… when they had 2 losses and missed the Big12 championship game. Still ended 11-2.
They’ll be gone and all these 8 current fanbases won’t be in the dominant shadow of the Sooners nor the media shadow of behemoth brand/fan base of Texas. Sure, there’s the risk of not having the thrill of taking down Goliath, but it’s unlikely to be as bad as you say, seeing top teams are leaving a void for others to fill.