Originally published at: https://pistolsfiringblog.com/merger-between-big-12-pac-12-could-help-both-leagues-survive-in-shifting-college-athletics-landscape/
Here’s why they should merge and what a new Big 12 would look like.
Kick out WVU, UCF Washington State, and Oregon State. That would get you to 18 teams and cut off some smaller markets.
If you’re wanting to cut off smaller markets then UCF shouldn’t be on the chopping block. Not only is Orlando a big metro area (2.3 million) but UCF has a enrollment of a little over 70,000 students, making it the 2nd largest university in the country, not to mention a fast growing alumni base.
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Merge?? If the lame ducks (including but not limited to those from Oregon) are going to merge, then really MERGE! The Big 12, Pac 12 AND ACC all merge. Those 36 teams form 2 conferences of eastern and western geographies, 18 teams each. Might need to whittle down to 16 teams each to fit the long ESPN awaited 4 superconferences, 16 teams each.
Oh, and why wait til the last minute?? I will bid the NCAA adieu NOW. ‘College’ football will be administered by a governing body affiliated with the ESPN network within the next decade. JMHO… (and has been my humble opinion for the last decade, when I screamed for expansion while the Big 12 was still viable, remember the days of courting Louisville and Cincinnati among others, but the brain trust of the Big 12 couldn’t count enough tv sets??? Well, Einstein (bowlsby, the longhorn’s bichboy), how did that work out for you???)
GO POKES!!!
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Assuming you keep all 36 teams together, that’s an interesting idea:
Eastern: The ACC plus UCF, Cincy, West Virginia, and Iowa State
Western: The remaining Big 12 schools plus the remaining Pac 12 schools.
My only concern is some of bigger names in the ACC bolting for the SEC and Big Ten down the road. Also, where would Notre Dame fit in all this?
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In the current college (semi-pro) football environment, even within this scenario, bigger names bolting cannot be your only concern!! …but I appreciate the characterization. 
Notre Dame will probably fit in where ever that they like, unfortunately. In the end, there will probably be a few bean counters at ESPN studying the viewership of each team and then reforming all the conferences to what their computations determine to be the most profitable. Okay, that is a bit out there, but still.
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