A little over a week ago Big 12 Commissioner Bill Bowlsby silenced University of Oklahoma President David Boren with regard to his comments toward conference expansion and the addition of a football championship game after the regular season. I reported that it was a the final blow towards the health of the Big 12 and that without OU in the conference the league was all but dead. It was my belief that the stance of President Boren was negative toward Commissioner Bowlsby and the conflict was enough for a possible withdraw of the Sooners from the league. President Boren is in the affirmative of adding to the conference membership, making the Big 12 “the Big 12” while Bowlsby and other leaders of the Big 12 are in a wait and see mode on expansion. President Boren is also against a “championship game” without twelve members.
The situation has become more tedious as it has been confirmed that the OU President has made contact with the president of the University of Cincinnati, Santa Ono, telling the Bearcat’s leader that he is all in with expansion with Cincinnati a very strong school becoming a member of the Big 12. The Cincinnati Enquirer has printed that the hometown school, the 2nd largest university in the state of Ohio, is wanting the status of a Power Five conference and the financial stability that comes with it, “a move that would position the Bearcats among the haves in a growing schism in college athletics rooted in television money and influence.”
“I am indeed optimistic that through these efforts the University of Cincinnati is positioned exceptionally well to continue to compete at the highest level,” Cincinnati President Santa Ono told The Enquirer in his first public comments about the efforts to move to the Big 12.
From a story in Sunday’s Enquirer, by Jason Williams:
In a splashy brochure dated November 2014, UC shows how it compares to the Big 12 schools in 10 categories – including annual giving, National Merit Scholars, total research expenditures, enrollment and endowment assets. Cincinnati would rank in the conference’s top 5 in each category listed, except the U.S. News & World Report rankings, which would put UC seventh.
More importantly, Cincinnati is a good-sized TV market. Its admission to the Big 12 would open up talent-rich Ohio to Big 12 football recruiters. UC basketball would be a good addition. If the conference also took Memphis or UConn, it could divide into two six-team divisions geographically, with UC, Memphis/UConn and West Virginia holding down the east.
The Big 12 has not been eager to discuss expansion, partly because adding members slices thinner the per-school revenue pie. And now that the conference has gotten the OK to hold a title game without adding members, it could be less willing to expand.
From SB Nation:
The Cincinnati Enquirer found that Oklahoma president David Boren emailed Cincinnati president Santa Ono with support for the Bearcats.
“You are truly an outstanding leader and knowing that you are at the helm in Cincinnati makes me even more inclined to support your cause,” said Boren, a former Oklahoma governor and U.S. senator.
Whichever conference it ends up joining, Ono told the Enquirer he is optimistic about how the Bearcats stack up.
“I am indeed optimistic that through these efforts the University of Cincinnati is positioned exceptionally well to continue to compete at the highest level,” Ono told The Enquirer in his first public comments about the efforts to move to the Big 12.
Cincinnati has always made sense – the problem will be who goes in WITH the Bearkats. The obvious targets – BYU, Boise State, Houston – all have problems of one sort or another, although of those 3 Houston is the most obvious choice given it was also a former SWC team and has standing relationships with TCU, Baylor, UT and Texas Tech.
Fred, I am curious. Which of these, or another, do you see another possibility like Memphis?
David, because of recruiting and to your dismay, the relationships between Houston and other SWC teams that are in the Big 12, Houston will never be a part of the Big 12 as it looks today. OU and OSU and Texas recruit the greater Houston area and will not allow it. Cincinnati is in if Boren and some other Big 12 Presidents get their way. I truly think the 12th spot is up for grabs, with UConn my favorite, having ESPN close by.