Amazing what can happen in 24 hours in the world of college football realignment.
West Virginia, which appeared to be a lock to replace Missouri in the Big 12, now is going head-to-head with Louisville for that 10th spot.
What happened?
Did Louisville work some back channels to scuttle the deal? Or maybe someone at WVU jumped the gun on the announcement.
No matter what, this is going to end bad for someone … and my guess is WVU. Mountaineer fans as a whole feel the entire college football world is out to get them. If this deal falls through, my god, they may be right.
Yesterday, I said WVU’s invite to the Big 12 was like being the fat kid who is picked last in kickball (OK, maybe I stole that from a co-worker). But at least the Mountaineers were in the game.
Obviously some faction at the Big 12 wasn’t sold on WVU to replace Missouri.
Louisville does offer a better TV market and is easier on the flight schedules, but West Virginia is a stronger brand. Seriously, who doesn’t love the flying WV (which is obviously a rip-off of the Van Halen logo)?
As quickly as the news spread Tuesday that WVU was joining the Big 12, it began spreading just as fast late last night and this morning that the Mountaineers wouldn’t be holding a presser with conference officials in tow on Wednesday.
Instead, I imagine, West Virginia AD Oliver Luck and his counterpart at Louisville, Tom Jurich, are voraciously working the phones to any contact that will listen.
You can’t blame Louisville for making a last-ditch effort. No one wants to be left without a seat when the music stops playing. The Cardinals are as deserving of a spot as West Virginia.
But if there’s only going to be one spot, which program would be the best fit?
It’s tough for me to be completely unbiased as a WVU graduate, but the Mountaineers offer the Big 12 more than any of the others possibilities (not including Notre Dame).
West Virginia’s two highest-profile coaches—Dana Holgorsen and Bob Huggins—have a history with the Big 12. The Mountaineers also bring into the mix a football program with two BCS Bowl victories and a basketball program that reached the Final Four two years ago.
Louisville’s Charlie Strong and Rick Pitino would also make great additions to the Big 12.
Maybe the Big 12 could make this thing a whole lot easier and just invite WVU, Louisville and Cincinnati to get back to 12 and the bickering can just stop.
