Conference realignment. Television deals. Non-conference scheduling. Conference scheduling.
Seemed like everything from Texas finding a quarterback to Paul Rhoads getting a shave was placed on hold while college football sorted out its expanded playoff.
Everyone wanted to know the best avenue to reach the Football Four, the national semifinals that West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck says now is the “holy grail for everybody.”
But if you ask me, Big 12 minds are focused far too much on making the quartet. Of course the Big 12 is going to be amply represented in the New Year's bash.
Here's what the Big 12 needs to concern itself with. Winning once it gets there.
Too much politicking describes every facet of college football. Not enough butt-kicking describes all but the Southeastern Conference.
The Big 12 has placed a team in the title game seven of the 14 years the BCS has staged the championship.
If four teams had been admitted to the playoff, the Big 12 would have been omitted from the semifinals only thrice (using the BCS rankings) — 2002, 2006, 2010.
And that would have been offset by the Big 12 thrice placing two teams in the semifinals: 2001 (Colorado, Nebraska), 2004 (OU, Texas) and 2008 (OU, Texas).
That's 14 top-four teams in the last 14 years. So what's the concern about the Big 12 getting proper respect? The Big 12 has been well-treated in the selection process, and there's no reason to think that will change.
The Big 12 has lost scant little respect even since The Troubles started 25 months ago. The networks and bowls stuck by a watered-down Big 12. West Virginia clamored to get into the conference. Florida State and Clemson, to some degree, cast a wandering eye as well. The SEC signed on to partner with a big-time bowl.
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