Do you want BYU to join the Big 12?

Place your votes and your reasons in the comments.

Assuming the Big 12 can remain viable, yes, I would like to see BYU in the Big 12. I'm looking forward to independence, but long-term, especially if the superconferences develop, I see it being best to be considered one of the chosen "BCS" schools. We can't really say that right now. And I think the Big 12 is really the only option. The only other conference close by geographically is the Pac 12 and I guarantee if expansion comes up Utah will do everything they can to make sure BYU is not considered.

Only if it does come down to 4 super conferences with 16 teams in each of them. Other than that I like independence.

Yes, with the commitment from UT and OU that they are staying for the long term.



And by "commitment", I mean binding contract with MASSIVE exit fees.



Of course, I don't think that BYU would join the Big 12 right now even if asked.

98BYUAlum wrote:
Assuming the Big 12 can remain viable, yes, I would like to see BYU in the Big 12. I'm looking forward to independence, but long-term, especially if the superconferences develop, I see it being best to be considered one of the chosen "BCS" schools. We can't really say that right now. And I think the Big 12 is really the only option. The only other conference close by geographically is the Pac 12 and I guarantee if expansion comes up Utah will do everything they can to make sure BYU is not considered.

Thats the problem, there are no guarantees. We as fans dont get a say either way, but if we did, with the uncertainty of it, would you still make the jump or would you stick with a slightly more known of independence?

I am kind of enjoying the idea of independence however, if the super's come to be we would need to be in it or we may get relegated to a whole new division. I like the B12 better than the puke12 too so I would prefer that conference. BYU, TX, and OK vs USC, Utah, and Ore. Seems to me we are looking at a stronger conference top to bottom.



Big12 vs Puke12 in head to head I see Big12 killing in football and bball.



As for Utah, I imagine they would do all they can to get BYU into the pac12 as opposed to doing all they can to keep us out. I think those that run the schools are pretty close.

The BYU AD is essentially a missionary tool. To accomplish the goal of maximizing its viewing audience BYU teams should play a schedule that will yields the greatest audience.



Independence, if BYU can win a lot of games, would yield a lot of talk about BYU football, but does that translate into success as a missionary tool as much as having people tune into BYUtv to watch BYU-Mizzou/Baylor/TT basketball games on BYUtv? I'm not sure. Hopefully someone at BYU has modeled the options correctly so they can be inspired to make the right choice.



I voted for turning a Big12 invite down but the more I think about it the better the Big12 looks. Even if the Big12 falls apart in a few years it might be even better because then BYU could find new audiences.

Let's say that BYU was invited tothe Big 12 and they accepted, would that affect their contract with ESPN? I don't know but maybe one of you does. I mean Texas has a contract with ESPN why couldn't BYU keep theirs with ESPN? BYU couldn't make a deal with ESPN while in the MWC because of the Mtn. I don't think they necessarily had to be independent to make the deal, but I could be wrong as I don't know everything about the contract.



Wouldn't ESPN's deal with BYU be more valuable if BYU were a member of the Big 12? Wouldn't it be awesome to be a part of the Big 12 AND keep our TV deal with ESPN? Hopefully some of you can shed some light on this.

Why is HELL YES not an option???



If Texas and OU stick in the Big XII, BYU has to do it. Has to. Otherwise, need to consider if saying no could shut you out of Super Conference chatter later. And if we rely on the PAC to add us in the Super Conference--forget it. WE are a better cultural fit in the Big XII. IT has Baylor--a private Baptist school, and the South may not love our religion, but they at least respect its family values and saying no to Sunday play. Those 2 things are more than we will ever get from the liberal PAC schools.

There would be a lot of exposure playing in the big12. Especially in bball. They have large stadiums. We would get a lot of local tv and newspaper coverage.

My gut feeling is to go as ND goes. No, I'm not one of those that thinks we are the ND of the West or even on par with their tradition (although I don't think we're far off tradition-wise). But I do think if ND is invited to a super conference then we have to do the same or as one poster suggested, we may be in a completely different division...not just conference. If National Championship is Bronco's goal then we're fools not to jump into a Superconference if that is the wave of the future. But if not...I really like where we are now.



Go Cougs!!!

J. Child

Ammon, ID

it depends on the timing. If it is in the next 2-3 years than no, I like the indy thing going right now. If it is 4 years or longer and part of a super conference than I would say yes and if BYU does well as an Indy there will be no question they would be invited to one of the conferences.



What is ironic and I think would be quite hilarious is Larry Scott tried to create the super conference last year by trying to pry Texas out of the Big 12. If the Big 12 does stay intact with the commitments from OU and TT they would be one of the super conferences. Who then would the pac 12 invite? Geographically there isn't anybody worthy of an invite in the west but BYU and Boise, after that, there is nobody. I believe Texas was the farthest east the pac 12 would go to get a team and with an intact big 12, there just isn't a whole lot of options.



It would be poetic justice for BYU if the pac 12 breaks down and invites BYU because there isn't anybody else, and BYU turns them down to take an invite into the Big 12.

I think BYU would be successful in the Big 12. UT and OK are obviously the big dogs, but BYU would come in as the third/fourth best team, if not higher. And who wouldn't want to have OK and UT coming to Provo every other year. That would make for some good home games.

Not trying to go after anyone personally, I just want to ask about some viewpoints on Indy here. Why is Indy so great exactly? What is it about Indy that makes people think it is going so well? Especially considering that we have played exactly 0 games yet, and the fact that we have still had major trouble scheduling games as an Indy--especially November and December games. I understand it is a process, but as of now, Indy means home games late in the season against, San Jose State, New Mexico State, Idaho State and Idaho. It also means 2 for 1's with Texas and Notre Dame. A home and home with Southern Miss. GTech series, and neutral field games way in the future. It also does not even guarantee us a home and home with Utah past 2012. I am looking at all this and wondering what really is so great about Indy football for BYU for me as a fan. If the upside is getting games on ESPN, then sure that is nice. But when many of those games are against mid-level or horrible opponents, it removes some gloss. Let's be honest about it, no one but BYU fans will tune in to many games unless we get big names, and not just 2 for 1's. I;d rather have a Big XII conference schedule to rely on for 8-9 games a year. And the $$$ and exposure would not be bad either.

Lawboy wrote:
Not trying to go after anyone personally, I just want to ask about some viewpoints on Indy here. Why is Indy so great exactly? What is it about Indy that makes people think it is going so well? Especially considering that we have played exactly 0 games yet, and the fact that we have still had major trouble scheduling games as an Indy--especially November and December games. I understand it is a process, but as of now, Indy means home games late in the season against, San Jose State, New Mexico State, Idaho State and Idaho. It also means 2 for 1's with Texas and Notre Dame. A home and home with Southern Miss. GTech series, and neutral field games way in the future. It also does not even guarantee us a home and home with Utah past 2012. I am looking at all this and wondering what really is so great about Indy football for BYU for me as a fan. If the upside is getting games on ESPN, then sure that is nice. But when many of those games are against mid-level or horrible opponents, it removes some gloss. Let's be honest about it, no one but BYU fans will tune in to many games unless we get big names, and not just 2 for 1's. I;d rather have a Big XII conference schedule to rely on for 8-9 games a year. And the $$$ and exposure would not be bad either.

I agree with this 100%



Comparable regular season football exposure. Profoundly better postseason football options. A serious hoops upgrade not to mention the olympic sports upgrade as well. Give me some Big 12 please.

I feel badly about what the MWC did to Utah State. I don't want us to do the same to the WCC.

An indy schedule for BYU would not be any worse than a MWC schedule. Unfortunately, I don't see it being any better than an MWC schedule either, including bowl game agreements.



Exposure and revenue as indy is greater than in the MWC but that's really the only advantage I've seen. Joining the Big 12 would solve scheduling problems and still help with exposure and revenue as well as access to better bowl games.

Lawboy wrote:
Not trying to go after anyone personally, I just want to ask about some viewpoints on Indy here. Why is Indy so great exactly? What is it about Indy that makes people think it is going so well? Especially considering that we have played exactly 0 games yet, and the fact that we have still had major trouble scheduling games as an Indy--especially November and December games. I understand it is a process, but as of now, Indy means home games late in the season against, San Jose State, New Mexico State, Idaho State and Idaho. It also means 2 for 1's with Texas and Notre Dame. A home and home with Southern Miss. GTech series, and neutral field games way in the future. It also does not even guarantee us a home and home with Utah past 2012. I am looking at all this and wondering what really is so great about Indy football for BYU for me as a fan. If the upside is getting games on ESPN, then sure that is nice. But when many of those games are against mid-level or horrible opponents, it removes some gloss. Let's be honest about it, no one but BYU fans will tune in to many games unless we get big names, and not just 2 for 1's. I;d rather have a Big XII conference schedule to rely on for 8-9 games a year. And the $$$ and exposure would not be bad either.

I think the scheduling is what makes me excited. These are teams that they were able to make arangments with on fairly short notice (a few may have already been agreed upon but most if not all were not finalized until after the announcement). I like the "real" schedule over what would have been so I am glad for it. I would like to see what we are able to acheive with two are three years of indy status. But if B12 comes aknockin and it looks like the superconf is emminent then hands down take it. I would like to see BYU get offers from the B12 and Puke12 and see them turn down the puke12 and leave them to pick up BSU or Fresno St or Nevada (what a joke that would be on them! and deservedly so :evil: )

2011

Texas

Ole Miss

Utah (count this one because they are no longer a conf game)

Ore St.

UCF

Hawaii

TCU

ID

IDST

SJST

NMST

UT ST

If we were in MWC



AF

NM

TCU

BSU

UNLV

CSU

WY

SDSU

Ut St

UCF (I think this one was already in motion before indy)

??

??

NO, because the BIG will be gone in a month or so. once Missouri gets poached it will collapse. If they agreed to go back to twelve though I would say go for it. big 12 is less risky than indy.



the problem with the big12 is that it is so risky as well right now. they have to make a move that stabilizes the conference.

AmmonCougar1 wrote:
My gut feeling is to go as ND goes.

I agree totally. If ND goes to the Big 12 and if BYU can keep its ESPN/BYUtv deal, then go. Otherwise, stay independent.