The “merger” is attractive to me because each conference goes to 12 so that covers 24 teams.

However by staying technically separate and at 12 they could easily grab the remaining Big 12 schools like Baylor, Texas Tech, and Okie St to go to 16.

I think most of us can agree that the Big Ten, PAC12, and SEC are the dominant conferences so if they decide to go to 16 they will pick apart the Big 12, ACC, and Big East to get there.

Speaking solely about the Big 12 schools.

The PAC 10 wanted mainly Texas, A&M, and OU the rest were just bribes to get those three (Texas Tech and Okie St will never get into the PAC10 otherwise) but that fell through because Texas wanted its own network (which none of the big 3 conferences will allow), A&M wanted the SEC. and OU wanted to stay with Oklahoma St and Texas. I’ll remind you also that no major conference wanted Baylor.

The SEC wanted A&M but only if everyone else was expanding, when it was clear that everyone was staying at 12 they stopped all talks. Also the SEC only wanted A&M if they could bring in another big member like OU who declined the unofficial offer from the SEC, the end game was to either try to get Texas by taking it major rivals, or if that failed they would take two eastern schools like Florida St and Clemson to keep the current divisions.

Since the Big Ten had apparently passed on Kansas and Mizzou most people thought the MWC/CUSA would get a shot at them until few days ago when it came out that IF the PAC16 had happened the remaining Big 12 North schools KU, K St, Mizzou, and Iowa St had an unofficial deal to join the Big East and be in the Western division with Louisville and Cinncy.

So now that Texas has its network IF any expansion happens most people assume they will go independent since no other major conference would allow them to keep it.

Most also assume that A&M would jump to the SEC if given the chance, and therefor OU, being a powerhouse of a program, would probably see the writing is on the wall and opt for SEC membership with A&M in order to stay in a major conference.

With the new information about the Big East wanting the North schools people believe that would be where these schools end up.

This only leave Texas Tech, Baylor, and Okie St. These schools have mediocre academics, and good (not great) athletic programs, and are not in major media markets nor have a large following, therefor most assume they would wind up in the MWC or CUSA….but who knows maybe the Big East would take them too.