The drama of the realignment of college football has produced some angst yet excitement for college football fans. It has made for some thoughtful, funny, and incisive discussion on this board of late. Yet, I’ve thought of how different leaving the Pac 12 would have been for CU Boulder had it been successful at football after 2001.
I am glad CU made the bold move to the Big XII, but I consider it an “any port in a storm” type of situation. It literally had to flee and beat others to the punch. If CU had been consistently good at football in the new modern era, it could been a prime candidate to go to the Big 10. Academically and geographically CU fits with some of its old Big 8 colleagues and many of the other midwestern universities in the BIG.
But alas, due to incompetence and and poor leadership, CU football became an also-ran and languished surrounded by sneers and pity from college football. Very unfortunate to say the least.
While I am happy CU landed early in the Big XII, I must admit to myself that playing UCLA, USC, Stanford, Washington, and some other members of the Pac held much more interest for me than playing the likes of KSU, UCF, Houston and Cincy. Yes, I know Texas and Florida are key recruiting areas now for CU and its new coach, but I also remember that we got the likes of Darian Hagan and Rashaan Salaam from California. Thank heavens the “Four Corners” universities got it done. At least we will have some more bordering states and western programs to play.
The Pac is ultimately responsible for its fall. For a conference to collapse after more than a hundred years is a travesty. Yet, had CU fulfilled its football responsibilities while in the Pac, and been a conference champion, played in the Rose Bowl, and consistently gone to premium or at least nice bowls, there may be a bit more melancholy and fondness for the Pac 12 and a bit less snarkiness.
I am glad CU made the bold move to the Big XII, but I consider it an “any port in a storm” type of situation. It literally had to flee and beat others to the punch. If CU had been consistently good at football in the new modern era, it could been a prime candidate to go to the Big 10. Academically and geographically CU fits with some of its old Big 8 colleagues and many of the other midwestern universities in the BIG.
But alas, due to incompetence and and poor leadership, CU football became an also-ran and languished surrounded by sneers and pity from college football. Very unfortunate to say the least.
While I am happy CU landed early in the Big XII, I must admit to myself that playing UCLA, USC, Stanford, Washington, and some other members of the Pac held much more interest for me than playing the likes of KSU, UCF, Houston and Cincy. Yes, I know Texas and Florida are key recruiting areas now for CU and its new coach, but I also remember that we got the likes of Darian Hagan and Rashaan Salaam from California. Thank heavens the “Four Corners” universities got it done. At least we will have some more bordering states and western programs to play.
The Pac is ultimately responsible for its fall. For a conference to collapse after more than a hundred years is a travesty. Yet, had CU fulfilled its football responsibilities while in the Pac, and been a conference champion, played in the Rose Bowl, and consistently gone to premium or at least nice bowls, there may be a bit more melancholy and fondness for the Pac 12 and a bit less snarkiness.
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