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CougarPeasantsnoscythe wrote:Texas will either stay in the B12 or go to the P10, no other option makes any sense at all. The SEC is locked into a TV contract, already has tons of competition, and are all low-tier schools for academics, something UT cares about.
The Big10 is simply too far away, UT would be an outpost school and they don't want to do that. They are closer geography wise to the P10, than they are to the SEC or B10. And quite honestly, Austin is closer culturally to the Pac10 than the SEC.
My bet is Texas and the other four either stay in the Big 12 or they join the PAC 16, there is really no other option unless they side with their own ego and go Independent like Notre Dame LOL.
If you are measuring geography by states, then yes, UT is closer to the PAC-10 than the others, but UT is just as close to the University of Nebraska (the nearest Big 10 school) as they are to the University of Arizona (the nearest PAC 10 school. What's more, most of the Big 10 schools are closer than Los Angeles, and even the farthest Big 10 school, PSU, is 30% closer than the farthest Pac10 school, UW.
The SEC is even closer to home. Fans can get from Austin to the nearest SEC campus in less than 9 hours (Arkansas) as opposed to over 14 hours to the nearest Pac-10 school (Arizona). The farthest SEC campus is Lexington, KY at 16.5 hours away--closer to Austin than all PAC-10 schools except Arizona and Arizona State (yes, it's even closer to Austin than CU).
Culturally, I agree with you that UT is a left-wing fortress, but geographically, you need a new atlas.
Are far flung distances really a concern? The 6 new teams in the Pac10 (provided aTm finally joins with Texas) will just form a new division with the Arizona schools and will travel every other year to one of the western Pac10 schools. It will really be just another OOC game essentially.
Also, I don't see Nebraska and Texas ending up in the same conference after all is said and done. So if Texas goes to the Big10, then Nebraska bails on that choice.

