re: Could Texas be successful as an independent like ND?

Texas hasn't been successful with a dedicated ESPN network.

ND, on the other hand, is still in league with NBC to show all ND football games. Why does that work? Because of the nationwide network of Catholics who eat this stuff up. Is any other college that appeals to people in every state? And if you aren't a fan, you tend to grumble quietly. From Rudy to other older football movies...it united a fan base.

Texas? Heck their next door states aren't their fans, nor are their kin folk. Tens of thousands of alumni, but not spread all over the US.

Mandatory aggie joke: the Aggie moved from Texas to Oklahoma and raised the IQ of both states.