Big 12/SEC debate

[WichitaSooner]

https://www.oudaily.com/sports/ou-b...cle_81356c68-9dce-11ed-b049-bb0fda33030e.html

Excellent article that looks at how the conference move will likely affect us. This is essentially what I’ve been arguing in another thread. Yes, we may have a path to a couple more wins in the SEC because the bottom teams are weaker. But we won’t have an easier path to making the tourney. If anything, the weakness of the bottom of the league will make it slightly harder to get a bid because there are more opportunities for bad losses and fewer opportunities for good wins. Bottom line is that to actually improve our chances, we need to improve the quality of our team, not just hope changing leagues will do the trick.

 

[thebigabd]

I hate everything about the move to the SEC. Your relationships with other programs in the area are part of what makes college athletics so fun. Conference re-alignment, television money, and greed have ruined that.

Duke - North Carolina
Bedlam
West Virginia and Pittsburgh
Nebraska and Colorado
Minnesota and Iowa
Purdue and Indiana
Missouri and Kansas
Etc....

The biggest strategic mistake OU made here is surrendering it's position as top dog in the league. OU takes a backseat to Alabama, Georgia, and perhaps others.

My gut feeling says this will significantly hurt OU, like going to the Big 10 did Nebraska. Probably not on that scale, but it will hurt OU.

 

[BoulderSooner]

I hate everything about the move to the SEC. Your relationships with other programs in the area are part of what makes college athletics so fun. Conference re-alignment, television money, and greed have ruined that.

Duke - North Carolina
Bedlam
West Virginia and Pittsburgh
Nebraska and Colorado
Minnesota and Iowa
Purdue and Indiana
Missouri and Kansas
Etc....

The biggest strategic mistake OU made here is surrendering it's position as top dog in the league. OU takes a backseat to Alabama, Georgia, and perhaps others.

My gut feeling says this will significantly hurt OU, like going to the Big 10 did Nebraska. Probably not on that scale, but it will hurt OU.

only football matters in realignment and moveing to the SEC is 100% a win for OU football ..

 

[SoonerDutch]

I guess OU is losing some relative statue in a conference pecking order by moving to the SEC but would prefer the more institutionalized approach. OU is 1/2 of powerbrokers in the Big 12 but Texas is clearly holding the majority of the cards at the end of the day. In the long-run, I think the SEC will be more sustainable (not to mention the $ payday helping the AD, broader university community).

Also think the rivalries/relationship will grow with other SEC members from a basketball perspective. I am fairly young (started following as a kid in early Big 12 days) but OU/Missouri seemed like a more traditional basketball rival than all but Texas/Ok State. Texas will still be there, believe Arkansas will be as much of a rival in short order as Ok State (assuming we get our own basketball house in order), they are a better program after all. From a casual fan perspective, I think it’s more important to have the easy conference wins as opposed to the quality conference losses which have become so common since 2018. That will help the fan support IMO.

Probably an unpopular opinion but I will personally be nostalgic about the KC environment for the conference tournament.

 

[WichitaSooner]

I guess OU is losing some relative statue in a conference pecking order by moving to the SEC but would prefer the more institutionalized approach. OU is 1/2 of powerbrokers in the Big 12 but Texas is clearly holding the majority of the cards at the end of the day. In the long-run, I think the SEC will be more sustainable (not to mention the $ payday helping the AD, broader university community).

Also think the rivalries/relationship will grow with other SEC members from a basketball perspective. I am fairly young (started following as a kid in early Big 12 days) but OU/Missouri seemed like a more traditional basketball rival than all but Texas/Ok State. Texas will still be there, believe Arkansas will be as much of a rival in short order as Ok State (assuming we get our own basketball house in order), they are a better program after all. From a casual fan perspective, I think it’s more important to have the easy conference wins as opposed to the quality conference losses which have become so common since 2018. That will help the fan support IMO.

Probably an unpopular opinion but I will personally be nostalgic about the KC environment for the conference tournament.

I think a lot of us share your thoughts on KC. Our lack of recent conference tourney success may have dampened the enthusiasm a bit, but that has always been a great host and a great atmosphere. Sure, it stinks that KU and ISU have a home court advantage, but the pros definitely have outweighed the cons.

 

[mict085]

The move to the SEC is absolutely the best move for the university. The original Big12 is dead and it’s not coming back. Staying in the Big12 at this point is detrimental to the athletic dept. Looking back with nostalgia does no good for the current state of the athletic dept.

The move to the SEC will provide more money for the AD and allow us to be more competitive with coaches salaries and such. Competing in SEC basketball won’t be much different than the Big12. If we don’t improve the team and the program, we will be a perennial bottom half team with no NCAA tourney aspirations regardless of what league we play in.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I think a lot of us share your thoughts on KC. Our lack of recent conference tourney success may have dampened the enthusiasm a bit, but that has always been a great host and a great atmosphere. Sure, it stinks that KU and ISU have a home court advantage, but the pros definitely have outweighed the cons.

For those of us that live in KC and love attending the the Big 12 basketball tourament, it will be even better with the other 4 teams. BYU will travel a bunch of fans and I'd expect Cinci to do the same. As a Kelvin fan, I will be cheering for him, Kellen, Quannis White, Hollis Price, and Rabadeaux's son who is also on staff.

OU and Texas never really take fans to KC so from a fan perspective it's not a big loss. That's sad to say (about my sooners) but it's the truth.

 

[thebigabd]

The move to the SEC is absolutely the best move for the university. The original Big12 is dead and it’s not coming back.

moveing to the SEC is 100% a win for OU football ..

Completely disagree.... AND, again, be careful here... Lots of people in Lincoln, NE said the same thing and its been a complete disaster.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Completely disagree.... AND, again, be careful here... Lots of people in Lincoln, NE said the same thing and its been a complete disaster.

The Nebraska comparison is the most overplayed thing around. Both teams wear red and they used to be in the same conference. That’s about all they have in common.

 

[mict085]

Completely disagree.... AND, again, be careful here... Lots of people in Lincoln, NE said the same thing and it’s been a complete disaster.

You’re comparing apples and oranges. Not the same. Norman, ok is not moving farther from DFW. Our traditional recruiting region isn’t changing. The SEC brand will only help recruiting. The top talent in texas wants to play in the SEC and it’s geographically just as close as most of the Big12.

Nebraska recruiting texas kids and Cali kids to play in the northeast B1G is not at all the same as OU recruiting texas kids to play in the SEC. We will be fine. Your comparison is completely ignorant and inapplicable.

 

[WichitaSooner]

You’re comparing apples and oranges. Not the same. Norman, ok is not moving farther from DFW. Our traditional recruiting region isn’t changing. The SEC brand will only help recruiting. The top talent in texas wants to play in the SEC and it’s geographically just as close as most of the Big12.

Nebraska recruiting texas kids and Cali kids to play in the northeast B1G is not at all the same as OU recruiting texas kids to play in the SEC. We will be fine. Your comparison is completely ignorant and inapplicable.

Yep. Plus, Nebraska had started to fade from relevance long before the move. We haven't made the playoff in three years, and last season was awful, but unless things continue going south under Vanables, I'd sure like to think we will be on much better footing at the time of the move than Nebraska was when they headed to the B1G.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Completely disagree.... AND, again, be careful here... Lots of people in Lincoln, NE said the same thing and its been a complete disaster.

I always lol when people compare ou to Nebraska in relation to realignment

 

[bob the nailer]

I couldn't disagree more about Kansas City- it's a crime that the tournament is held
1. In KU's backyard
2. Close to ISU
3. In Missouri, a state with no Big 12 team but which gets all the tax revenue. Yes Virginia, the arena is in Missouri not Kansas

It was a lot of fun when the tournament would rotate, went a couple of times in Dallas, and when the tourney was here in OKC and the men were playing in the Ford center at the same time the women played in the Cox center that was a ton of fun. I realize the big 12 sold it soul to KC and Jerry Jones, and when the football game became a permanent resident of Jerrah World, the basketball tournament went to KC.

I can't wait to get out of this conference.

 

[SoonerDutch]

I couldn't disagree more about Kansas City- it's a crime that the tournament is held
1. In KU's backyard
2. Close to ISU
3. In Missouri, a state with no Big 12 team but which gets all the tax revenue. Yes Virginia, the arena is in Missouri not Kansas

It was a lot of fun when the tournament would rotate, went a couple of times in Dallas, and when the tourney was here in OKC and the men were playing in the Ford center at the same time the women played in the Cox center that was a ton of fun. I realize the big 12 sold it soul to KC and Jerry Jones, and when the football game became a permanent resident of Jerrah World, the basketball tournament went to KC.

I can't wait to get out of this conference.

I don’t disagree it’s competitively more challenging (could care less about tax dollars benefiting a Big 12 state even if it’s OK) but it’s a great environment for a sporting event.

I never made it to AA but the OKC Tournament was nowhere near as electric as KC. Maybe it would grow into that over multiple years but KC has really embraced it. The only comparable environment is Dallas during OU/Tx and I’m sure that took decades to develop.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Completely disagree.... AND, again, be careful here... Lots of people in Lincoln, NE said the same thing and its been a complete disaster.

show me the last time nebraska was in the top 5 in recruiting


or top 10 for that matter??

 

[WTSooner]

only football matters in realignment and moveing to the SEC is 100% a win for OU football ..

We'll see about that. If it doesn't help with recruiting, I'm going to say over the long run, it won't be a win.

Better path to the CFP, even the expanded version, from the Big 12. And I still argue that rivalries and games against teams that I'd consider more "local" to Oklahoma matter. The ONLY thing OU is getting from the SEC move, for certain, is more money. And I can't help but wonder had OU and/or texas stayed in the Big 12, if we couldn't have simply asked for more money from the Big 12 to stay, putting us on par with the SEC money. The Big 12 was willing to give both schools 1.5 shares of revenue sharing when the SEC things first came up. That tells me OU and texas never really had those conversations with the Big 12 before.

 

[WTSooner]

We'll see about that. If it doesn't help with recruiting, I'm going to say over the long run, it won't be a win.

Better path to the CFP, even the expanded version, from the Big 12. And I still argue that rivalries and games against teams that I'd consider more "local" to Oklahoma matter. The ONLY thing OU is getting from the SEC move, for certain, is more money. And I can't help but wonder had OU and/or texas stayed in the Big 12, if we couldn't have simply asked for more money from the Big 12 to stay, putting us on par with the SEC money. The Big 12 was willing to give both schools 1.5 shares of revenue sharing when the SEC things first came up. That tells me OU and texas never really had those conversations with the Big 12 before.

I'll add, I think there would have been a really good shot the Big 12 could have landed UCLA and usc had OU and texas stuck around. That would have been a really nice conference, one that could have competed easily with both the Big 10 and the SEC.

 

[thebigabd]

show me the last time nebraska was in the top 5 in recruiting


or top 10 for that matter??

They left the Big 12 for the Big 10 in the 2012 season.

Big 12
2002: #39 recruiting class
2003: #41 recruiting class
2004: #27 recruiting class
2005: #5 recruiting class
2006: #20 recruiting class
2007: #13 recruiting class
2008: #30 recruiting class
2009: #28 recruiting class
2010: #22 recruiting class
2011: #15 recruiting class

Big 10
2012: #25 recruiting class
2013: #17 recruiting class
2014: #32 recruiting class
2015: #31 recruiting class
2016: #24 recruiting class
2017: #20 recruiting class
2018: #21 recruiting class
2019: #15 recruiting class
2020: #17 recruiting class
2021: #18 recruiting class
2022: #41 recruiting class
2023: #24 recruiting class

Big 12 Average: 24

Big 10 Average: 23.75

Almost on the dot, moving to the Big 10 did not help their recruiting efforts. I would also say that based on their recruiting, they have underperformed. They should be more competitive than they have been.

I think their recruiting would have improved a little bit had they stayed in the Big 12, getting in the top 20 pretty regularly... Probably to the slight detriment of OSU, KSU, ISU in terms of recruits. They were 17-7 in their last 3 years in the Big 12.

As for OU... only time will tell. None of us can prove either way what will happen, but my conviction on this remains unchanged. This will hurt the program, not financially, but competitively.

 

[allday92]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/BenColdagelli/status/1619443556913156096?s=20&t=-WIwrFFWaqHNR-hs-7dCoQ[/TWEET]

 

[TINY]

Cannot wait to play in the sec. We will dominate that league in a few years.