Here are 4 Big 12 schools that would be a fit for SEC ... if only there was room
The Big 12 looked in dire straights two years ago after the SEC’s heist of Oklahoma and Texas. The conference endured, and it’s enjoying a renaissance.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark is invading rival terrain like a conquistador. His seizures of BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Houston and, most recently, Colorado, steadied the Big 12’s footing and improved the quality of the conference so that it has a case for being the No. 3 league behind the SEC and Big Ten.
In fact, we’re so intrigued by this alignment of Big 12 programs, we’re eyeing a four-team swap with the SEC.
On this edition of “SEC Football Unfiltered,” a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams engage in a thought exercise: If the SEC was required to swap four teams in an exchange with the Big 12, which quartet should it say farewell to, and which four teams should it desire in return?
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Toppmeyer and Adams agree on which four schools the SEC should eject in this hypothetical, but they differ on the Big 12 schools that the SEC should wish to plunder.
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Say goodbye to these SEC teams …
Missouri
We hardly knew ya. After Gary Pinkel’s Tigers made an early splash upon SEC arrival, Missouri athletics largely has been in the SEC’s also-ran category. Shipping the Tigers back to the Big 12 would be a natural choice. Missouri could renew rivalries with the likes of Kansas and Iowa State.
Vanderbilt
The SEC would miss touting Vanderbilt’s academics and its women’s bowling prowess. Alas, the SEC would soldier on. The Tennessee Vols would retain the SEC’s foothold in Nashville, and Vanderbilt football wouldn't be missed – except by opposing SEC coaches.
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Kentucky
The Wildcats give the SEC a basketball blueblood, but their glory days are fading. Florida has more basketball national titles in the 2000s than Kentucky. A program that lost to Saint Peter’s in the 2022 NCAA Tournament is a candidate for relegation.
South Carolina
Gamecocks women’s basketball is a force, and Williams-Brice Stadium is an underrated football venue, but we made the tough choice to cut South Carolina. USC has not won an SEC football championship in its 31 seasons in the conference, and its 2017 Final Four in men’s basketball was an aberration. Thanks for the women’s basketball memories, but LSU is available to carry that torch.
The Big 12 teams we’d add for the SEC
Toppmeyer: Oklahoma State. Mike Gundy’s program has achieved seven seasons with double-digit victories since 2010. The Cowboys, like rival Oklahoma, are ready for the big stage. They’d also be a nice addition in basketball, and the trophy-hungry SEC could even feign interest in Oklahoma State’s 34 wrestling national championships.
Adams: Ditto. I’d also want Oklahoma State. Keep Bedlam alive.
Toppmeyer: UCF. America’s migration patterns have Florida’s population on the rise, and UCF’s enrollment sits around a whopping 70,000. That means this still-young fan base is growing. Unlike previous SEC additions like South Carolina and Missouri, the Knights would have a natural rival on Day 1 in the Florida Gators.
Adams: I like UCF, too. Consider how nouveau riche UCF would needle SEC fans who value tradition. That should stir up some heated feelings that spark rivalry development.
Toppmeyer: BYU. Say hello to SEC After Dark! BYU home games are an entry point for the SEC to stage 9 or 10 p.m. Eastern kickoffs, paving the way for an all-day SEC takeover of the airwaves. Plus, the SEC can smooth the loss of Vanderbilt by touting not only BYU’s academic profile, but its athletes’ missions work. BYU’s religious component means there’s Cougars fans in pockets beyond Utah, giving the SEC a presence in states like California, Nevada and Arizona.
Adams: Don’t hate the BYU idea, but I’ll pass and take TCU. The Horned Frogs' recent success in football, men’s basketball and baseball shows they’re primed for the transfer/NIL era. Plus, you’re going to notice a theme with this addition and my next pick: Southwest Conference reunion.
Toppmeyer: Kansas State. Fresh off a Big 12 football championship and an Elite Eight in men’s basketball, the Wildcats have never looked better. Since 2011, K-State’s bowl appearances include the Cotton, Fiesta and Sugar bowls. The Wildcats punch above their weight.
Adams: Credit Bill Snyder for reviving a moribund program, but I’ll pass on K-State. Instead, give me Houston. With back-to-back Elite Eights, Houston can replace Kentucky as the SEC’s basketball headliner. Plus, the Cougars would add another piece in my Southwest Conference revival.
Also in this episode
– If the Big 12's raid of the Pac-12 continues, Adams suggests the program that should top the Big 12's wish list.
– Adams reacts to Toppmeyer's SEC coach power rankings, where Kirby Smart claimed the No. 1 spot from Nick Saban.
Where to listen to SEC Football Unfiltered
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's SEC Columnist. John Adams is the senior columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. You can subscribe to their podcast, SEC Football Unfiltered, or check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Realignment: UCF to BYU, here are 4 Big 12 schools that fit in SEC
