Would you like to see Arkansas in the Big 12 or SEC

[Newport Hog]

SEC baby, I hate the Big 12 outside of AM,Texas,OU it boring, and I rather be 6-6 in the SEC than be 8-4 in the Big 12 or better.  SEC is the premier league in football and has the history to back it up. I like that I have no interest in playing Baylor,Iowa State,Nebraska,Colorado,etc Baylor.

[Conway Cool Daddy]

We belong in Conference USA.
Maybe Suzie and Stan could win a game on the road then.

[polandhog]

Aren't we already in the sunbelt?  I mean, we play 4 of their football teams every year....

[Pigmund Freud]

SEC but commit to winning by paying the price for a decent coach and whatever else we need. Otherwise get out. 6th or 7th is not good enough.

[hawgibalboa]

No doubt about it.  Stay in the SEC.  This is big time football.  There is nothing better than going to Razorback stadium on game day when an SEC opponent comes to town.  It brings the fans together no matter what.  An SEC win is like christmas and New Years Eve wrapped up in one.  There is nothing better than fan unity.  After a win, all of the controversy will almost be forgotten until Monday morning but, atleast for a day, the whole fan base is pulling for the same thing and thats getting a big win against any SEC team.  I cant wait until we start playing Texas again.  That win in Austin was my greatest memory other than the win at Auburn this past fall.  It would be nice if we played OU every year but, beating any other big 12 team other than Nebraska would not mean so much.  The big 12 is just not the SEC.

[arkjayback]

Arkansas won the SEC West in football, should have compete in basketball and will next year, and the baseball team is by far the best in the west.

There's no reason to leave other than it would look better for the fans to be 1st or 2nd in the Big 12 north every year than 3 or 4th in the SEC sometimes, even though the competition in the SEC is better.

[Hollywood_HOGan]

at first I would say no way lets stay in the SEC but

I say it would be pretty fun to play Texas and Oklahoma every year.

Of the direction our program is going, we may not win against those guys anyway.

[cosmodrum]

If the U of A was stupid enough to go back to the Big 12, it would be embarassing.

I can hear it now..."Arkansas couldn't hack it in the SEC. No SEC titles, no BCS games. Better luck in the Big 12."

[Ouachihog]

at first I would say no way lets stay in the SEC but

I say it would be pretty fun to play Texas and Oklahoma every year.

Of the direction our program is going, we may not win against those guys anyway.

Yeah, I kinda understand what you are saying.  I LOVE the strength of the SEC and it is also good for us financially.  But, it is interesting to read that other thread about who our rival is and who considers us a rival.  The fact is that we don't have a true rival in the SEC and nobody considers us their rival. 

The SEC is great, and is the best conference in America, but we do have more rivals in the big 12.  Don't get me wrong, I don't want to leave the SEC, but some of the matchups in the big 12 are appealing. 

[J. McHog]

The only problem with the SEC, is we have no natural rivalry's. Geographically we have the chance of having natural rival's in Missouri, Ok, OKState, or even UTex. All in all though I would not advocate moving. You sleep in the bed you make. 

[hogsNbeer]

SEC all they way....but replace our jr high football coach...with a D1 football coach...

[HOG_INSURANCE]

SEC, at least the Conf. gets props from the media.

[Raz28back]

Best in the West.  When are we going to be best overall? SEC CHAMPIONS!!

[hogfan x]

If the U of A was stupid enough to go back to the Big 12, it would be embarassing.

I can hear it now..."Arkansas couldn't hack it in the SEC. No SEC titles, no BCS games. Better luck in the Big 12."

My thoughts exactly

[okiehawg]

If the U of A was stupid enough to go back to the Big 12, it would be embarassing.

I can hear it now..."Arkansas couldn't hack it in the SEC. No SEC titles, no BCS games. Better luck in the Big 12."

Go back to the Big 12?  I don't remember us ever being in the Big 12, or Big 8 for that matter, unless I am just missing something. 

I would love it if we were in the Big 12.  For 70 something years (or however long it was) we played the same teams.  We built rivalries that meant something, then 15 years ago we stopped playing them and I haven't felt the same kind of thing during our conference schedule since then. 

Also, playing in the Big 12 I think would help recruiting.  Look at it like this, two of the top states for recruits are Texas and Flordia.  We are at an immediate disadvantage to recruits in Flordia because we are so far away.  Then on top of that, we are going down to those kids and asking them to leave all that sunshine and beaches and come live in Fayetteville, Ark for the next four years of their life.  So, the place that is best for us to recruit is Texas.  We are close to Texas, so we go to these Texas kids and try to convince them to play for us.  Well, in the past, when we were in the SWC, these kids might get to play in their home state 4 times a year.  Now though, we are asking them to travel with us east, and not ever get to play in Texas.  Well, except for when we go to the Cotton Bowl every other year.  So I think if we could somehow switch to the Big 12, even though I know it will never happen, it would be a positive move.

[hawaiianhogster]

We either win in the best conference in the world or become just like everybody else and win games due to our opponent.

[razorpimp]

SEC all they way....but replace our jr high football coach...with a D1 football coach...

Quit bad mouthing junior high coaches like that!  There may be some on this board.

[mword]

stay in the SEC West

[The Marmot]

at first I would say no way lets stay in the SEC but

I say it would be pretty fun to play Texas and Oklahoma every year.

Of the direction our program is going, we may not win against those guys anyway.

We should be playing the likes of Texas and OU as non-cons....couple of big timers, couple of fluffs... IMO.

OK, bring on the "USC games" onslaught...

[hogsNbeer]

SEC all they way....but replace our jr high football coach...with a D1 football coach...

Quit bad mouthing junior high coaches like that!  There may be some on this board.

oops!  dangit!!     Sorry ...... Apologies...   

[okiehawg]

at first I would say no way lets stay in the SEC but

I say it would be pretty fun to play Texas and Oklahoma every year.

Of the direction our program is going, we may not win against those guys anyway.

We should be playing the likes of Texas and OU as non-cons....couple of big timers, couple of fluffs... IMO.

OK, bring on the "USC games" onslaught...

OU and Texas are fluffs?  As in easy wins?

[SooiecidetillNuttgone]

Stay in the SEC, and -1 for even asking.

[rickm1976]

Stay in the SEC and secure a coaching staff committed to winning, unlike what we have now.

[The Marmot]

at first I would say no way lets stay in the SEC but

I say it would be pretty fun to play Texas and Oklahoma every year.

Of the direction our program is going, we may not win against those guys anyway.

We should be playing the likes of Texas and OU as non-cons....couple of big timers, couple of fluffs... IMO.

OK, bring on the "USC games" onslaught...

OU and Texas are fluffs?  As in easy wins?

No they would be the big timers... any of the 2007 non-cons would be in the fluff category.

[okiehawg]

at first I would say no way lets stay in the SEC but

I say it would be pretty fun to play Texas and Oklahoma every year.

Of the direction our program is going, we may not win against those guys anyway.

We should be playing the likes of Texas and OU as non-cons....couple of big timers, couple of fluffs... IMO.

OK, bring on the "USC games" onslaught...

OU and Texas are fluffs?  As in easy wins?

No they would be the big timers... any of the 2007 non-cons would be in the fluff category.

Okay I got you, I must have misread what you wrote.

[hawgslop00]

It wouldn't be much difference if we were in the Big 12, unless there was a coaching change.  Sure we would probably beat teams like Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, Kansas, etc, but we would still lose the big ones that count like Texas and Oklahoma.  Then you would have the ones that would be question marks like Texas Tech, A&M, and Nebraska.  So why change?

[joeyself]

An idea I had some time ago is that Baylor gets booted out of the Big 12 and we take that spot.  The South division has Texas, A&M, Tech, OU and OSU, and that'd be a great place to play.

Going to the North would put us with Iowa State, Missouri, Kansas, KState, Colorado and Nebraska.  One of them would need to leave, or someone else would have to join the Southern division.  Iowa State could join the eleven teams in the Big 10, I guess.

All in all, it wouldn't bother me to make the switch.  Geographically, it makes more sense than being in a conference with South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

JcS

[d1nonlyhogfan]

You don't wimp out; you learn to compete. That's what College and Pro sports are about. Junior High and High School sports are where keeping everybody happy even remotely matters (however, not so if I were a JH or HS coach).

[razorbackroasting]

I think it would be a very good move for Arkansas. I know it is a step down in overall perception or level of competition, but I think it is more suited to our program.

I think we could rrecruit better for one.

A better chance of success and good shot at building the program over a period of years. With the Texas teams I would like it quite a bit. I mean Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Nebraska... That isn't a cake walk either. Plus if we are going to be a run team, and Nutt bagger stays ( ugghh ), he stands a better chance being successful and the team has always favored run anyway.

Hell even the mid level competition would be better than beating up on a bunch of Sunbelt teams. Of course we would catch hell from the SEC fans and press if we left, but I feel that is where we should have gone to begin with.

Maybe too late now.

But it is all about the $$$$, so I understand, I just think it would be better to be top dog in a less competitive league than be close to bottom of the barrel in the best, the program has suffered overall as a result of these losing seasons and sub par seasons, it takes a negative toll over time.

Very interesting topic, I have been saying this for some time now !

[DeltaBoy]

Wrong end  I want the Big 12 South !!!!

[Junkyard Hog]

SEC

[NWASooner]

Long time lurker, here.  Also a Sooner fan (obviously) but I live in NWA and follow the local teams.

Anyway, there seems to be this belief among Hog fans that your record would improve if you joined the Big 12.  Maybe but maybe not.  Nutt is a shade over .500 in SEC games over the past 10 years and the Big 12 is now 10 years old.  Would his record be any different on that side?

In the first five years of the Big 12, the North was dominant.  Nebraska had some of the best teams ever.  (Remember how they totally destroyed Florida and Tennessee in the Orange Bowl?)  Kansas State was also very solid and Colorado was consistently good.  Kansas was OK, Missouri is always about a 6 or 7 win team and Iowa State sucked.  So, in those five years, you'd have gotten killed by Nebraska and K-State and probably lost to Colorado on a consistent basis.  You'd split with the other teams.  Please don't make the argument that you'd beat either Nebraska or K-State.  During those years you were losing to Kentucky and SMU.  You're not going into Lincoln and winning.  Also keep in mind that as late as 2000, Nebraksa and K-State were #1 and #2 at the same time until they both lost to OU, who became #1.

The last five years is when the North tanked.  Then again, you didn't go to a bowl for two years and the year before that you went to the Shreveport Bowl.  In the North, you probably would have been sub .500 in the first five years and over .500 in the last five so that's probably a net wash.

In the South, you would have beaten OU easily early on until maybe 1999 but in 2000 that would have definitely come to and end.  So, you'd probably be 2-8 against us.  Texas generally had better talent than you over that ten year stretch but you seem to get up for them so that might be a wash.  A&M plays great at home and crappy on the road so let's say that's a wash.  Tech and Poke State are consitently average with an occasional good year so that's probably a wash, too.  (Keep in mind you're losing to Kentucky, SMU, and not going bowling for some of these years.  Sure, Tech and Poke State aren't world beaters but neither were you.)

You'd beat Baylor every one of those ten years but everyone else did, too.  So, the Baylor wins cancel out your OU losses and you split with everyone else.  That's about .500

So, Nutt has a .500 record in the SEC and would have had a .500 record in the Big 12.  Not much difference in conferences.  So much for the SEC being this NFL-type league.

The revenue is also about the same.  I think Missouri's revenue and budget are very similar to Arkansas' and they're a mid level school.  That's a wash, too.

The thing the SEC has over the Big 12 is better road trips.  You have Oxford, Athens, and Knoxville.  We have Ames, Manhattan, Lincoln, and Lubbock.  Bleh.  Boulder and Austin are nice.  Norman is OK.  The rest are a wasteland.  Stillwater and College Station are total suckholes.

The one thing the Big 12 would have for you guys is better recruiting so that might cancel out the .500 record in conference.  The talent/population base in the SEC is 1,000 miles from Fayetteville.  Those kids aren't coming here.  The talent/population base in the this part of the country is Texas.  That's workable for Arkansas.  You could still recruit Texas and play in the SEC if you played more con-confernce games in Texas against the SMU's, TCU's, and A&M's of the world.  Instead, you're playing directional schools from Missouri and Louisiana, which does you no good at all.

So, in short, the SEC is probably more fun so you should stay there.  Your record would be about the same in the Big 12, though, except maybe you'd recruit better.

Anyway, that's just my two cents.

[NWASooner]

One more thing about the revenue.

I just looked it up on the Internet and the SEC brought in $116 million last year and the Big 12 had $102 million.  That breaks down to about $1 million per school.  That's not that much.

Leaving the old SWC was the right thing for you guys but the money now is about a net wash.

[ishankem]

I think it would be a very good move for Arkansas. I know it is a step down in overall perception or level of competition, but I think it is more suited to our program.

I think we could rrecruit better for one.

A better chance of success and good shot at building the program over a period of years. With the Texas teams I would like it quite a bit. I mean Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Nebraska... That isn't a cake walk either. Plus if we are going to be a run team, and Nutt bagger stays ( ugghh ), he stands a better chance being successful and the team has always favored run anyway.

Hell even the mid level competition would be better than beating up on a bunch of Sunbelt teams. Of course we would catch hell from the SEC fans and press if we left, but I feel that is where we should have gone to begin with.

Maybe too late now.

But it is all about the $$$$, so I understand, I just think it would be better to be top dog in a less competitive league than be close to bottom of the barrel in the best, the program has suffered overall as a result of these losing seasons and sub par seasons, it takes a negative toll over time.

Very interesting topic, I have been saying this for some time now !

I agree, I think we would have a better chance to win a NC in the Big 12.  Better recruiting opportunities out of Texas and Okla.  I don't think we will ever recruit well enough (unless we get a big time coach) in the SEC to win a NC.  IN the Big-12, it could be possible.  But, it will never happen. We are in the sec to stay. We will have to be happy with a Western SEC champ. once in a while.

[HawgWyld]

Toss Houston "Goldbrick" Nutt out on his butt and then let's talk about switching conferences. We've got bigger fish to fry right now.

[Ironhawg]

SEC baby, I hate the Big 12 outside of AM,Texas,OU it boring, and I rather be 6-6 in the SEC than be 8-4 in the Big 12 or better.  SEC is the premier league in football and has the history to back it up. I like that I have no interest in playing Baylor,Iowa State,Nebraska,Colorado,etc Baylor.

I like playing in the SEC, but I have serious doubts that we'll ever win a football championship in the SEC.  It seems like to me we are closer geographically to the Big 12 than the SEC.  The distances from Fayetteville to SEC and Big 12 schools compared:

Florida - 1034                         Colorado - 824
S. Carolina - 1006                    TX Tech - 594
Georgia - 837                          Texass - 528
Tennessee - 708                      TX A&M - 518
Auburn - 702                           Iowa St. - 461
Kentucky - 698                        Nebraska - 434
LSU - 617                               Baylor - 427
Bama - 550                              K State - 355
Vandy - 529                             Mizzou - 312
MSU - 499                                Kansas - 275
Ole Miss - 403                           OU - 235
                                              Ok. State - 184

[HawgWyld]

SEC baby, I hate the Big 12 outside of AM,Texas,OU it boring, and I rather be 6-6 in the SEC than be 8-4 in the Big 12 or better.  SEC is the premier league in football and has the history to back it up. I like that I have no interest in playing Baylor,Iowa State,Nebraska,Colorado,etc Baylor.

I like playing in the SEC, but I have serious doubts that we'll ever win a football championship in the SEC.  It seems like to me we are closer geographically to the Big 12 than the SEC.  The distances from Fayetteville to SEC and Big 12 schools compared:

Florida - 1034                         Colorado - 824
S. Carolina - 1006                    TX Tech - 594
Georgia - 837                          Texass - 528
Tennessee - 708                      TX A&M - 518
Auburn - 702                           Iowa St. - 461
Kentucky - 698                        Nebraska - 434
LSU - 617                               Baylor - 427
Bama - 550                              K State - 355
Vandy - 529                             Mizzou - 312
MSU - 499                                Kansas - 275
Ole Miss - 403                           OU - 235
                                              Ok. State - 184

Gee, maybe that's because every SEC team except Arkansas and LSU are actually in the southeastern part of the country. What a loopy concept, moving to a conference featuring teams that are in the same part of the country as we are.

It's just downright wacky!

[NWASooner]

That whole game day atmosphere making road games harder is a myth.  South Carolina has one of the best game day scenes anywhere and they went winless one year.  A&M has as great game day scene and they lose at home all the time.

Meanwhile, Miami has an awful game day scene and up until a year or so ago, they never lost at home.  Colorado has a 50,000 seat stadium they can't fill and like Miami, were a very good home team up until a few years ago.

How loud the crowd is doesn't effect the talent on the field.

[Ouachihog]

That whole game day atmosphere making road games harder is a myth.  South Carolina has one of the best game day scenes anywhere and they went winless one year.  A&M has as great game day scene and they lose at home all the time.

Meanwhile, Miami has an awful game day scene and up until a year or so ago, they never lost at home.  Colorado has a 50,000 seat stadium they can't fill and like Miami, were a very good home team up until a few years ago.

How loud the crowd is doesn't effect the talent on the field.

Why don't you ask a head coach if they would rather go to Baton Rouge,  the swamp, or neyland stadium rather than colorado or miami. 

Granted, it mostly has to do with talent on the field.  But it does make a HUGE difference if the team you are playing has 85,000 behind it.

[rev. tim]

I live in San Antonio, TX - so the possibility of road trips to Austin, Waco, Lubbock and College Station to see The Hogs play would be too good to be true.  The idea of The Hogs playing in a Big 12 Championship Game in the Alamodome or an occasional Alamo Bowl during a down year gets me pumped.  If either ever happens the party's at my house! It would be like old SWC days and it would help The Hogs to reestablish a recruiting base here in Texas.

But I know it'll probably never happen.  But you never know.

[rev. tim]

Actually, I'd rather see the Big 12 drop Baylor and add The Hogs to the Big 12 South.  That makes more sense geographically in terms of travel and recruiting.

[Mojofan]

I'd like to see the Big XII kick Baylor out and invite Arkansas to the South Division.  Arkansas has more natural rivalries with the Texas schools than with any of the SEC teams.  And for selfish reasons, I could see the Red Raiders every other year.

[prairiehogcompanion]

Aren't we already in the sunbelt?  I mean, we play 4 of their football teams every year....

Let's see, we're playing half the Sunbelt on a rotating basis.

And Arkansas State, which opens against Texas in '07, is slowly playing its way through the Big 12.

[Pork Salad Annie]

SEC.
The best football in the land is played there.
The pro-houstonnutters want to move to the Big-12 to make it easier on their idol and help save his job.

[NWASooner]

Why don't you ask a head coach if they would rather go to Baton Rouge,  the swamp, or neyland stadium rather than colorado or miami. 

It depends.  Is LSU being coached by Gary DiNardo and his teams and is Miami being coached by Dennis Erickson/Butch Davis and their teams? 

LSU is a perfect case in point.  They were mediocre for a LONG time and they have a great scene.  Meanwhile, Miami won about 5 national titles in 25 years.

[Hawgin84]

SEC. Overhaul the hill and the Hogs will be competitve.

[Ironhawg]

SEC.
The best football in the land is played there.
The pro-houstonnutters want to move to the Big-12 to make it easier on their idol and help save his job.

I am far from a pro-nutter and I would still prefer the Big 12 to the SEC.  The SEC is a great conference but we are so far away from everybody else.  I guess remembering the SWC and the rivalries we had there plus our close proximity to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State make the Big 12 seem like a more natural conference for us. 

[ishankem]

I still feel the hogs could field a better team with better recruits if we were in the Big12.  We would be one of the top teams in that conference IMHO, JFB went for the $$$ instead of a better team on the field.  Of course, when we left the swc for the sec, who knew what would happen to the old swc.  Broyles thought he could get Texas into the sec back then, but it didn't happen.  with a new AD coming in who knows what might happen down the road.

[cosmodrum]

If the U of A was stupid enough to go back to the Big 12, it would be embarassing.

I can hear it now..."Arkansas couldn't hack it in the SEC. No SEC titles, no BCS games. Better luck in the Big 12."

Go back to the Big 12?  I don't remember us ever being in the Big 12, or Big 8 for that matter, unless I am just missing something. 

I would love it if we were in the Big 12.  For 70 something years (or however long it was) we played the same teams.  We built rivalries that meant something, then 15 years ago we stopped playing them and I haven't felt the same kind of thing during our conference schedule since then. 

Also, playing in the Big 12 I think would help recruiting.  Look at it like this, two of the top states for recruits are Texas and Flordia.  We are at an immediate disadvantage to recruits in Flordia because we are so far away.  Then on top of that, we are going down to those kids and asking them to leave all that sunshine and beaches and come live in Fayetteville, Ark for the next four years of their life.  So, the place that is best for us to recruit is Texas.  We are close to Texas, so we go to these Texas kids and try to convince them to play for us.  Well, in the past, when we were in the SWC, these kids might get to play in their home state 4 times a year.  Now though, we are asking them to travel with us east, and not ever get to play in Texas.  Well, except for when we go to the Cotton Bowl every other year.  So I think if we could somehow switch to the Big 12, even though I know it will never happen, it would be a positive move.

Ok, so sorry to assume people could understand what I was saying. Of course we were in the SWC, which contained A&M, the Longhorns, etc. Surely you understood what I meant. We would go back to playing the teams that were our SWC rivals. You knew what I meant, but saw what you thought was an opportunity to make another poster look stupid.

I can't believe I actually had to explain this post.

[oldtimerhog]

Nutty can't compete in either one!