This won't be popular, but here goes.
I get being disappointed at the vote yesterday. I am too, but the truth is that we weren't trying to get in on our own merit, but because the Big XII didn't have a choice.
And, I hear Sam that we're better than a quarter of the current P5 schools and that's probably true. But that doesn't matter a lick. Iowa St. wouldn't get invited to the Big XII and Wake Forest wouldn't get invited to the ACC today either. That both aren't very pretty, doesn't help us a bit.
So, who has gotten bids and how did they do it?
First, let's look at who didn't: Boise St. It has won 176 games since the turn of the century. 11 per year. It's played in and won three BCS/NY6 bowls. I think we learn from this that football on the field competitiveness isn't a very big factor. So, while we've won 10 games 3 times in the last six years, that ain't nearly enough.
Louisville? Louisville got the call up twice. First to the Big East in 2005 and then to the ACC But both times an "event" triggered those moves. The first time, Miami, Va Tech, and Boston College all left for the ACC. Then it replaced Maryland in the ACC. It's only had double digit wins five times since the turn of the century. But it has really great facilities in Papa Johns and the Yum Center.
TCU? In the 7 years before moving to the Big XII, the Frogs won 11 or more games 6 times. They did a $164 million renovation to Amon Carter that coincided with joining the Big XII and opened their IPF in 2007. Like Louisville, they needed an "event' to get an invite, however. As we all know, that event was the loss of fully a third of the Big XII's membership in 2011-12.
My conclusion? Getting a bid requires facilities, but more importantly a "driver." Louisville was ready with facilities, TCU less so. Both were in the right geographic spot too.
But TCU is a real lesson, I think. In spite of great success, if UT hadn't driven Nebraska, Mizzou, Colorado and A&M out of the Big XII, it would still be in the AAC with us.
In other words, merit only matters if something else drives expansion. And that something else has always a conference getting poached.
I believe we're farther away from P5 than most want to think. Kelvin Sampson agrees with me.
All we can do is be ready if another event occurs.
I get being disappointed at the vote yesterday. I am too, but the truth is that we weren't trying to get in on our own merit, but because the Big XII didn't have a choice.
And, I hear Sam that we're better than a quarter of the current P5 schools and that's probably true. But that doesn't matter a lick. Iowa St. wouldn't get invited to the Big XII and Wake Forest wouldn't get invited to the ACC today either. That both aren't very pretty, doesn't help us a bit.
So, who has gotten bids and how did they do it?
First, let's look at who didn't: Boise St. It has won 176 games since the turn of the century. 11 per year. It's played in and won three BCS/NY6 bowls. I think we learn from this that football on the field competitiveness isn't a very big factor. So, while we've won 10 games 3 times in the last six years, that ain't nearly enough.
Louisville? Louisville got the call up twice. First to the Big East in 2005 and then to the ACC But both times an "event" triggered those moves. The first time, Miami, Va Tech, and Boston College all left for the ACC. Then it replaced Maryland in the ACC. It's only had double digit wins five times since the turn of the century. But it has really great facilities in Papa Johns and the Yum Center.
TCU? In the 7 years before moving to the Big XII, the Frogs won 11 or more games 6 times. They did a $164 million renovation to Amon Carter that coincided with joining the Big XII and opened their IPF in 2007. Like Louisville, they needed an "event' to get an invite, however. As we all know, that event was the loss of fully a third of the Big XII's membership in 2011-12.
My conclusion? Getting a bid requires facilities, but more importantly a "driver." Louisville was ready with facilities, TCU less so. Both were in the right geographic spot too.
But TCU is a real lesson, I think. In spite of great success, if UT hadn't driven Nebraska, Mizzou, Colorado and A&M out of the Big XII, it would still be in the AAC with us.
In other words, merit only matters if something else drives expansion. And that something else has always a conference getting poached.
I believe we're farther away from P5 than most want to think. Kelvin Sampson agrees with me.
All we can do is be ready if another event occurs.
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