pac-12 does not add any), Cincinnati, UCF, Houston, BYU/Boise St.

The remaining AAC would be:
USF
Tulane
Tulsa
Temple
Navy
SMU
East Carolina
Memphis

Serious contenders in my opinion : Liberty, Army, App St., Louisiana, San Diego St., Air Force, Rice, Marshall.

Omissions?
Rice, really?

I don't think the Big 12 would be interested in Houston when they already have too many Texas teams and Houstonians are more interested in P5 schools such as UT and TAMU for the most part. I could see Cincinnati, BYU (of they are fine with their religious mission), UCF getting called for interest though.

[Sly Fox]

That was old logic when UT and A&M were in the Big XII in regard to Houston. Now the media market is coveted and UH is a historic rival of much of the Remaining 8.

BYU is the first call but they may or may not be interested in joining. If the Cougars from Provo come on board, I could see the Big XII stopping with just them and the Cougars from Houston.

The best shot at a 4-team expansion is if BYU turns down the Big XII. Then I could see Houston, Cincy and then either Memphis/SMU or UCF/USF combo. And do not rule out Air Force. They may be the second ask after BYU.

As for AAC candidates, it would take a 4-team loss before they look to add more than two teams.Army basically has a standing invitation but is unlikely to join. In fact it is very likely that Navy might exit. Louisiana deserves to be under consideration but it is expected that Tulane would block them. Marshall makes a ton of sense but may not be perceived as a value add by the ESPN decisionmakers who are pulling the strings. Rice may not have a great athletics program, but you can expect Tulane, SMU & Tulsa to lobby for their inclusion to keep the Houston market in play with an academic elite. San Diego State will not be a factor. I believe they have better chance to get into Pac 12 than the AAC. And that is slim to none. App State will be considered as well likely before us. And JMU is not getting that call in spite of their expectations.

I honestly believe anything less than a 3-team loss for the AAC will not give us the room to score an invitation. And I do not see the Big XII seriously considering us with other candidates with longer proven track records. But I would love to be proven wrong on both accounts.

[ballcoach15]

One thing to remember, most colleges have maxed out on growth opportunities, whereas Liberty still has lots of room to grow. Heck, there are schools that don't have enough real estate to build a softball stadium

[LUGrad2000]

There is still no telling how this will shake out. We may be joined by a few other independents. We may not have to move. The independent ranks have grown since we made the move.

[Ill flame]

There is still no telling how this will shake out. We may be joined by a few other independents. We may not have to move. The independent ranks have grown since we made the move.

It's definitely more sustainable to be an independent as a lower level fbs school now than it was in the not too distant past which is why I could see navy becoming independent again. I'm not sure how sustainable it would be for a lower level P5 team like k state or Iowa St to go that route though. Playing NMSU or UMass type teams is ok in small doses but no more than that for bigger schools.

[tyndal23]

There is still no telling how this will shake out. We may be joined by a few other independents. We may not have to move. The independent ranks have grown since we made the move.

It's definitely more sustainable to be an independent as a lower level fbs school now than it was in the not too distant past which is why I could see navy becoming independent again. I'm not sure how sustainable it would be for a lower level P5 team like k state or Iowa St to go that route though. Playing NMSU or UMass type teams is ok in small doses but no more than that for bigger schools.

I don’t follow. Everyone always complaining about how tough to schedule as an Independent. BYU plays Liberty in 2022. Guess what? That is the only Independent matchup they have in 3 years. 2021,22,23

https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/byu/

[Ill flame]

I don’t follow. Everyone always complaining about how tough to schedule as an Independent. BYU plays Liberty in 2022. Guess what? That is the only Independent matchup they have in 3 years. 2021,22,23

https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/byu/

That's great for them but it took them a long time to get to that point and I would argue they have some built in advantages that k state and Iowa St wouldn't have. Just because something is hard doesn't mean it isn't possible but schools generally like to take the easy way out when it comes to these things.

[tyndal23]

I don’t follow. Everyone always complaining about how tough to schedule as an Independent. BYU plays Liberty in 2022. Guess what? That is the only Independent matchup they have in 3 years. 2021,22,23

https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/byu/

That's great for them but it took them a long time to get to that point and I would argue they have some built in advantages that k state and Iowa St wouldn't have. Just because something is hard doesn't mean it isn't possible but schools generally like to take the easy way out when it comes to these things.

So an established P5 that goes Independent will have it harder than a smaller school in what specific categories? Scheduling? TV contracts? Home and home series? Home fan support?