With all the chatter around Big 12 expansionThere are some schools that are at the top of the list that are reported to be interested in conferences, even though they are targeted from a Big 12 perspective.
One of those schools is the University of Colorado.
Of course, the Big 12 and Colorado have a history. Colorado was a founding member of the Big 8 (and earlier the Big 6 and Big 7) from 1958 to 1996. Then, in 1996, the league expanded to the Big 12. But when the reorganization of the conference was active more than a decade ago, Colorado left the only league it had known for decades and headed west towards Pac-12.
Buffalo bolt
Why did Colorado leave? It depends on who you ask.Some blame Texas Others quote to be a big 12 bully Nebraska Depart for Big Ten. Some have pointed out better cultural compatibility with schools on the west coast and the fact that Colorado turned west as early as the 1990s.
But the most logical and rational conclusion was always the idea that the Big 12 was on the verge of implosion and Colorado didn’t want to be left behind. There were already rumors that the Pac-10 had made serious moves to Texas, Oklahoma, and other schools in these two states. Colorado was itself. The school did not have a “partner” program to become a packaged transaction. Texas politicians didn’t care or care about Colorado and preferred to save as many schools as possible.
So when the Pac-10 invitation came (along with Utah’s invitation), Colorado jumped out of self-preservation more than anything else.
When I think about it later, it was a mistake.
Pac-12 Debacle
Colorado was already upset for most of the Dan Hawkins era, and things got worse from there. Mike MacIntyre had one good season (8-1 on Pac-12, # 1 in the South in 2016), but won a total of six conference games in the other five seasons on Pac-12. Did. Since then, Meltucker has been in town for a cup of coffee (one season) before heading to Michigan, and now Karl Drell is trying to correct the ship heading for the third year.
However, Colorado lost ties to all the Big 12 fan bases that loved to travel to Boulder as part of a weekend road trip. From 2001 to 2010 in Colorado average Nearly 300,000 fans participated in six home games. After the first season bump at Pac-12 in 2011, the 2012 season Attendance dip To the lowest level since 1988.Colorado did See the resurrection I attended before COVID, but since COVID it generally feels like a passion for college football at Pac-12.
In fact, there is solid data to support this. Attendance of Pac-12 It peaked at 4.29 million in 2013 and has been steadily declining since then. In 2021 The numbers were off Another 5% from 2019.
Go home
Regaining some of the former Big 12 enemies is great for Colorado and will be a long road trip welcomed by many Big 12 fans who like the memories of their trip to Boulder. I don’t know how many Big 12 fans will still tell us about a trip to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Buffalo has played many familiar faces, especially the Big 12 North, since the league days. They were also able to return to Texas adoption in an important way.
Meanwhile, from a Big 12 perspective, the league is already connected to the aforementioned conferences, belongs to a large undergraduate community (nearly 30,000), and is one of the fastest growing teams. Welcome. Denver country metro. This is another top 20 television market available to the league.
This is a win-win for everyone.And there may still be some bad blood among those who have spent decades around the Big 12, but this is another big reason the league hired. Brett Yomark To be the next commissioner. It doesn’t matter to him. He doesn’t care about the little fights over 10 years ago. His job is to build the best, most stable and most marketable conferences he can build.
And returning Colorado to the Big 12 does just that.
So Buffalo, the floor is yours. If you don’t mind, welcome back. Remember: You don’t want to be the last person to stand.
