Teams show they can do without
Oklahoma St., Baylor in title game a good sign for conference
Even with Baylor coach Dave Aranda focused on the Big 12 championship game, he gets the big picture pretty well.
As much as the appearance is important for Baylor and Oklahoma State, it may have even more far reaching implications for the present — and especially the future — of the Big 12.
That’s the upcoming, newlook, 12-team Big 12 that will be minus SEC defectors Texas and Oklahoma sometime between now and 2025.
“There are a lot of positives from that perspective,” Aranda said this week. “With Oklahoma State being in it and Baylor being in it, I have to imagine the conference looking forward has to look at that with a smile on its face.”
Added Oklahoma State Mike Gundy: “It doesn’t hurt.”
For the first time since 1998, when Texas A&M upset Kansas State, neither the Longhorns nor the Sooners are participating in the championship game. Even with the hiatus from 2011-17, that is still an impressive run by the schools widely viewed as defining the conference in football.
Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby declined to comment about the absence of Texas or OU but did say, “Baylor and Oklahoma State earned their way to the championship game.”
In Oklahoma’s case, the Sooners have lived up the billing even if they just saw their streak of six straight Big 12 championships come to an end.
Texas has been a financial and brand juggernaut but hasn’t backed up the blueblood brand on the field for pretty much a dozen years, outside of that Sugar Bowl win after the 2018 season.
Regardless, perception is sometimes stronger than reality.
And right now, the reality and the growing perception is that the Big 12 looks like it will do just nicely without those two and the pending additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF.
Undefeated Cincinnati (12-0) is playing Houston (11-1) in the American title game with a chance to make the College Football Playoff. BYU (10-2) went 5-0 against the Pac-12. UCF still had a solid season despite losing quarterback Dillon Gabriel to an early injury.
New TCU coach Sonny Dykes, who came from SMU and the American, knows about three of the additions first-hand. He said the new schools will strengthen the Big 12.
“You look at BYU, you look at Cincinnati, you look at Houston, you look at Central Florida, those are good football teams,” Dykes said this week as he was introduced. “As we make that transition … it’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out. It’s going to be a very competitive league.”
Gundy said a friend pointed out this week that the new Big 12 would have five of the current top 16 in the AP Top 25.
“I think that strength shows a lot for what the new conference is going to be in a year or two,” Gundy said.
Just when the new Big 12 debuts remains an open question. BYU is scheduled to join in the 2023-24 season. Cincinnati, Houston and UCF have indicated they would join by July 2024, Bowlsby said, as they work to finalize their separation from the AAC.
“It could be a good outcome if they could come in early,” Bowlsby said.
While almost everyone expects OU and Texas to leave early for the SEC, that isn’t happening yet.
“They’ve repeated that they would be with us until June 30, 2025,” Bowlsby said. “That’s the latest we’ve heard.”
Gundy was asked twice this week about Oklahoma State and Baylor being especially well-positioned to prosper in the new Big 12. He said he’s already talked about that possibility for the program with OSU president Kayse Shrum and athletic director Chad Weiberg.
“So I’m not afraid to say that, in my opinion, we should take the lead role,” Gundy said. “I think Baylor is in a great situation, and I’ve said this, I don’t hide it, that you can get in a car and drive four hours and not have to go do anything else to recruit at Baylor. I was there, I know what they have.
“I can draw a circle around a four hour radius of Waco and I know what type of players are around there. So, they’re in a great situation and I think (Dave Aranda) is a really good coach, and I think he’s really smart.”