Texas Realignment Options - Part 7

Recently, Oklahoma President David Boren has demanded that the Big 12 Conference do three things - add 2 schools, a championship game, and a conference television network - or else OU will start considering its "long-term" options. The first isn't ideal, the second is now possible without expanding, and the third might not even be possible. Essentially, Boren is firing shots at Texas, threatening to leave if OU doesn't get its way…again. However, if OU leaves the conference, it will be testing the Big 12's "Grant of TV Rights" that Boren demanded be implemented in 2011. Nobody knows how difficult it will be to get around the Grant of Rights, but finding homes for the rest of the league members would certainly help the outlook. This piece is part of a series of realignment options for Texas, and how it will affect the current outlook of the Big 12, as well as the rest of the Power 5 conferences.

Part 7 -- Recap

Over the past 6 entries, I have discussed every realignment option for the Texas Longhorns, and the repercussions each would bring.  But which one is best? There are a few categories I'll use to determine this: Academics, Revenues, Rivalries, and Travel.

Academics

1. Big Ten
2. Pac-16
T-3. ACC
T-3. Independent
5. Big 12
6. SEC

The Big Ten, with its AAU guidelines, is clearly the best academic conference. After it is either the Pac-16, which boasts great universities all along the coast and in Arizona and Colorado. The ACC and Independent (as a part of the ACC) follow, as Notre Dame, Pitt, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, and Duke are all great schools. Next is the Big 12, which would have Kansas, Iowa St, Georgia Tech, and Pitt as the notable academic institutions. Last is the SEC, where Florida, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Texas A&M just aren't enough to counter just how bad some schools are in the heart of the conference.

Revenues

T-1. Big 12
T-1. Big Ten
T-1. SEC
4. Pac-16
5. Independent
6. ACC

For revenues, I will use information I know. The Big Ten has long been the leader, but the SEC has recently caught up. The Big 12 is and will likely stay in 3rd place. However, Texas' Longhorn Network contract boosts the option of the Big 12 up to number 1. While Texas brings in more TV revenue than any of the other conferences, it is possible they get close or catch up, which is why I'll let this one be a tie. The Pac-12 Networks' struggles are holding it back, as it earns similar guaranteed pay as the Big 12 currently does, and would only add to that if Texas came over. As an Independent, Texas could keep its place at the top in revenues, but it could also not. Since this is hard to project, I place Independence behind "sure things' of the top 4 conferences. The ACC is currently so far behind that it doesn't seem likely it will catch up to what the others can offer.

Rivalries

1. Independent
2. Big 12
3. SEC
4. Pac-16
5. Big Ten
6. ACC

While obligations with the ACC might prevent Texas from scheduling every local school every single season, Texas would still be able to keep its top rivalries and gain back lost ones as an Independent. The Big 12 provides Texas a chance to play 6 local schools every season (if A&M is put back on the schedule), more than any other conference would allow. The SEC allows Texas to play it's 3 biggest rivals in conference play. The Pac-16 keeps minor rivals, such as Texas Tech and Oklahoma St, to go along with major rivals like Oklahoma and A&M (out of conference). The Big Ten is slightly better than the ACC because Texas would keep OU in conference play, realign with the much-hated Nebraska, and get to play A&M, Arkansas, or Tech outside of Big Ten play. The ACC offers Texas a chance to play Notre Dame every season. However, it would be difficult for Texas to keep more than 1 regional rivalry.

Travel

1. Independent
2. Big 12
3. SEC
4. Pac-16
5. Big Ten
6. ACC

Independence allows Texas the ability to create its own schedule outside of its 4 ACC opponents. Those 2 away games every season aren't bad, while Texas can put the rest together. Not bad at all. Travel in the Big 12 would be great to the schools both near and far, as there are 8 schools either in the state or along the I-35 corridor and the remaining 7 wouldn't be every year occurrences (2 trips per year). The SEC would also be pretty good, with OU, Arkansas, and LSU close by. The other schools are a bit further away, but most aren't much further than Iowa St would be. The Pac-16 would provide a perfect balance of travel, complete with beautiful destinations. Annual trips to the Northeast, California, and the Mountain Time Zone aren't too bad, but Tech, OU, and OSU keeps travel close too.  The Big Ten beats out the ACC thanks to having OU and 6 other schools in the Central Time Zone in the division. The ACC travel might not be as far as the Pac-16's, but there are simply no close games, with Georgia Tech and Louisville being closest to Austin.

Overall Average

1. Independent (35 points)
2. Big 12 (34 points)
3. Big Ten (30 points)
T-4. SEC (28 points)
T-4. Pac-16 (28 points)
6. ACC (13 points)

The scale is 2 points for 6th place and 12 points for 1st place, splitting the difference for ties. The conferences are then ranked by their points totals. I believe each of these 4 categories provide the most important aspects to look at. Others such as added recruiting footprint and media visibility are important too, but I wouldn't place their value as high as these 4. Plus, there isn't much difference in recruiting turf, outside of the Big Ten, and only the Pac-16 is on the west coast for poor visibility.

Actually, I personally do not care about academic reputation. Removing that criteria, the rankings would be as follows:
1. Big 12 (30 points)
2. Independent (28 points)
3. SEC (26 points)
T-4. Pac-16 (18 points)
T-4. Big Ten (18 points)
6. ACC (6 points)

Those rankings closely reflect my personal choices. I think keeping the Big 12 together should be the goal and have laid out the perfect scheme to do so. The SEC is my second favorite because it allows Texas to compete head-to-head with its 3 biggest rivals and has nice travel. The Pac-16 is the only other conference I would consider moving to, as the teams Texas would play are interesting. The Big Ten and ACC would isolate Texas too much, and it would be hard to maintain a grasp on the state by not playing local schools regularly. Independence is a wild card. The revenues are unknown at this point and it could hurt Texas' chances at making the College Football Playoff when there are only 4 power conferences. On the flip side, the schedule would allow Texas to play interesting games every single week and possibly keep LHN.

What do you guys think?