Let's stir it up a bit

[swardboy]

OU Headed to SEC Rumors

By DHazlewood  @Dn4sty on Jun 30, 2015, 11:26p +

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

We really like page views, so we will start this rumor train again.

Football news is sparse during the dog days of summer. Recruiting takes a back seat, vacations happen, and we are still over 60 days from kickoff. So what better way to pass the time, than re-kicking the tires on conference realignment.

The man that almost every OU fans loves to hate had this to say on twitter regarding realignment.

Follow

Paul FinebaumVerified account‏@finebaum

According to @ESPN_Colin "The Big 5 in CFB is ready to be the Big 4... BigXII will evaporate, Oklahoma is SEC bound & the Pac12 wants Texas"

So IF this gigantic hypothetical were to happen what would it look like? The SEC currently sets at 14 members. Here they are
Mizzou
Arkansas
Texas A&M
Kentucky
LSU
Alabama
Auburn
Vanderbilt
Tennessee
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
Ole Miss
Mississippi St.

Adding just one team makes little sense for the conference, so a team like Virginia Tech could also be in play.
Here are some initial thoughts on this crazy scenario

1- The Football Schedule Would Be Incredible

Road games to Tuscaloosa, Athens, Baton Rouge, Gainesville, and Oxford would crush road games in Ames or Lubbock.
How about LSU coming to Norman or hosting the Gators? The college football star power in these match-ups would be amazing.

2- Recruiting

While the Sooners would probably experience a slight uptick in recruiting by joining the SEC, some real concerns would emerge long term. The state of Oklahoma doesn't produce the quality of in-state talent on par with the likes of Alabama or Mississippi. This could be a problem going forward.

3- What About OU-OSU?

Initially I'm inclined to say "eh who cares" as part of me would enjoy watching the Pokes fade into obscurity. However, it would be completely possible to schedule this as an out of conference game each season. Another hypothetical would be for the Pokes to come with the Sooners as the 16th team in the SEC. While I guess anything could happen, the Pokes following the Sooners to the SEC is highly unlikely.

4- Goodbye Kansas State, TTech, TCU, Baylor, Iowa State, and OKState

The Kansas basketball program makes them a team that won't get left out in the reshuffle. Texas will no doubt be fine and land on it's feet. The rest could be left out in the cold. Several would probably get gobbled up by the PAC 12 along with Texas, but this scenario inevitably leaves a couple of these teams out in the cold.

5- Will this ACTUALLY Happen?

Not anytime soon. The Big 12 is already dead, it just hasn't had its funeral yet. Nebraska, Colorado, and Texas A&M combined with the Longhorn Network was the final nail in the coffin. Even though the conference is dead, we will have to wait several years for it to be finally laid rest.

Swardboy note: The Big 10 is all of a sudden a powerhouse conference again. I think Harbaugh will have success at Michigan, and Meyer could build perennial success at Ohio State. The Big 12 has a problem. Does anyone believe Baylor and TCU are going to remain perennial powers?

[SoonerorLater]

We can only hope.

[Eielson]

Sounds like some good off-season trolling.

[Tear Down This Wall]

If this happens, they'll let the Big 12 limp along for a few years, the same way they did the Big East, before they take it out back and put it out of its misery.

[Tear Down This Wall]

I'm inclined to believe the Big 10 would take Kansas, based on basketball and "academic reputation." I'd hope they'd take K-State as well.

Iowa State should go to the MAC, where it belongs.

The ones from Texas can rot away in whatever version of C-USA/Sun Belt/American Athletic they can cobble together. Maybe then they can invite in BYU. The remaining Texas schools are so accustomed to having someone else call the shots for them that they could then invite in BYU to push them around.

[Pride1Mom]

Supposedly, one of the reasons OU didn't leave for the SEC was the "so-called" tie with OSU. They said the same thing to Texas A&M and Texas, like Texas A&M couldn't survive without Texas. Looks like that notion was tossed out. If Alabama is supposed to be the power house, and OU has beaten Alabama three times in a row, wouldn't the other teams be gravy for OU, too? Since the SEC has too many schools, why can't the Big XII get a couple of their teams? Remember when the Big XII was first formed they had the most schools in the National Championship game......

[Eielson]

Cutting conference ties with OSU and Texas, unless under desperate circumstances, would be stupid. We're not currently under desperate circumstances.

[Tear Down This Wall]

Supposedly, one of the reasons OU didn't leave for the SEC was the "so-called" tie with OSU. They said the same thing to Texas A&M and Texas, like Texas A&M couldn't survive without Texas. Looks like that notion was tossed out. If Alabama is supposed to be the power house, and OU has beaten Alabama three times in a row, wouldn't the other teams be gravy for OU, too? Since the SEC has too many schools, why can't the Big XII get a couple of their teams? Remember when the Big XII was first formed they had the most schools in the National Championship game......

I couldn't care less how many times in a row we've beaten Alabama. What I'd like, as a season ticket holder, is the fact that we'd have in schools like Auburn, Bama, Georgia, Florida, LSU, etc. instead of Texas Tech, Iowa State, Baylor, TCU, etc.

The value of the season ticket would be much higher...ever try to sell a spare ticket to an Iowa State game? I couldn't go to the Kansas game last season - the Perine record breaker - so I put the tickets on the Soonersports.com exchange the day before...no one bought them. I had them on for $10 a piece, lower bowl, north end zone where the Ponies and Pride run out, 16 rows up. No takers to watch us beat the snot out of Kansas for 100th time in a row.

Crazy. Replace that garbage we inherited from the failed SWC and Big East with football programs that have followings - win, lose, or draw. It's what I argued four years ago. Please, Boren and Castiglione, make it happen!

[badger]

They said the same thing to Texas A&M and Texas, like Texas A&M couldn't survive without Texas.

A comparable situation would be OSU leaving OU for the SEC. If Texas left Texas A&M behind for the SEC, there would be much Aggie howling, like an inbred collie wearing fake army insignia.

If OU leaves OSU behind? Hell hath no fury.

[Tear Down This Wall]

Cutting conference ties with OSU and Texas, unless under desperate circumstances, would be stupid. We're not currently under desperate circumstances.

So, you disagree with Bob Stoops who said in 2011 that we could easily stop playing Texas and it wouldn't be a big deal?

https://oklahoma.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1261455

But with the uncertainty in the Big 12, and with Oklahoma President David Boren seeking stability in the Sooners' conference affiliation, Bob Stoops says he could see the Red River Rivalry coming to an end in the near future.

"I don't think it's necessary," said Stoops of continuing the rivalry if Oklahoma and Texas take up residence in separate conferences. "I know no one wants to hear that, but life changes and you've got to change with it, to whatever degree. If it works, great. I love the game, but if it doesn't, it doesn't. Sometimes that's the way it goes."

[Soonerjeepman]

folks, including myself, hated to see OU/husker rivalry go to the way side...but it did and life went on.

[swardboy]

We've played Alabama tough, we beat Tennessee, we were one incomplete pass away from beating LSU for the national championship...I think we would more than hold our own in the SEC. South Carolina's no worse than traveling to West Virginia...plus we'd get to play the old ball coach. I hear there's nothing better than tail-gating at Ole Miss. Plus having the Razorbacks into Norman to slaughter...great!

Nawwww....it ain't gonna happen.

[Tear Down This Wall]

We've played Alabama tough, we beat Tennessee, we were one incomplete pass away from beating LSU for the national championship...I think we would more than hold our own in the SEC. South Carolina's no worse than traveling to West Virginia...plus we'd get to play the old ball coach. I hear there's nothing better than tail-gating at Ole Miss. Plus having the Razorbacks into Norman to slaughter...great!

Nawwww....it ain't gonna happen.

Man, just think about it though. And ... and, those SOBs at Mizzou have it! That's the thing that just eats at me about the whole thing.

I understand Texas A&M, their big stadium filled with Big Southern Dummies - total SEC appeal. But, Mizzou and their imitation football stadium and program? Come on, man.

[Tear Down This Wall]

folks, including myself, hated to see OU/husker rivalry go to the way side...but it did and life went on.

Amen that. After growing up on the OU-Nebraska/Switzer-Osborne rivalry...if that can be let go, we can surely turn loose of the 'Horns.

[Sabanball]

Oklahoma will not be coming to the sec. That train left the station 3 yrs ago. The sec's next expansion will be eastward, probably into the states of Virginia and North Carolina. More than likely you guys will end up in the PAC 12.

[SoonerorLater]

Oklahoma will not be coming to the sec. That train left the station 3 yrs ago. The sec's next expansion will be eastward, probably into the states of Virginia and North Carolina. More than likely you guys will end up in the PAC 12.

Not really. OU would be as likely to end up in the SEC as anyplace else. Personally I think a 16 team conference is just plain silly but that is where I believe this is heading, four 16 team conferences. The math for an eight team playoff works out perfect. How it all plays out seems to be which conference cracks first, the ACC or the Big 12.

[Eielson]

So, you disagree with Bob Stoops who said in 2011 that we could easily stop playing Texas and it wouldn't be a big deal?

https://oklahoma.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1261455

But with the uncertainty in the Big 12, and with Oklahoma President David Boren seeking stability in the Sooners' conference affiliation, Bob Stoops says he could see the Red River Rivalry coming to an end in the near future.

"I don't think it's necessary," said Stoops of continuing the rivalry if Oklahoma and Texas take up residence in separate conferences. "I know no one wants to hear that, but life changes and you've got to change with it, to whatever degree. If it works, great. I love the game, but if it doesn't, it doesn't. Sometimes that's the way it goes."

Stoops supports your viewpoint, so his word is Gospel now? What about all the other times you've second-guessed him?

I'm not saying we couldn't survive. I'm saying it's stupid to do it unless we have to.

[Eielson]

Oklahoma will not be coming to the sec. That train left the station 3 yrs ago. The sec's next expansion will be eastward, probably into the states of Virginia and North Carolina.

OU can go wherever they want to go. We're not getting passed on for UVA or UNC.

[Sooner in Tampa]

OU can go wherever they want to go. We're not getting passed on for UVA or UNC.

Yup...it is beyond stupid to suggest otherwise.

The ONLY way the SEC is passes on OU is if they feel it would indeed create a murders row year in and year out. There would/could be a general fear that there is too much of a good thing.

We have years to ponder the scenarios...

[Tear Down This Wall]

OU can go wherever they want to go. We're not getting passed on for UVA or UNC.

Really? Then why did the Pac-12 turn us down in 2011 as a solo deal after Texas jumped ship on the package?

The Pac-12 wanted Texas, first and foremost. They would have taken us along with them. They did not want any other school tagging along. And, they didn't want us solo without Texas.

It's likely still that way for the Pac-12.

SEC was a different story. They would have taken us in a heartbeat had Boren and Castiglione not overplayed the Pac-12 hand that they didn't know would blow up on them. They needed a school to level out taking on Texas A&M, so much so that they took crappy Mizzou when Boren and Castiglione brushed them off.

Stupid. Boren and Castiglione not understanding what the Pac-12 really wanted was horrible. How disconnected from your fellow university presidents and athletic directors do you have to be that not even one will back channel you to warn that it's Texas or no one?

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports...not-expanding/

Awful. Then, to stick us with TCU and West Virginia. You talk about being reactive versus being proactive.