10 Reasons for Big 12 To Back off from Adding West Virginia

With all the recent defections (Nebraska, Colorado, Texas A&M and Missouri) and the rumors that there still could be more, the Big 12 might have jumped too soon, in an effort to keep the conference afloat, when they invited West Virginia to join.

They also had to deal with television contracts, which were based on a 10-team Big 12 in the year 2012.  This too could be the reason they might have made a hasty decision to invite the Mountaineers to join their happy family.

Here are 10 reasons why the Big 12 should back off their decision to add West Virginia as a member:

1. West Virginia Is a Small State

West Virginia is a small state and won't bring with them the large statewide television ratings other states can.

West Virginia has a population of 1,852,884.  This makes it the 37th-most populated state in the country.

This will make West Virginia the smallest populated state in the Big 12 Conference.  Nebraska is the 38th-most populated state, and even smaller than West Virginia, but they moved to the Big Ten this season.

2. West Virginia Hasn't Won the Big East Conference Since 2007

West Virginia has not won the Big East Conference in four years.  With a 6-3 record and two games behind No. 23 Cincinnati (7-1), it doesn't look like they are going to win it in 2012.

Since 2007, when they almost made it into the BCS championship game but were upset in their last regular season game by a 5-7 Pitt team, one could say they've been on a slide.

The Mountaineers have lost to Syracuse the past two season. Are they still the dominating program that beat Oklahoma in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl?

3. The Big 12 Can Select a Better Football Playing School Than West Virginia

At No. 5 and undefeated, Boise State would enhance the Big 12's football conference more than West Virginia.

Boise State has won more football games than any other program over the last decade.

The upstart No. 11 Houston Cougars might be on their way to becoming a solid program also, and they would fit right in with all the other Texas schools.

4. The Big 12 Can Find a Much Larger Television Market Than Morgantown

Unlike Morgantown, Houston is one of the country's largest television markets.  Once again, the Cougars get high marks on the list of schools that might be a good fit for Big 12 expansion.

Tulane, from New Orleans, and the University of Tulsa could also provide bigger markets than Morgantown.

Memphis is a much larger marketing area than Morgantown, and BYU is in Provo, only an hour's drive from Salt Lake City.

5. The Distance to Morgantown May Be Problematic for Big 12 Teams

West Virginia would be the only team in the Big 12 from the Eastern Time Zone.  All the other teams are from the Central Time Zone.

West Virginia is four or five states away from the nearest Big 12 School.  Of the nine schools presently members of the Big 12, four are located in Texas, two in Oklahoma, two in Kansas and one in Iowa.

6. West Virginia Could Lower the Academic Standing of the Big 12

In the 2012 edition of US News and World Report's "National University Rankings" West Virginia is ranked No. 164, which makes it last in the Big 12.

Ahead of West Virginia are No. 160 Texas Tech, No. 143 Kansas State, No. 132 Oklahoma State, No. 101T  Kansas, No. 101T Oklahoma, No. 97T Iowa State, No. 97T TCU, No. 75 Baylor and No. 45 Texas.

7. West Virginia Has Rowdy Fans

If the West Virginia fans aren't turning over visiting buses or burning couches, they're causing other problems:

On September 16, 2010, the Washington Post reported that West Virginia fans have a ritual of lining up on an overpass on I-68 and tossing projectiles at the visiting team's bus.

This year, according to WBOY-tv, four LSU fans were assaulted by Mountaineer fans after the game.

8. West Virginia Has Always Talked about Joining the SEC

West Virginia has always talked about joining the SEC. 

If an offer was made, the Mountaineers might try to back out of any previous commitment to the Big 12.

Even if they were already members of the Big 12, with the huge amount of revenue the SEC brings its members, paying a Big 12 exit fee would not be difficult.

9. West Virginia's History of Filing Law Suits To Avoid Conference Bylaws

As of last week, the Mountaineers now have the reputation of filing law suits to get out of conference contractual obligations.

If they are not satisfied with something about the way the Big 12 does their business, there is no guarantee that the Mountaineers won't take them to court.

There is also no guarantee they won't try to file a suit in an effort to get a better deal from another conference.

10. West Virginia May Stay a Member of the Big East for 27 Months or More

West Virginia is legally bound to the Big East for 27 more months. They were one of the eight schools that authored and ratified the bylaws which made it mandatory for conference members to pay a $5 million exit fee and abide by a 27-month waiting period before leaving.

It's also possible that the Mountaineers will decide it's in their best interest to work out their differences and sign a new long-term deal with the new Big East.

Such a move could make it easier for them to reach a BCS game or a BCS national championship game because they would likely have an easier path to a conference championship than as a member of the Big 12.