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Brett McMurphy and The Chronicle are both reporting the Big 12 has revisited the expansion topic, and it seems that the two schools brought up most often are schools that TCU is pretty familiar with from our days of conference jumping- BYU and Louisville. The Big 12 re-expanding to 12 is potentially a good thing for TCU for several reasons: A Big 12 championship means more revenue (and the site would most likely be in Jerryworld, a convenient drive for TCU fans if we make the game, the added stability of two more teams would increase the likelihood that Texas (and as a consequence, Tech, 0U and State) will stick around and keep the Big 12 together for the foreseeable future. The downside for TCU (and if it does come to pass, it is a very sizable downside) is that this will likely mean the reprise of the absolutely murderous Big 12 South- except with TCU in the place of Texas A&M (a definite upgrade). There is certainly some argument that being in what would then become the toughest division in football has an upside- after all, the second best team in the current best division in football was just awarded the BNC (Bogus National Championship), but the SEC has one thing that the likely Big 12 does not have (no, not Texas A&M, I'm talking about things other conferences actually want), which is name recognition and a national power in the other division. Florida is down at the moment, but is indisputably one of the top five jobs in college football, and Georgia and Tennessee are both programs that could easily anchor a weaker division in any other conference- while the only team in the hypothetical Big 12 North redux to sniff a national title is BYU- which is by no one's definition a Nebraska-esque name to anchor a division. What is the Big 12 to do to ensure competitive balance, then? The Big Ten laid the blueprint for it just this past year- split your two national brands into different divisions, even if it doesn't make geographical sense.

By kicking Oklahoma (and to keep as many rivalries as possible intact, Okie State) up into the North and making the Red River Shootout a protected cross division game (as the Big Ten did with Michigan/Ohio State), the Big 12 would give itself not only more competitive balance (and give the non-Texas/0U programs in the South a better chance at the title game) but would also be a significant boon to the conference in negotiating a price for its title game. It's predicted that the mere possibility of a Michigan/Ohio State rematch in the Big Ten title game added a million dollars a year to that games television rights, and by giving networks a possible Texas/0U part two the Big 12 would stand to cash in significantly from the networks as well. This subject might be a sore spot for Longhorn and Sooner supporters, but to those fanbases I have a response: 45-35. Longhorn fans would not tie for the division title with their hated rivals to the North, while beating them head to head, and end up getting shafted out of a title game opportunity. Unlike the Big Ten's premier rivalry (which is played on the last week of the regular season) the Big 12's superpowers play in October, giving both teams ample opportunity to right their place in the rankings and give a winner-takes-all second showdown a huge boost in sending a Big 12 team to the national championship game (or hopefully, playoffs). I'd propose Big 12 divisions like so:

Northeast:

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

Kansas

Kansas State

Iowa State

West Virginia

Southwest:

Texas

TCU

Texas Tech

Louisville

BYU

Baylor

Or if you want to substitute your preferred expansion candidate (USF? Cincinnati? UNT?) for BYU or Louisville (or kick out Baylor) it doesn't make much difference. In this example what remains of the Big Eight and SWC have their rivalries intact- and giving Oklahoma State a protected rival of either TCU or Tech ensures that the Cowboys don't revolt as a result of being more shut out of Texas exposure in recruiting. In the summer of 2011 Texas and 0U came together to save the Big 12 conference, but should the conference build back up to 12 in the future the best way for them to save the conference again is separating.

Andy Dalton shines in the Pro Bowl

Rah, Rah TCU (from Barking Carnival)

Daje Johnson Sticking with TCU commitment, despite Texas interest

For reasons I won't get into, I've spent more time in front of a microfilm machine than anyone ever should. While trudging through day after day of old newspapers is a soul crushing task, you can find some pretty cool stuff.

When we think of college football and the military, we think of people like Pat Tillman and Nile Kinnick. That is to say, we think of American heroes. The below picture of ladies-man Nile Kinnick clearly illustrates this point.

(In regards to the article on the right, even at 5 on 1, my money is on Kevin Durant.)

There are plenty of examples of college football greats that went on to serve America abroad and make the ultimate sacrifice. However, when we think of college football and law enforcement, the immediate, and obvious, examples are negative. The only positive example I could think of is former ATF agent Jay Dobyns AKA that Arizona player you've probably seen in some History Channel documentary about the Hell's Angels.

Well, it turns out Dobyns isn't alone on that list, and is actually in the company of a TCU legend.

Continue reading this post »

The Frogs were in a deep hole, 8:50 left in the game, the Broncos had a commanding 50-34 lead and has established total dominance on the boards (the final tally was a 40-28 advantage for the Broncos). Shades of the USC game, where TCU had been blown out by a pretty bad team, were going through every fans mind at the Daniel Meyer Coliseum, and then the most interesting Frogs in the world spoke up: We don't always beat Boise State, but when we do we prefer to do it in the the way that is most heartbreaking for them. Boise State added only two points to their tally in the final 8:50, as the Frogs defense clamped down and Kyan Anderson started to take over the game, giving TCU a big three pointer that helped swing the momentum in a big way. The frogs are now 11-7 (1-2 MWC) with a great chance to pull back to even in the conference this Wednesday when Air Force 11-5 (1-1 as of this writing) comes to town. If the Frogs are going to finish above .500 this year, this is the sort of game they have to win.

I did call it, but it really doesn't make me feel any better about what transpired in the BCS title game, as Alabama claims another national championship they don't really deserve. I'm sure Alabama put on a clinic in this game (from the game summary I read they even scored a touchdown, that's so exciting for them!) and there will be folks that claim that this is the game that should be remembered as the indicator of which team was better (Alabama fans) but in reality we end up with the most unsatisfying end to a postseason since 2004 where we were still left with three great undefeated teams after the bowls closed. The only good feelings folks will have about this season involve it being so screwed up that it led to the changes that football fans have been clamoring for for generations. Unfortunately the changes are still in the future, so our future conference mates in Stillwater will have to wonder forever what would have happened if their best team in school history had had a chance to play for it all. We know that feeling at Frogs O' War (though debate will go on between the 2010 team and 1938 team, the '38 team is out of the lifespan of every Frog fan I know apart from my grandmother- and she wasn't a frog fan back in '38), so our full sympathies to the cowboys of Oklahoma State.

Enough dwelling on the sadness of the season though, let's have a look at the teams that have the best shot of ending the SEC monopoly on national titles next year, join me after the jump as we look at the top teams from each conference and see which of them are likely title game participants.

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B.J Catalon most exciting player on next years roster

by antlymbo 6 days ago

1 comments

The Wild Frog lives!

by Purple Wimple about 1 month ago

1 comments

coming soon: the inaugural Frogs O' War podcast...

by Purple Wimple 2 months ago

2 comments

June Leaveth?

by Purple Wimple 2 months ago

1 comments

Thoughts from a Boise State Fan....

by Broncoernicus 3 months ago

1 comments

Is TCU BCS Bound?

by Jay Weston 3 months ago

4 comments

by Purple Wimple 2 months ago 0 comments

TCU going to the Poinsettia Bowl against LA Tech

by DerekSTheRed 2 months ago 5 comments | 1 rec

TCU Kicker Ross Evans accused of misdemeanor

by HawkeyedFrog 3 months ago 0 comments

TCU kicker arrested for trespassing

by TDown 3