Big 12 Conference

[Bill Robertson]

B12 isn’t all about tradition. It has morphed many times as it was Big 8 prior to even the many changes within the new name of B12. Teams changed. It wasn’t even 12 teams for much of its existence.

OU has been in 6 different conferences since 1915. They’ve won over 50 conference championships in that 107 years. They’ve won more than 75% of their conference games. The tradition is with OU, not their conferences.

I know the history of OU well. But, going back just to the 60s the Big8/Big12 have built quite a tradition of excellence with Nebraska, UT and OU. Yeah OU's history goes way back from there and that matters. But one, not many if any of us on here remember much before the creation of the Big8. And two, in terms of modern football, which is what this is all about, going back before the creation of the Big8 is really not all that relevant.

[Rover]

Going back to the 60s the Big8/Big12 have built quite a tradition of excellence with Nebraska, UT and OU. Yeah OU's history goes way back from there and that matters. But one, not many if any of us on here remember much before the creation of the Big8. And two, in terms of modern football, which is what this is all about, going back before the creation of the Big8 is really not all that relevant.

UT wasn't part of the Big 8 whose "tradition" the Big 12 inherited through morphing. Nebraska's tradition was mostly Big 8.

By appearances in the championship game, OU has 12, Texas 7, Nebraska 6, and all the rest total to 19. OU has won the championship game 11 of the 12 times they've been there. All the rest.... 10 times. Of the 7 total schools (in the current B12) who have actually made it to the championship game, other than OU, only 3 teams have actually won it... 3 for Texas, 2 for KSU and once for Baylor.

THAT is the tradition of the B12. Of 10 who have won their championship game, 7 will be gone after this year. The tradition has walked out the door, football wise.

Basketball.... different story.

[Bill Robertson]

UT wasn't part of the Big 8 whose "tradition" the Big 12 inherited through morphing. Nebraska's tradition was mostly Big 8.

By appearances in the championship game, OU has 12, Texas 7, Nebraska 6, and all the rest total to 19. OU has won the championship game 11 of the 12 times they've been there. All the rest.... 10 times. Of the 7 total schools (in the current B12) who have actually made it to the championship game, other than OU, only 3 teams have actually won it... 3 for Texas, 2 for KSU and once for Baylor.

THAT is the tradition of the B12. Of 10 who have won their championship game, 7 will be gone after this year. The tradition has walked out the door, football wise.

Basketball.... different story.

I said Big8/Big12. I didn't separate the two. Most of us over say, 50ish remember those 2 conferences and while yes, they are separate, the morphing really ties the two together. UT has been a major part of the success of the Big12 conference even though I hate to admit it.

[April in the Plaza]

I know we don’t necessarily like Texas on this board, but I don’t see how they can legally keep that team out of the playoffs.

[Dob Hooligan]

I know we don’t necessarily like Texas on this board, but I don’t see how they can legally keep that team out of the playoffs.

Agree on the playoff. Plus, we claim we don’t like Texas, but we damn sure know that Texas doesn’t make any conference move without OU. We are secretly proud that UT and OU are now joined at the hip and embrace the economic power that comes with it.

[Bill Robertson]

Agree on the playoff. Plus, we claim we don’t like Texas, but we damn sure know that Texas doesn’t make any conference move without OU. We are secretly proud that UT and OU are now joined at the hip and embrace the economic power that comes with it.

Accepting that it's a valuable thing yes. Proud, no way!

[Dob Hooligan]

Accepting that it's a valuable thing yes. Proud, no way!

The richest public university in America decides they need to partner with Oklahoma before they make a move that throws college football into conference chaos doesn’t make you proud of the power of Sooner athletics?

[Bill Robertson]

The richest public university in America decides they need to partner with Oklahoma before they make a move that throws college football into conference chaos doesn’t make you proud of the power of Sooner athletics?

No. Even putting that way sounds like UT was calling the plays but needed a partner. At least somewhat putting OU in a follower position. I'd never be proud of my school being a follower. I'm also not convinced that's the way the decision to go to the SEC was made.

[kukblue1]

So honest opinion, if Oklahoma was a one loss big 12 champion with two wins over Texas would they be getting ahead of Alabama? I don't think they would be. Texas has the head-to-head win and that's going Trump everything

[Dob Hooligan]

So honest opinion, if Oklahoma was a one loss big 12 champion with two wins over Texas would they be getting ahead of Alabama? I don't think they would be. Texas has the head-to-head win and that's going Trump everything

Agree. I think the committee would have legitimate fatigue from OU getting beaten pretty badly in the semifinals.

[Dob Hooligan]

No. Even putting that way sounds like UT was calling the plays but needed a partner. At least somewhat putting OU in a follower position. I'd never be proud of my school being a follower. I'm also not convinced that's the way the decision to go to the SEC was made.

Golly. Let me go at this another way.

I think that for, at least, the last half-century OU has been a visionary school at the forefront of college football. My version includes the OU-Georgia TV lawsuit that broke the NCAA stranglehold on TV appearances and paved the way for today's TV sports explosion.

In the 1980s, Arkansas tires of Texas and being in an all Texas SWC and jumps to the SEC. They make money, but become irrelevant and win about as much as Mississippi State.

In the early 1990s, The SWC is drying up and Texas is looking for a way out. OU helms a negotiation where the Big-8 keeps all their teams, takes in the 4 best SWC schools (Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor) and rejects Rice, Houston, SMU and TCU. While also rejecting the proposed new name Big Southwest Conference.

In the early 2010s, Colorado leaves for the PAC. Where they make a little less money, become irrelevant and win about as much as Vanderbilt.

Missouri leaves for the SEC. Where they make good SEC money, become irrelevant and win about as much as Mississippi State.

Texas A&M decides they can no longer co-exist with Texas "running the conference" and also goes to the SEC. Where they add the good SEC money to the ton of money they already have, become irrelevant and win about as much as (or maybe a little more than) Mississippi State.

Nebraska decides they can no longer co-exist with Texas "running the conference" and flee to the B1G. Where they make better B1G money, become irrelevant and win about as much as Mississippi State. While also yearning for the days of OU Thanksgivings.

OU is at the center of all this. Every school that left OU is less successful. Even Texas has been less successful in football than OU during their time together.

Texas is also smart enough to stay tied to OU.