What's Next For Big 12?

The Big 12 managed to stay together after losing Colorado and Nebraska and some saber rattling from Texas and Texas A&M.

Now what?? With the conference apparently on firm footing again, it's time for the Big 12 to go after some other schools and actually get back to 12 teams. So Colorado and Nebraska are gone. I say good riddance! Nebraska realized it was never going to get a leg up on Oklahoma or Texas and Colorado was a stepchild in the Big 12, so both ran away to try their luck elsewhere.

Now the Big 12 needs to beef up by going after LSU and Arkansas. Why would both join the big 12? Money of course. But wait, doesn't the SEC offer a bigger payout to league members? By all reports they do, but if the Big 12 comes up with some new TV money and allows teams to go after their own TV contracts, there is more money to be had.

Arkansas has become nothing more than a whipping post since leaving the Southwest Conference and has to long for the days of past conference rivalries with the Longhorns and Aggies, although the Hogs were smart enough to nail down a non-conference schedule with the Aggies at Jerry World for the next nine years. Meanwhile, LSU would be better served by yearly tussles with the neighboring state of Texas. Yes, LSU has a couple decent rivalries with Alabama and Florida, but geographically their fan base is much closer to College Station and Austin. The biggest benefit for both of these schools would be that it puts them in a better position to recruit Texas.

The next thing to do is to jettison Iowa State and round up TCU. The Horned Frogs are showing they are perennial top ten material in football and have advanced to the College World Series in baseball. Iowa State.......maybe the Pac 10 has a place for you. TCU......there's a place for you in the Big 12; but you need to add 15-20,000 seats to your stadium and make sure it's packed on Saturday's.

On any given Saturday I would pay to see Oklahoma/LSU, Texas/Arkansas, TCU vs. Texas A&M and Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State. Kansas State, Kansas, Missouri and Baylor would round out one of the nation's top, if not the top conference in college football.

We can all dream can't we?