Where would we be?

[Redux]

A recent discussion about our leaving the Big 12 got me thinking about what could have been. Half of us enjoy the new surroundings while half of us cannot stand where we sit. I was completely against the move at first but have come around until this recent shift that has landed us in what is perceived as the weakest division in the power 5 leagues, hopefully a turnaround is coming soon.

 

But where would we be had we stayed? Better yet, where would we be had the Big 16 come to fruition? You see originally the Big 8 was to merge with the Southwest Conference. Both had 8 and would have each served as one division of the super conference.

 

North: Nebraska, Oklahoma, OkieLite, Kansas, K-State, ISU, Mizzou, and Colorado

South: Texas, Baylor, TexTech, SMU, A&M, Houston, TCU, and Rice

 

Think about it. This could have happened a year or two before the Big 12 ended up being formed. Had this come to fruition the landscape would look a touch different today. One would have to assume the SEC would have raided the ACC to up their ranks to match 16. That could have caused a merger of the Big East and ACC. would the Pac 10 and Big Ten have countered by joining forces? We could potentially have been at 4 power leagues 20 years ago. Depending on which side of the fence you are on regarding such large conferences, it's quite the idea to wrap your head around.

 

But what would that mean for us? Almost certainly the recent shifts in the last 5 years never happen and the smaller conferences probably die out or one emerges. I think a playoff would have come sooner. Plus, we would still be playing Oklahoma yearly on Thanksgiving or Black Friday. Also, I don't think the rise of the SEC ever happens unless they answer the call to expand. A 16 team Big 12 would have been a huge blow on the recruiting trail. Really hard to say no to an all Texas division and another that boasts OU and NU.

 

Where do you think we would be today?

[husker B-rent]

Still wouldn't be a lot of money in it when 8 of your teams reside in the same state.

[BigRedBuster]

Probably still forking out $50 to watch games on friggen pay per view.

[lo country]

Probably still forking out $50 to watch games on friggen pay per view.

Haha. The best thing that happened. I get the B1G network for like $8/month. No more PPV. Best thing IMO.

[HUSKER FREAK]

Texas is still Texas and still would have wanted control of it all. Its just going to take some time to get used to the teams of the B1G and not just the athletes on the field but the psyche in general. The B1G isn't about flash and glamour. They stay the course win with tough D and wear you down with the line strength on O. Every team plays hard and most of the time you don't see the blowouts you would in the Big 12 with a few exceptions, but as of late the overall speed seems to have changed for the better. I just cant figure the Michigan deal. Crazy how they can get the talent they do and be so bad, for the last few years anyway. We are just finally starting to get it I think, and I hope that the coaches can just coach with in themselves and the players instead of getting cute or over think it from here on out. The B1G isn't friendly to newcomers from a scheduling stand point as we found out and it hurt us pretty bad, but we are just as guilty thinking we were going to come in and just run circles around people. we just didn't have the strength up front which we found out the hard way a few times.

[shyndy]

If the big 12 had been better run I would have preferred staying. It wasn't until they lost us mizzou and ATM that they realized they needed to get their sh#t together, and they are still behind/making some mistakes imo

[kchusker_chris]

Does the B12 have PPV games still? I never had a problem with them because I watch a lot of the games at the bar. In fact those were some of the better games because the place would be packed with everyone avoiding paying the $$.

[huKSer]

Does the B12 have PPV games still?

No, they got LongWhorn TV

[HUSKER FREAK]

Some people want to be leaders and some are just fine with being pawns. We are not pawns and we stayed longer than we should, but left when the right offer came calling.

[AFhusker]

I would also put the America's Crapiest Conference Costal as the worst division in the power 5 conferences. Any division that has Duke win it twice in a row and features such powerhouses as Virginia, VT, GT, UNC, Pitt, Miami and Duke has to be at the bottom.

[Something Clever]

I would also put the America's Crapiest Conference Costal as the worst division in the power 5 conferences. Any division that has Duke win it twice in a row and features such powerhouses as Virginia, VT, GT, UNC, Pitt, Miami and Duke has to be at the bottom.

 

It is, the but he's talking about current perception. The ACC doesn't get half the crap we do even though it is a weaker top-to-bottom conference

[JJ Husker]

I would also put the America's Crapiest Conference Costal as the worst division in the power 5 conferences. Any division that has Duke win it twice in a row and features such powerhouses as Virginia, VT, GT, UNC, Pitt, Miami and Duke has to be at the bottom.

I'm not seeing where this is any weaker than the B1G West division. That slate of teams would give the top B1G west teams 1 or 2 losses easy.

[HUSKER FREAK]

I really hate that people think that the B1G is just the worst conference ever, and especially the fact that the west is so much worse than the east. Is the east better...yes this year and only because of two teams really. Minnie is no slouch and Wisky is a lot better than people give them credit for. Iowa well I thought they would be pretty good and would bet they will give us a heck of a match, but I really am more nervous about the Minnie game just because of how under the radar they are. And I really think we are up there with OSU and Mich St. Wisky started slow but so did OSU. By the end of the season if the same OSU team played Bama OSU would win. I think Wisky would beat LSU also. But, Oregon would still beat Mich St. The B1G is the B1G and they will beat the will out of you. Its funny because I haven't heard anyone bitch about how slow and methodical the Bama/ LSU game was.

[JJ Husker]

If it helps, I don't think the west is THAT much worse than the east. It is a cyclical thing and will likely change. But last and this year +/-, it sure isn't very strong. I don't really care how strong our division or conference is as long as the Huskers handle their own business.

[VizionNE]

Husker freak-

 

What gives you any indication that wisky has improved since they played LSU? That they beat up on teams that are in the lower half of all FBS teams in both total offense and defense? Wisconsin got LSU at the perfect time to beat them. New quarterback, many new starters on defense. I actually think the game would trend more towards LSU at this point.

 

I don't want to diminish wisky as they appear to be good but we are leaps ahead of any team they've played since LSU in talent on both sides of the ball. They haven't come close to playing a defense like ours since LSU.

 

I'm not saying we will win, but don't heap praise on a team who has done nothing other than beat the teams they should and lose to northwestern (who coincidently enough is the best defense outside of LSU they played to date).