Question: If the Big 10 expands how would it affect the SEC?

[Heavy D]

I don't want the title to be a teaser, so please adjust as necessary.

I have 2 scenarios.

Scenario #1:
IF the Big 10 were to talk Kentucky into leaving the SEC for the Big 10, who would the SEC replace Kentucky with? Would it be a more eastern school? Would it be a western school and if so would the divisions need to be reworked? Please do not respond with whether Kentucky would do it or not, this is just a question of what if.

Scenario #2:
IF the Big 10 were to take Mizzou from the Big 12 and IF Arkansas were to join the Big 12, who would replace Arkansas? Would it be a more eastern school? Would it be a western school and if so would the divisions need to be reworked?

Again, please don't respond with the likelihood of this happening or not, this is just for discussion.

 

[RedStar]

Impossible to ask people to respond to what would happen if Kentucky left without allowing them to voice whether or not they think Kentucky would leave. They've got too much of a basketball advantage in the SEC, and they're a basketball school. They'd have no reason/benefit to leave.

IF they did leave, I could see the SEC going after a Texas school. UF would put up a HUGE fight if the SEC tried to get a second team from Florida. So where do you go? North Carolina? 3 of those 4 wouldn't dream of leaving the ACC (Wake, UNC, Duke) N.C. State is a possibility, but who knows? I know that North Carolina has a huge recruiting pool, so it would be nice to have one of those schools in our conference. Plus South Carolina has a natural rivalry with them, so it would make sense from that standpoint too. N.C. State is kind of under the thumb of UNC and Duke, so I wouldn't be shocked if given an opportunity, they'd take the out.

If Mizzu left and Arky left, which is much more likely than KY leaving, I'd still look to N.C. State. You could move Vandy to the West, they'd make the most geographical sense, and try and talk N.C. State into leaving the ACC, which is an opportunity I think they'd jump at.

 

[runtheoption22]

Scenario 1:

I think the SEC would have to go after an ACC team, Louisville, or USF. The main reasons being: 1) stadium sizes, 2) current SEC states (or branch into NC), 3) would fall into the East division easily.

Scenario 2:

A little more difficult that Scenario 1. I think the SEC would still have to go after an ACC school, Lousville, or USF and work out realignment (Vandy to the west?)

However, the SEC might look at So. Miss, Memphis, or La. Tech. All of these schools are familiar with SEC opponents. So. Miss and La Tech have smaller stadiums, though. None of those options really scream "SEC" to me, though.

Again, this is just IF THIS SCENARIO HAPPENED.

 

[Heavy D]

Impossible to ask people to respond to what would happen if Kentucky left without allowing them to voice whether or not they think Kentucky would leave. They've got too much of a basketball advantage in the SEC, and they're a basketball school. They'd have no reason/benefit to leave.

I'm sorry. I just wanted people to deal with the question and not have the answer be, "they'd never do that."

You are right, they probably wouldn't, however there would be some advantages to them jumping with the main ones being the Big 10 is more of a b-ball conference than the SEC and Kentucky has more of a Big 10 culture on campus. Most of their students are from the Ohio/Indiana/Kentucky area which makes it unique to the SEC because most of the other school populations are from SEC "states". Granted though, I think it would be a very big mistake for Kentucky to leave the SEC.

Anyway, I guess answer however you like then.

 

[TideEngineer08]

Scenario #1:

Replace Kentucky with North Carolina. Basketball power/mediocre football team for basketball power/mediocre football team.

Scenario #2:

Replace Arkansas with Texas A&M. Football tradition is similar. Opens recruiting in Texas. Renews a semi-rivalry with LSU.

If getting North Carolina from the ACC or Texas A&M from the Big 12 is unrealistic, so is losing Kentucky or Arkansas.

 

[RedStar]

I'm sorry. I just wanted people to deal with the question and not have the answer be, "they'd never do that."

You are right, they probably wouldn't, however there would be some advantages to them jumping with the main ones being the Big 10 is more of a b-ball conference than the SEC and Kentucky has more of a Big 10 culture on campus. Most of their students are from the Ohio/Indiana/Kentucky area which makes it unique to the SEC because most of the other school populations are from SEC "states". Granted though, I think it would be a very big mistake for Kentucky to leave the SEC.

Anyway, I guess answer however you like then.

I didn't mean for that to come off rude. Tone is hard to convey in writing. Every time I tried to type out an answer, I kept coming back to the fact that I didn't think Kentucky would do it, and I felt like I had to express that before I could actually answer the question at hand :biggrin2:

It's all good :cheers2:

 

[Heavy D]

I didn't mean for that to come off rude. Tone is hard to convey in writing. Every time I tried to type out an answer, I kept coming back to the fact that I didn't think Kentucky would do it, and I felt like I had to express that before I could actually answer the question at hand :biggrin2:

It's all good :cheers2:

No offense taking, no apology necessary.

 

[Heavy D]

Let me throw out the possibility of Houston being the one to replace either school.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Let me throw out the possibility of Houston being the one to replace either school.

TCU?

 

[RedStar]

TCU?

If we're going to expand to Texas, I'd like to see it us go after TCU, they're style of play fits more with the SEC, plus they have high academic standards.

 

[TideEngineer08]

Let me throw out the possibility of Houston being the one to replace either school.

It's a big market. They've had some success recently in C-USA. But I can't help but think that all these teams that are mentioned, Houston, Louisville, Southern Miss, Memphis, South Florida, etc. are all major step downs from the potential loss of say, an Arkansas. Of course, I'm thinking purely from a football fan's perspective and not considering factors such as basketball prestige, academic prestige, etc.

 

[CullmanTide]

Let me throw out the possibility of Houston being the one to replace either school.

Houston is a viable option. Fertile recruiting area and a major tv market. Even if the SEC did not lose anyone Houston would be a great addition.

 

[NYBamaFan]

We bring in Notre Dame... :biggrin2:

 

[gmart74]

UNC wouldn't leave the ACC- they are entrenched in the tobacco road power of the ACC. as much as i despise clemson, they would be a better it for the sec- big stadium, likes football, are the blacksheep of the acc, and they are ok in basketball

 

[CapstoneGrad06]

I don't want the title to be a teaser, so please adjust as necessary.

I have 2 scenarios.

Scenario #1:
IF the Big 10 were to talk Kentucky into leaving the SEC for the Big 10, who would the SEC replace Kentucky with? Would it be a more eastern school? Would it be a western school and if so would the divisions need to be reworked? Please do not respond with whether Kentucky would do it or not, this is just a question of what if.

Scenario #2:
IF the Big 10 were to take Mizzou from the Big 12 and IF Arkansas were to join the Big 12, who would replace Arkansas? Would it be a more eastern school? Would it be a western school and if so would the divisions need to be reworked?

Again, please don't respond with the likelihood of this happening or not, this is just for discussion.

I don't see Kentucky leaving. They are a charter member of the SEC, and they know how easy it is for them to own this league in basketball.

Arkansas, on the other hand, has always seemed like an outsider, even more so than South Carolina. They have much more in common with the Big XII South teams, in history and distance from those campuses. If the Big Ten was to add Missouri, although unlikely considering their history with the old Big Eight (current Big XII North), there would be realignment in the Big XII and I think the Big XII would look to Arkansas and TCU. Had Arkansas not jumped on the SEC offer in 1991, they would have been part of the Big XII when it formed in 1996, so this wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. However, I don't think the Big Ten is going to be able to take a team of Missouri's caliber. I suspect one of the Big East teams would be on the move (i.e. Syracuse, Rutgers, or Cincinnati).

 

[Heavy D]

It's a big market. They've had some success recently in C-USA. But I can't help but think that all these teams that are mentioned, Houston, Louisville, Southern Miss, Memphis, South Florida, etc. are all major step downs from the potential loss of say, an Arkansas. Of course, I'm thinking purely from a football fan's perspective and not considering factors such as basketball prestige, academic prestige, etc.

Houston has only recently been religated to football obscurity by the break up of the SWC. Before that, they were consistently in big bowls winning the conference ranked in the top 10. This was as late as the early 90's.

Houston would be a fantastic pick up over TCU, in my opinion.

 

[gumptider]

Of the two schools, I think Arkansas would be the more likely to leave the conference. After all, they were in the last wave of expansion and others have pointed out the draw of Kentucky basketball in the SEC. I just couldn't see Kentucky giving up their place in the SEC and joining the Big Ten.

If Arkansas were to leave, I am not sure the SEC would necessarily look westward for a replacement. That would seem logical, but it might simply be easier to move an East team westward (such as Kentucky) and get a better 12th team.

To think about good candidates, I think you have to consider all sports. North Carolina might fit for football, but it would never leave the ACC because of basketball. Similarly, I think Kentucky would keep Louisville out of the conference because of recruiting reasons and basketball. Southern Miss would never make the cut because of the other Mississippi schools. You also have to consider longevity of the candidate programs and whether their quality will last.

That leaves a few strong candidates, I think. The SEC would love to open up a Texas recruiting base, so TCU would seem to be a good choice. Maybe Texas A & M would even show some interest, given their step-brother status to Texas. Another possibility could be Memphis, although Ole Miss would probably pitch a fit and they would be more of a basketball addition.

Looking east, I think you would have to look at Virginia Tech, which is a football school first and foremost and a new addition to the ACC. You might also look at Clemson, although South Carolina wouldn't like it.

I, for one, would love to see Virginia Tech in the SEC with maybe Kentucky or Vanderbilt moving to the West. Just my thoughts.

 

[KrAzY3]

Well, firstly I think the Big 10 is going to look at Notre Dame and then go hard for Pitt. I don't see them going after Kentucky, but if they did it would probably be after Missouri. Missouri makes some sense for both sides since the Big 12 needs to improve the North and this would give them a excuse to realign (they could snatch up TCU and realign without losing much).

Anyway, since this is basically what team would you add to the SEC I'll toss the ones that really impressed me.

Louisville is a great addition because they want to be competitive in football but they're not too good. They earn tons in basketball revenue, so they would be the perfect addition if we kept their rival (Kentucky).

After that I always felt it got muddy.

You have USF who would give the SEC a Florida rivalry (good attendance to), East Carolina has good attendance and a decent football program and West Virginia actually could fit well provided it wasn't Kentucky that was leaving. Then you have the three ACC teams that could fit in nicely (FSU, Clemson and Georgia Tech). If Arkansas didn't leave I'd see TCU as the logical addition since they are just dying to join a major conference and have decent addendance. A lot of other teams are non-starters to me because they just don't draw or would be the third team in a state. If a new team was brought into the SEC they idealy would be able to bring in their share of the funds.

So, to me it's like this:

Best fit (if Kentucky stays):
Louisville

Easy to get:
USF
East Carolina
West Virginia

More difficult:
Clemson (if you take out the difficulty if snatching a ACC team they might be the actual best fit)
FSU
Georgia Tech

Western expansion (Arkansas stays):
TCU

 

[RollTideMang]

If (and it's a gigantic if as others have pointed out) Kentucky were to leave, I'd say try to get GT back in our conference, or maybe even FL State.

If Arkansas were to leave, we could go after another of our original members, and get Tulane. :biggrin:

I can't see aTm leaving the Big 12 for the SEC. That's a huge distance to travel to play USCe or vice versa.

I would have to agree with others when I say that they (Arkansas) would be the likely one to leave if the scenario were to happen. They would probably have a lot more BCS success if they weren't having to play Alabama every year.

P.S. Everyone keeps saying if Mizzou goes to the Big10...I'm just curious if someone can tell me what reason they would leave the Big12 for the Big1012? Do they feel they would have a better chance to win?

 

[RT3413]

P.S. Everyone keeps saying if Mizzou goes to the Big10...I'm just curious if someone can tell me what reason they would leave the Big12 for the Big1012? Do they feel they would have a better chance to win?

The basic rumor is the ptb at Mizzou are frustrated by the Big 12's continued focus on Football (specifically Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska) and want a more balanced focus. Also there's a thought that after some recent improvements Mizzou is a better academic fit for the 10 vs the 12.

Frankly, I think it's all poppycock. The Big 10 wants Notre Dame - always have. ND has NO reason to join a conference in football (they're already in the Big East in BB) and won't at least until their NBC contract runs out in 2015. The 10 MAY settle for Pitt (over Penn State's dead body) in order to get the revenue and prestige of a Football CG but it would be just that - settling. My guess is if they don't get Pitt they'll go for Cincinnati and stop there if none of those three are interested.