If Texas ends up independent...

of course they will

They are fighting hard not to be indy. That would be a major disaster for them. They just need some bowling pins in their conference to knock over on their way to a BCS game every year. If we're going to be bowling pins (and a really doubt we will) I would rather be LSU's or Georgia's, or Auburn/Alabama's bowling pin.

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Do they get the ND treatment from the BCS? Will they be able to have bogus deals where if they lose 3 games they will still be picked for bcs games over higher ranked teams?

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ND got grandfathered in because they were still relevant in the mid-1990s when the BCS was negotiated.

Texas probably won't have that luxury because it would need to be negotiated in the next BCS contract. I don't see the five remaining conferences agreeing to it unless the BCS broadcast network, ESPN, strong-arms them into doing it.


The flip side to this, though, is that an independent Texas with no Notre Dame clause would be eligible to count as a "mid-major" for the purposes of the BCS. That means that they could theoretically choose Texas for the purposes of screwing the Boise States and BYUs who would otherwise qualify.

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Cheshire

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I disagree.

Notre Dame has more NC's than UT for starters and ND has also produced more All-Americans and Heisman Trophy winners than Texas.

ETA: also what teke184 said.

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They would most assuredly get the ND treatment. They are a ratings bonanza for big games and the BCS would take them everytime if they were available.

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Maybe in Texas, but I don't think they have the national appeal Notre Dame does.

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Maybe in Texas, but I don't think they have the national appeal Notre Dame does.

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"Ratings bonanza" would be pushing it, but Texas would definitely travel well to Glendale or New Orleans as an At-Large.

That beats the chances of getting stuck with a team who couldn't draw flies to a pile of shite, like the average Big East champ.

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Word is Texas admins *DO NOT* want to be independent. A migration to a Pac 16 seems inevitable to me with something worked out on the LHN. They are also the only ones who'll take OSU (who OU is tied to).

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Why will the Pac 12 take Okie State if the Big Ten and SEC won't touch them with a ten-foot pole?

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If Texas has a good season they get invited because of their fan base and money.

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If they continue to have 5-7 seasons, those same 'fans' will leave them once again like they did in the 90s and you'll be able to pick up $5 tickets to their stadium at the grocery store.

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Will they be able to have bogus deals where if they lose 3 games they will still be picked for bcs games over higher ranked teams?

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You mean like in:

98 8-3 Syracuse
99 8-3 Stanford
00 8-3 Purdue
01 9-3 LSU
02 9-4 FSU
03 11-3 KSU
04 8-3 Pitt
05 8-4 FSU
08 9-4 VT
10 8-4 CT

Note that ND has yet to make it with 3 losses.

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Will they be able to have bogus deals where if they lose 3 games they will still be picked for bcs games over higher ranked teams?

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No. They wouldn't get into a BCS game with 3 losses. ND has never made a BCS game with 3 losses, so I'm not sure how this myth started.

I do think Texas will be independent in about 5 years. They have the resources and audience to make it work, so why not?

I also laugh at the idea of "manning up" to join a conference. You have it backwards - you have to "man up" to go independent. It's much more of a safe haven and comfort zone to be in a conference. It takes more balls to go independent, in my opinion.