The Rest of College Football

[entropy]

do you guys think A&M is a big enough prize? I know the SEC "appears" to want them, but that is to get into texas. Are they worth it?

[Dr. Strangelove]

do you guys think A&M is a big enough prize? I know the SEC "appears" to want them, but that is to get into texas. Are they worth it?

I would think so. The problem is more finding a suitable 14th team.

[entropy]

if you headed that direction, you'd almost have to look at teams in that region, wouldn't you? Or would you balance and go after rutgers, BC or maryland?

not saying the BIG would, just pondering the idea. I don't think the BigTen is moving until ND does

[Jeff Buchanan]

I don't think the BigTen is moving until ND does

Agree with this. Events may conspire to produce three Super conferences outside the BCS/NCAA although the BCS may try to partner. But the SEC, PAC12 and B10 have all the leverage.

B10 will go for ND plus 1 to get to 14 but will wait to see when ND is soft enough to fold their tent on independence. The collapse of the B12 is imminent; I could see Texas getting shut out and then muscled in to the B10 when all of this sorts itself out. I wouldn't doubt they'll try independence and ND may hang with them. But it's just a matter of time.

[entropy]

The NCAA has placed LSU's football program on probation for one year and handed it recruiting and scholarship reductions after its Committee on Infractions cited the program with major violations.

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[WM Wolverine]

I like A&M as an addition a lot, they have quite a bit to offer. Texas has stolen a lot of A&M fans away from them with their success in the past 10 plus seasons.

[Hannibal]

A&M is a big time underacheiving program. Next to Notre Dame and UCLA, probably the biggest underacheivers in the country over the past 10-15 years.

[entropy]

A&M would get the BIG into texas, specifically Houston side of the state... They have good academics... I think they have good/decent fans... they can play basketball... good at baseball..

Not sure if you'd need another school in that region/area or not if you went that route.

[entropy]

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said Tuesday that his book is more about his career than his firing because he started writing it before he was dismissed amid accusations he mistreated a player with a concussion.

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[lineygoblue]

Texas A&M in the Big Ten?

No.

[entropy]

I guess if the BigTen had to expand... and ND was still no, I'm not sure A&M is that bad of an option. tough to think who is better, and reasonable.

[entropy]

In an effort to reduce the number of concussions and subconcussive hits, Ivy League football teams will be allowed to have just two full-contact practices a week, three less than the NCAA allows.

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[entropy]

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2011-07-20/oklahoma-texas-am-may-look-at-moving-to-sec-because-of-texas-tv-network

BIRMINGHAM—The continuing evolution of Texas’ place in the Big 12 will have far-reaching ramifications—including the most powerful conference in college football.

A source told Sporting News Wednesday that both Texas A&M and Oklahoma are so concerned about rival Texas gaining a recruiting advantage with the newly-formed Longhorn Network, the two institutions could turn to the SEC if the problems can’t be figured out. The core issue: The Longhorn Network will televise live high school football games in the state of Texas, an obvious recruiting advantage for Texas.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive said Wednesday that he will “continue to do what is in the best interest of the SEC.”

“It is my job to make sure the SEC is the premiere league,” Slive said. “For me to exclude any action that would preclude that from happening would be inappropriate.”

Texas A&M and Oklahoma were both in talks with the SEC last summer when Texas was contemplating a move to the Pac-10. The Big 12 eventually made it work in the 11th hour, in part, because of heavyweight Texas’ deal to pursue its own television network outside of the league coffers.

Now that the network will include televising high school games in the state of Texas, the dynamics of the Big 12 (and the SEC) could still change. Slive said that he is “comfortable” with the current 12-team SEC, and that it would take a “paradigm shift” for the SEC to expand.

Texas A&M and Oklahoma looking for a new home would be that kind of shift. Moreover, Slive said the SEC’s television deals with CBS and ESPN have clauses that allow them to renegotiate if the conference structure changes.

In other words, adding two teams wouldn’t mean the SEC is dividing the current revenue pie. It would mean, more than anything, completely restructured deals that would likely dwarf the $2 billion-plus the SEC receives from current CBS and ESPN deals.

[WM Wolverine]

The SEC has a very long-term TV contract, its a lot harder to expand with that than it would be for those who have TV contracts set to expire in the next few years...

This is one major advantage the B10 has with the BTN has over everyone. In the past few years, advertising rates have skyrocketed for live sporting events, particularly football. Its not that there are that many more people watching it recently, its who is watching it. Who being males in the 20-50 age group, this group doesn't watch a lot of TV so advertisers need to pay big to make sure they advertise when they are watching. Also with the advent of tivo/dvr, many people aren't watching television commercials; one of the exceptions where people still actually watch commercials is live sporting events which get a hefty premium from advertisers...

B10 is really enjoying its BTN which has been a major windfall. Believe it was reported that the B10 distributed $22.7mil in revenues for '10.

[Mike]

The Big Ten distributed $22.7 mil to the members. I believe the amount from BTN was $7.9 mil which was a 25% increase over the previous year.