Cincinnati vs Houston

[WickedOrange]

Both programs should be in the P5.

 

[Crusty]

Both programs should be in the P5.

Houston yes, but I would reserve judgment on Cinncy.

 

[Chip]

 

[HtownOrange]

The following is an opinion:

Cincy is ready for P5, more so than most other schools. Houston is the clear #1 school ready for P5, they have been in with the P5 teams before. Cincy is in the top 5 on my list of schools ready for P5. It just sucks that they are 90 minutes from tOSU and under their thumb politically.

BYU is P5 material but they reside in a terrible place and have woe weird rules. They are only viable for the PAC which is unlikely to choose them due to west coast bias against, well, anything to to the right of San Francisico; and the Big 12 and they may not want the travel hassle - they have enough of those already. Besides, who wants to watch the rivalry develop between WVU and BYU?

UCF, USF, UConn are all newbies. UConn has no real pull as the first two are in markets larger than Connecticut. Plus, they have high level recruiting in their backyard.

Memphis has some history but mostly in hoops. They are in the shadows of Tennessee and are really on viable for the Big 12: The SEC does not need them and academically, they don't appeal to the B1G nor the ACC.

Tulane has academics and location. They quit the SEC due to academics. Still, NOLA is an easy trip for any fan to make. They lack real history. Did I mention NOLA?

ECU, sucks to be #5 in the heart of the ACC. They could go B1G but they lack academics and following for the B1G. The Acc will not allow a 5th school from the same state. The SEC would like NCState before ECU. Only viable for the Big 12.

Boise - See BYU, move north by 1500 miles and remove the population. No issues with religion, but realistically, only would fit in the PAC and their academics are almost as low Rutgers' football prowess, OK, that's insulting Boise academics, but you get my drift.

I can't think of any others that are somewhat in consideration. Anyway, just an opinion, that and $10 buck can get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

 

[SWC75]

Put West Virginia in the ACC, where they obviously belong. Then put Cincinnati, Houston and BYU or USF in the Big 12.

 

[Cuse'91]

Put West Virginia in the ACC, where they obviously belong. Then put Cincinnati, Houston and BYU or USF in the Big 12.

Totally agree on Mountaineers. Good for us; brings back a rival, short travel. Negative is academics...
Linchpin state, connects Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky; makes the ACC contiguous again after loss of MD...

 

[SoBeCuse]

Late summer the guys on Sirius (Neuheisel, Childers, Packer, etc.) toured Houston on their tour stop and said their new facilities were right up there with Alabama. They couldn't believe how amazing it was. Seriously, like Alabama, Houston, and Oregon were in their top 3 in terms of facilities.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Late summer the guys on Sirius (Neuheisel, Childers, Packer, etc.) toured Houston on their tour stop and said their new facilities were right up there with Alabama. They couldn't believe how amazing it was. Seriously, like Alabama, Houston, and Oregon were in their top 3 in terms of facilities.

It's Texas... where even the high schools have better facilities then a lot of colleges.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Agree on WVU

 

[RandygoCuse]

I'd love to have WVU but I doubt they'd leave the Big 12 for the ACC.

 

[Toga]

I'd love to have WVU but I doubt they'd leave the Big 12 for the ACC.

GOR aside, why would they not?

 

[cuseincincy]

The following is an opinion:

Cincy is ready for P5, more so than most other schools. Houston is the clear #1 school ready for P5, they have been in with the P5 teams before. Cincy is in the top 5 on my list of schools ready for P5. It just sucks that they are 90 minutes from tOSU and under their thumb politically.

BYU is P5 material but they reside in a terrible place and have woe weird rules. They are only viable for the PAC which is unlikely to choose them due to west coast bias against, well, anything to to the right of San Francisico; and the Big 12 and they may not want the travel hassle - they have enough of those already. Besides, who wants to watch the rivalry develop between WVU and BYU?

UCF, USF, UConn are all newbies. UConn has no real pull as the first two are in markets larger than Connecticut. Plus, they have high level recruiting in their backyard.

Memphis has some history but mostly in hoops. They are in the shadows of Tennessee and are really on viable for the Big 12: The SEC does not need them and academically, they don't appeal to the B1G nor the ACC.

Tulane has academics and location. They quit the SEC due to academics. Still, NOLA is an easy trip for any fan to make. They lack real history. Did I mention NOLA?

ECU, sucks to be #5 in the heart of the ACC. They could go B1G but they lack academics and following for the B1G. The Acc will not allow a 5th school from the same state. The SEC would like NCState before ECU. Only viable for the Big 12.

Boise - See BYU, move north by 1500 miles and remove the population. No issues with religion, but realistically, only would fit in the PAC and their academics are almost as low Rutgers' football prowess, OK, that's insulting Boise academics, but you get my drift.

I can't think of any others that are somewhat in consideration. Anyway, just an opinion, that and $10 buck can get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

I agree with most of your post but am curious why you state UC is "90 minutes from tOSU and under their thumb politically." Obviously I know the 90 minute part but why the political part? There are unquestionably a lot of Ohio St fans in Cincinnati but the belief that the Suckeyes "own" Cincinnati is overblown. Local sports radio conducts a poll annually with the latest completed a week ago:
Here are the results:

46% Cincinnati
29% Ohio State
9% Miami
6% Kentucky
6% Other
1% Louisville
Voting is complete: Your favorite college football team is UC | Lance McAlister | ESPN 1530

You also hear that Notre Dame is huge in Cincinnati but they somehow fall into the "other" category (along with my beloved Bobcats). I think that the Suckeyes probably get talked about more than their 29% would suggest mainly because they have given more reasons to talk about them. Even if 90% of the peopel were UC fans but the Suckeyes won the national championship I would guess people would talk more about the national championship than the Bearcats in the Belk Bowl. This town would go nuts if UC was in the playoff. With the Suckeyes its "Eh, OSU's playing another big game."

 

[Trueblue25]

Cincinnati's ready for p5. They're a solid football program and very competitive basketball program.

 

[Chip]

GOR aside, why would they not?

I think they would jump at an ACC offer with both feet, both hands, and both teeth.

 

[cuseincincy]

I think they would jump at an ACC offer with both feet, both hands, and both teeth.

Agreed. A consolation prize for WVU would be UC getting into the Big12. Actually that might be more of a participation award but better than nothing. Kind of like being on a deserted island, it would be great to get off the island. But you wouldn't mind some company either.

 

[SoBeCuse]

It's Texas... where even the high schools have better facilities then a lot of colleges.

I was trying to be serious and legit re: Houston. It's what those experts said on Sirius.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I agree with most of your post but am curious why you state UC is "90 minutes from tOSU and under their thumb politically." Obviously I know the 90 minute part but why the political part? There are unquestionably a lot of Ohio St fans in Cincinnati but the belief that the Suckeyes "own" Cincinnati is overblown. Local sports radio conducts a poll annually with the latest completed a week ago:
Here are the results:

46% Cincinnati
29% Ohio State
9% Miami
6% Kentucky
6% Other
1% Louisville
Voting is complete: Your favorite college football team is UC | Lance McAlister | ESPN 1530

You also hear that Notre Dame is huge in Cincinnati but they somehow fall into the "other" category (along with my beloved Bobcats). I think that the Suckeyes probably get talked about more than their 29% would suggest mainly because they have given more reasons to talk about them. Even if 90% of the peopel were UC fans but the Suckeyes won the national championship I would guess people would talk more about the national championship than the Bearcats in the Belk Bowl. This town would go nuts if UC was in the playoff. With the Suckeyes its "Eh, OSU's playing another big game."

Yeah, I tend to agree with this. I live in Cleveland which is definitely OSU country and much different than Cincy. I lived in Cincy for one year and am always there for work currently.

To me Cincinnati has always had this gateway to the south feel. Even that corner of Indiana by Dayton and certainly across the river from Louisville (New Albany, IN) feels like the south. I almost feel there is more UK, Louisville and Notre Dame support than UC, OSU, or Xavier. UC and XU just exist and lurk under the periphery of the Bengals and Reds. I'm sure there are tons of OSU fans but I feel like I see more UK fans around there. I even see Tennessee fans sometimes across the river from downtown Cincy in Covington, Newport, etc. Maybe DNabb5 or El Jefe could comment.

 

[HtownOrange]

I agree with most of your post but am curious why you state UC is "90 minutes from tOSU and under their thumb politically." Obviously I know the 90 minute part but why the political part? There are unquestionably a lot of Ohio St fans in Cincinnati but the belief that the Suckeyes "own" Cincinnati is overblown. Local sports radio conducts a poll annually with the latest completed a week ago:
Here are the results:

46% Cincinnati
29% Ohio State
9% Miami
6% Kentucky
6% Other
1% Louisville
Voting is complete: Your favorite college football team is UC | Lance McAlister | ESPN 1530

You also hear that Notre Dame is huge in Cincinnati but they somehow fall into the "other" category (along with my beloved Bobcats). I think that the Suckeyes probably get talked about more than their 29% would suggest mainly because they have given more reasons to talk about them. Even if 90% of the peopel were UC fans but the Suckeyes won the national championship I would guess people would talk more about the national championship than the Bearcats in the Belk Bowl. This town would go nuts if UC was in the playoff. With the Suckeyes its "Eh, OSU's playing another big game."

I am referring to the Ohio Legislature wherein tOSU is the bright glowing star juxtaposed with UC and other state schools are second or third class. More about finances, getting things through the legislature, influence, etc. My post had nothing to do with UC fans in Cincy v. tOSU fans in Cincy.

 

[cuseincincy]

Yeah, I tend to agree with this. I live in Cleveland which is definitely OSU country and much different than Cincy. I lived in Cincy for one year and am always there for work currently.

To me Cincinnati has always had this gateway to the south feel. Even that corner of Indiana by Dayton and certainly across the river from Louisville (New Albany, IN) feels like the south. I almost feel there is more UK, Louisville and Notre Dame support than UC, OSU, or Xavier. UC and XU just exist and lurk under the periphery of the Bengals and Reds. I'm sure there are tons of OSU fans but I feel like I see more UK fans around there. I even see Tennessee fans sometimes across the river from downtown Cincy in Covington, Newport, etc. Maybe DNabb5 or El Jefe could comment.

That poll is very different regarding favorite college basketball team. Ohio St and UK kind of trade places. The river is definitely a dividing line. Its not just the grass that turns blue south of the Ohio. And yes, make no mistake, Cincy is a Reds and Bengals town above all.

UC - 45%
UK - 19%
X - 17% And the whining never stops from the Muskie fans..."How come we never get any attention? Wah wah wah!"
Dayton - 5%
Ohio St - 4%
Louisville - 2%
Indiana - 2%
NKU - 1% God love the freshly D1 Norse, I live a mile from their campus and have never been to a game!. Beautiful arena though.
Other - 5% Once again my beloved Bobcats are among the also rans! But so is Miami!

 

[RandygoCuse]

GOR aside, why would they not?

The GOR is tough to get past.

 

[baggerbob]

If the Big 12 is serious about surviving long-term adding Houston would be a mistake. No-one outside of Texas cares about Houston, in the long term another Texas school isn't needed. The LHN is a disaster, because the other 49 states aren't interested in Texas Football, or other sports. The Big 12 needs to get schools with potential to grow the brand.

 

[SoBeCuse]

If the Big 12 is serious about surviving long-term adding Houston would be a mistake. No-one outside of Texas cares about Houston, in the long term another Texas school isn't needed. The LHN is a disaster, because the other 49 states aren't interested in Texas Football, or other sports. The Big 12 needs to get schools with potential to grow the brand.

IMO, it doesn't matter who cares about Houston football. I mean who really cares about Syracuse football? Even in the ACC. Sad but true I bet. Houston has revamped its facilities big time athletically and on the research side academically. It's a big school, big market/city, and Renu Khator, their President, was on Sirius awhile back. She made it known that they are sparing no expense into making it a powerhouse athletically and academically. After all they once were in the 80s in the SWC.

 

[orange79]

If the Big 12 is serious about surviving long-term adding Houston would be a mistake. No-one outside of Texas cares about Houston, in the long term another Texas school isn't needed. The LHN is a disaster, because the other 49 states aren't interested in Texas Football, or other sports. The Big 12 needs to get schools with potential to grow the brand.

There's no one out there in G-5 land who can 'grow the brand'. If there was, they would have been scooped up by now.

Houston works just fine for the dysfunctional Big XII. Just another neck for UT to stand on.

 

[florange44]

Put West Virginia in the ACC, where they obviously belong. Then put Cincinnati, Houston and BYU or USF in the Big 12.

With all due respect SWC (and much respect is due), I think you are overplaying USF. Here in Florida, UCF is ahead of USF with support around the state (still clearly behind UF, FSU, and Miami), a more central location, better academics. USF is a regional school with non-existent support outside a 50 mile radius. I think UCF will be the choice over USF.

Florange44

 

[Orangeman13]

The big 12 seems to be making the same mistake the big east made by expanding with no name schools. Let them. It will be the final nail in their coffin and then the other conferences can pick up their better schools like Kansas and Texas.