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Jul 28, 2015
11:07:06am
So let's say the Big 12 adds four teams with no defections and the conference is
stabilized as the newly branded Big 14. The four schools with the most chatter are BYU, UCF, Cincy, and Houston so let's go with those four. How would you set up the divisions?

First, I think the non-Texas schools would insist that the now five Texas schools are split so that each team has annual entry into the state for recruiting purposes. But the split is not going to be easy. TCU and Baylor have a heated rivalry. TCU and TT have been consistent opponents even when TCU was in the MWC. It would be easy to put those three together in a division and call it good, but something tells me Texas would not go with a plan that makes the University of Houston their consistent in-state opponent.

Then you have the Red River Rivalry, which is the only rivalry that is going to get preferential treatment in all of this as Texas and Oklahoma are the two power programs in the conference. They will either need to be in the same division or be granted permanent crossover rival status to ensure their yearly battle in Dallas during the Texas State Fair.

Then you have two pairs of couplet schools in Oklahoma/Oklahoma State and Kansas/Kansas State. Each couplet would have to be maintained in a given division.

Finally, you have a distinct east-west division with BYU on the west and WVU, Cincy, and UCF on the east. That probably becomes the basis for the divisions: East and West.

Here's how I would propose the divisions:

East
Baylor
TCU
Oklahoma (permanent crossover with Texas)
Oklahoma State
West Virginia
Cincinnati
UCF

West
Texas (permanent crossover with Oklahoma)
Texas Tech
Houston
Kansas
Kansas State
Iowa State
BYU

This arrangement allows for the possibility of two Texas/Oklahoma matchups in a given season. Don't think the TV partners would be upset about that possibility at all.

You then have the option of a 6+2 or 6+3 conference schedule. Given the Big 12's close association with the SEC, I would expect a 6+2 arrangement with a 1 game P5 OOC requirement. The 2 crossover opponents would also be changed every year to ensure that every conference team would be played at least once over the course of four years. 8 conference games instead of 9 increases the amount of inventory for TV partners as well.

Just my thoughts. What am I missing?
Six Foot Seven
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Six Foot Seven
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