I've seen a few TB'ers here suggest the B1G would take KU if

Posted on: June 29, 2017 at 16:31:25 CT

the Big12 collapses. For example, you'll find several posts to that effect in these recent threads:

• This thread from today: http://tigerboard.com/boards/view.php?message=14886572
• This thread from yesterday: http://tigerboard.com/boards/view.php?message=14885049
• Another thread from yesterday: http://tigerboard.com/boards/view.php?message=14883838
• Another thread from yesterday: http://tigerboard.com/boards/view.php?message=14882178
• This thread from last month: http://tigerboard.com/boards/view.php?message=14810244
etc... (apparently, realignment is a popular topic during the off-season)

So, I'm creating this thread to explain why KU's chances of ever receiving an invite from the B1G are virtually zero.

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First off, it's important to realize three things:

(1) None of the P4 conferences were interested in Kansas in the last wave of realignment (2010-2012). The rumors were always about Missouri, Nebraska, Maryland, Rutgers, etc.. Kansas was hardly ever mentioned. The reason why is simple: KU has very little to offer, other than its basketball program.

(2) Basketball programs don't matter in conference realignment. If they did matter, then UConn wouldn't be in a mid-major conference right now. Keep in mind, UConn has more national titles in Men's BB since 1999 than KU has in its entire history (UConn also has 11 national titles in Women's BB, one of the greatest dynasties in college sports). And yet, no one wanted them when the BigEast collapsed. The same thing will happen to Kansas if the Big12 folds.

(3) Conferences cannot become arbitrarily large. The B1G/SEC/ACC all have 14 members now, which means they're close to being "full". There are very few schools that these leagues would be willing to expand beyond 14 members for. In the B1G's case, those schools are likely limited to the following:

• Notre Dame (never happening)
• UNC (unrealistic)
• UVA (possible, though unlikely)
• Georgia Tech (possible, though unlikely)
• Oklahoma (by itself, without oSu or other baggage; possible, though unlikely)
• Texas (by itself, without LHN; possible, though unlikely — I think UT will go Indy or PAC if it leaves the Big12)

IF the B1G can get one of those schools, THEN they would have reason to expand and THEN they would be willing to invite a school like KU as "filler" to even out the divisions. However, I'm nearly 100% certain that the B1G would invite Missouri in that case before it invites Kansas, which means the only way KU would get in is if [1] one of those schools above accepts an invite (to give the B1G 15 members), and [2] Mizzou declines an invite. The odds of [1] happening is less than 20% IMO, and the odds of [2] happening is less than 50% IMO, which means the odds of both happening are less than 10%.

The bottom line is that KU's chances of getting a B1G invite are minuscule. The B1G hasn't wanted KU in the past and isn't going to suddently want them if the Big12 collapses, or extend them a "pity invite" because they feel sorry for them. In fact, the B1G would probably prefer to see KU relegated to the mid-majors (as the ACC did with UConn).







Edited by zounami at 16:38:15 on 06/29/17