The Austin perspective on conference realignment

By Michael W. Shapiro

Baylor University boosters and Waco city officials have been vocal in making clear that their preference is for the Big 12 to remain intact.
But, the argument goes, in the case of a collapse Baylor shouldn't be abandoned by UT, A&M and Tech, as those schools and Baylor try to find a new home.

In the scenario that gives Baylor backers the shakes the Pac-10 invites the three state school, along with Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado, but not Baylor to join an enlarged mega-conference, leaving the Bears out in the cold (Bears like the cold, but whatever). Baylor backers have sought to emphasize Texas' clout when it comes to conference alignment. Perhaps UT could demand Baylor come along in a package deal, but perhaps not.

This morning's Austin American-Statesman lays out some other reasons UT and Pac-10 officials might not be hot on Baylor, the school's basketball prowess and its long-running rivalries with UT, A&M and Tech notwithstanding.

"Baylor ... would seem to have little chance of accompanying other Big 12 schools in a move to the Pac-10. That's despite a heavy lobbying campaign by Baylor alumni and boosters, some of whom have been calling state and federal lawmakers and officials of other universities.

Part of that strategy seems to be to persuade UT to make its acceptance of a Pac-10 bid contingent on Baylor's inclusion.

Current Pac-10 teams might not consider Baylor a good fit. For one thing, the only private schools in the Pac-10 — Stanford University and the University of Southern California — might look askance at Baylor because it is not a member of the Association of American Universities, the organization of 63 top research universities in the United States and Canada.

UT, A&M and Tech all want any conference realignment resolved before January, when state lawmakers converge on Austin for their once-every-two-years legislative session.

Even if they act before the session, university officials must consider how lawmakers will react when they return to town. The situation is particularly touchy these days with the state facing major budget issues. Universities will be desperate for every dollar they can obtain from the Legislature, and it will be easier to get those dollars if lawmakers aren't irritated at them."

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