Central Florida a possible team to add to the Big 12

[NickZepp]

You have to try and go higher first. Go for ND and BYU. If you don't get them then you look for the UCFs and Louisvilles of the world. A big advantage that the Big 12 has to get a ND or BYU is that they will let programs have their own TV networks. If the big conference thing is the way to go that will entice a ND and BYU more than a Big East or Big 10 would. If the Big 12 doesn't try to get those 2 first then they are flat out stupid.

 

[Cheno]

Schools like KU, OSU and ISU can go to the MWC or to C-USA where they belong.

KU belongs in the ACC. If the Big 12 ever disbands that is where I'd hope they'd land.

 

[SilliSooner]

KU belongs in the ACC. If the Big 12 ever disbands that is where I'd hope they'd land.

How many away games would you attend? Besides the opportunity to get Roy Williams autograph?

 

[SilliSooner]

If we're adding vacation spots, I guess you can't beat UCF in the East and UNLV for the West. The travel packagers would like that.

 

[followingsooners]

Won't happen. Believe it or not, decisions like this are made by university presidents. Prestige and academics of the school is as important as or more important than sports and money. CFU idea won't sit well at the presidents' table. Same reason why Boise State won't happen either. Honestly, I think the obvious choices for B12 are far and between. They (presidents) may try to pull something crazy out of it, such as ND, or maybe even Air Force. Things have to satisfy the Chancellors, Presidents, Provosts, and rich and famous alumni first.

Seriously though, why not Air Force Academy?

 

[SilliSooner]

Do people consider UCF a glorified junior college? What graduate schools do they have?

 

[thebigabd]

Do people consider UCF a glorified junior college? What graduate schools do they have?

According to US News, they are ranked 179th in academic rankings.

OSU is ranked 132nd
Texas Tech is ranked 159th

 

[Big Old Booger]

I'm sorry abd, but I couldn't get excited about the Knights of Central Florida joining the conference. We don't need any directional schools.

 

[followingsooners]

According to US News, they are ranked 179th in academic rankings.

OSU is ranked 132nd
Texas Tech is ranked 159th

If it wasn't the state legislatures from OK and TX made them bundle deals with OU and Texas receptively, they would be ditched by OU and Texas for sure. That tells you that their ranking is NOT by any means the standard for a new Big 12 member. No way after loosing Neb and Colorado, Big 12 is happy to take a school that is barely comparable to the two worst schools in the conference.

 

[MissouriFan]

If and when it comes time to expand my first realistic choice would be Louisville.

They add a new market, aren't ridiculously far away, just spent $72 million and expanded their football stadium to 55,000, just spent $238 million on a brand new 22,000 seat basketball arena, add a decent football program and a great hoops program. On the downside their enrollment is small and academics aren't that impressive.



To help compare here are some numbers for teams I've seen mentioned here and elsewhere. I did leave out any teams from states we already have since I'm pretty sure any expansion will need to increase our footprint.

Football Stadium Capacity
65,000 - South Florida
64,045 - BYU
62,380 - Memphis
55,000 - Louisville
45,301 - Central Florida
40,094 - New Mexico
35,097 - Cincinnati
34,400 - Colorado State
34,000 - Boise State

Basketball Arena Capacity
22,700 - BYU
22,000 - Louisville
18,119 - Memphis
18,018 - New Mexico
13,176 - Cincinnati
12,820 - Boise State
11,324 - South Florida
10,045 - Central Florida
8,745 - Colorado State

Number of trips to the NCAA tournament
36 - Louisville
25 - BYU
24 - Cincinnati
18 - Memphis
12 - New Mexico
8 - Colorado State
5 - Boise State
4 - Central Florida
2 - South Florida

Enrollment
56,235 - Central Florida
45,713 - South Florida
41,250 - Cincinnati
34,674 - New Mexico
32,955 - BYU
24,875 - Colorado State
23,031 - Memphis
19,993 - Boise State
19,743 - Louisville

Endowment
$832.9 million - Cincinnati
$599.7 million - Louisville
$296.0 million - South Florida
$279.7 million - New Mexico
$180.1 million - Memphis
$148.1 million - Colorado State
$129 million - Boise State
$91.95 million - Central Florida
N/A - BYU

US News Ranking
75 - BYU
124 - Colorado State
156 - Cincinnati
176 - Louisville
179 - Central Florida
183 - South Florida
Tier 2 - Memphis
Tier 2 - New Mexico
Regional - Boise State (51st in the west region)


Two thoughts after looking at all of that.

1. I think I would either expand West with BYU and Colorado State or East with Cincinnati and Louisville.

2. I can see why the Big 12 isn't in a hurry to expand. Maybe a few years down the road some of these schools will have improved some of their flaws.

 

[Cheno]

How many away games would you attend? Besides the opportunity to get Roy Williams autograph?

1 to 2 more per year than I do now.
Probably go to one extra home game because UNC & Duke games in Allen Fieldhouse would be absolute must sees. Then I would try (if schedule worked out) to try and get to a road game at UNC or Duke just because that would be amazing. There isn't a road game in the Big 12 for KU that has anywhere near the sizzle of that. The atmosphere would be ridiculous. Gotta a best friend in DC so that would give me an excuse every 3rd year to go there for Maryland game. Yes distance is a factor but we're talking some monumental matchups with storied programs in big time atmospheres.

 

[stoops4pres]

Great info MissouriFan. Those are definitely some interesting figures.

 

[okcsooner83]

Louisville would be better to add than ucf.

 

[NickZepp]

I don't really see Louisville leaving the Big East. They are about to add TCU and Villanova I think. And it's easier to win that conference in football and you can possibly make more money in the Big East for that reason. In the Big 12 there is probably still not realistic chance for them to beat OU or Texas year in and year out. The Big East doesn't really have a team that strong.

 

[buttermaker1]

Maybe the Big 12 should consider bringing in Central Florida as an 11th member, and then going after someone else (Louisville?) to make the Big 12 whole again.

• UCF is a huge school, with over 50,000 students.
• Brand new basketball arena
• Brand new basketball practice facility
• Brand new football stadium

The football team has a high profile coach (George O'Leary) and is the best team in C-USA, and is ranked in the final top 25 standings.

The basketball team is currently 11-0, and also ranked in the top 25. Plus, Michael Jordan may come to Norman to watch his son play if they were in the Big 12.

All of the expansion ideas have been with western schools... why not go east and get a rising program with legit facilities like UCF?

Basketball has zero influence on the future of any team in the 12. I would prefer OU go to the SEC before we add mid major football programs to replace NU and CU. What most don't realize is OU was headed to the SEC. UT and some of the rest to the Pac 10. OU's SEC surprise killed the pac 16 idea. UT chickened out and left CU holding the Pac 10 bag of crap.

There will be 3 or 4 super conferences each with 16 teams in 3 years. Again Basketball has zero influence in this part of the country.