On OSU, the SEC and What about the Pac-12?

Last week I wrote about what an OSU move to the SEC would look like. It was the most-read real post on the site last week (Gundy’s shot at OU and the helmet post both surpassed it I believe). It’s interesting. It’s fun to think about. It’s fascinating to discuss. Reader Caleb Deck wrote me with some compelling thoughts later in the week, and we had a fun back and forth. I thought it would be cool to share that with everyone else. Here it is.

Caleb Deck

I read your article and have been thinking about it and discussing it with friends all day and I just want to get your thoughts. I totally agree that Big 12 seems dead in the water and OSU should be searching for possibilities for what direction to move once the current grant of rights runs out. Also, your potential schedule made me swoon and also start nervously sweating at my desk when I read it. I get where you’re coming at so far — my question is why you see greater value in the SEC over the Pac-12?

When looking at the conferences as a whole, it seems like OSU as a football program, school culture, and general purpose seem to line up more with the west coast schools than the east coast — not to mention the style of play which we have pushed for as long as I can remember. Yes, there are definitely draws of playing LSU, Bama, Florida, Auburn, but I think those could be countered by equally entertaining yet different matchups against USC, Oregon, Cal, Stanford, Arizona St., etc… Also can you imagine road trips to away games at Arizona St. or in the USC Coliseum??

I worry that a move to the SEC would leave OSU stuck fighting the bottom of the pack and ending up looking similar to Georgia Tech, Mizzou, or new-age Arkansas — at best Texas A&M and at worst Vanderbilt … We would have to change our entire football mindset, recruiting, the culture would shift, I worry about a dropoff in basketball investment, etc…

Also I think OU would thrive in the SEC environment and end up successfully competing for titles consistently, further reinforcing the little brother narrative and idea that we are just on two completely different levels when it comes to overall competitiveness. Now, rivals being successful is not a good reason to avoid a good option, but I don’t think it would give us incentive to look to the SEC if we’re truly looking out for our own best interests.

On the other hand if we move to the Pac-12 I would think we would be more balanced as an overall athletic program, retain a lot of the same football aspects we have now, and could be a top contender in multiple sports from the very beginning.

Kyle P.

That’s a great question. I hadn’t thought about it that closely I suppose, but Berry Tramel summed it up today in his article on what a Big 12-Pac 12 merger would look like — people in the midwest (and definitely in the south) care more about football than those on the west coast. I want to go where there’s the most amount of interest. And selfishly I think it would be more fun to travel to places like Tennessee than to Washington State.

As for on-field play, I think you’re probably right though. Although my counter to that is that OSU plays a much different style than SEC teams and could contend because of that. Look how much success Mizzou and A&M had in their first few years playing more wide open than the traditional SEC teams. Mizzou went to TWO (!) SEC title games in its first three years. Missouri!

Caleb Deck

I see what you mean with the increased interest and how the counter-cultural style of play could be beneficial. Part of my wonder is if OSU would continue to play our own game and have suffered or if that struggles and after a season or two, we head in the trajectory of having a lot of games with a final score of 9-6 which would be abysmal.

Now in talking with people and thinking about this more, another hurdle for Pac-12 is geographical. Arizona St. is the closest Pac-12 shook at 1,007 miles from Stillwater whereas 12 of the 14 SEC schools are within 1000 miles….

Kyle P.

Another good point. Although merging with or moving to either conference at this point seems like a better long-term option than what is currently staring us in the face. It is an incredibly arrogant mindset (that I have absolutely no problem adopting!) to think that OSU, of all schools, could break free from the Iowa States and Kansas’ of the world to pal around with the big boys of the college football world. But that tie to OU seems strong, and OU is definitely a national brand you want to be tied to.

No matter the choice Big 12 (and specifically Oklahoma State) administrators make for expansion and for the future, OSU’s path is almost certainly going to look different in 10 years than it does in five years than it does right now.