War of Words Continues

It’s remarkable how similar the Big 12 v. ACC debates right now feel to the Big 12 v. Pac 12 conversations last year. Similar storylines, characters, and sentiments; it has it all. So which conference is actually the best of the rest after the SEC and Big Ten? Read on to find out.

We have a shorter player survey today, but it’s a topic that always draws attention: NIL. The players seem to have some differing opinions about how accurate the public NIL numbers are.

Fall camp started for many schools across the league this week, and it’s really getting the juices flowing! This week’s headlines should help you get your fix.

What You Need to Know

• San Jose Mercury News reporter Jon Wilner has some excellent suggestions for the Big 12 to maximize TV visibility. He says the league should play games on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, the night before Thanksgiving, and Sunday nights. The first two are no-brainers, and I’m open to discussing the third.

• Utah at Oklahoma State on September 21st is arguably the biggest game of the Big 12 season on paper, and now it has some added juice. Utah defensive lineman Tevita Fotu on Doak Walker Award Winner Ollie Gordon: “I heard they have the number one running back or whatever, but we will see about that."

• TCU coach Sonny Dykes is beefing up his staff with some familiar faces. Former Houston and West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen is being added as an analyst and advanced scout, along with former Arizona State and Hawai'i coach Todd Graham.   

• West Virginia fans drew plenty of respect from Penn State coach James Franklin. He says going to Mountaineer Field on Aug. 31 will be like walking into a “hornet’s nest.” He’s right. This game is the Big 12’s biggest chance to make a statement in the non-conference schedule. 

• It’s never too early for some hoops, right? Nine Big 12 teams made the field Joe Lunardi’s summer Bracketology update. Kansas (1), Houston (1), Iowa State (2), Baylor (3), Arizona (3), Texas Tech (4), Cincinnati (5), BYU (8), and K-State (10) all made the cut. It’s going to be another loaded year for the conference.

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Big 12 Player Survey: NIL

Today’s installment of the anonymous player survey is a little shorter. Not every player wanted to talk about NIL, which I can respect, but I got some thoughts on how accurate the NIL numbers we see get reported are. 

Here’s what the players said:

“I think for the most part it’s overstated. I’ve heard some crazy things from guys who left that stuff that was promised to them didn’t happen as much as they thought. I think a lot of it is exaggerated.”

“I think a few of the numbers are (realistic). But I’ve seen NIL valuations of myself online, and some undershoot it, and some overshoot it. I think there are truths and lies to all of it.”

“I mean we’re about to go into this revenue sharing, and my school made $149 million off of athletics last year. So, it’s like…it doesn’t seem like it’s gonna be that far-fetched anymore.”

“Probably pretty accurate honestly. I’m not too aware of what other people are making, but with these collectives out there nowadays, it’s probably pretty accurate.”

We’ll finish the player survey with their thoughts on how Oklahoma and Texas will fare in the SEC this year. Cover your eyes, Sooner fans.

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The Bottom Line

Rising from the ashes of last year’s Big 12 v. Pac 12 war of words comes the blockbuster summer sequel: Big 12 v. ACC. 

As confidence grew last year that the Pac 12’s TV deal (or lack thereof) would doom the league and allow the Big 12 to grab Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State, fans on both sides of the aisle dug in. 

We’re now seeing the same movie play out right before our eyes. 

With the ACC involved in four lawsuits with Florida State and Clemson, it seems inevitable that the two schools won’t be in the conference for long. If FSU and Clemson knock down the door to get out, the SEC and Big Ten will fight over North Carolina, arguably the biggest realignment prize left outside of Notre Dame. 

It leaves the Big 12 in prime position to move up in the world if the ACC crumbles. 

Ross Dellenger, Brett McMurphy, and Josh Pate have now mentioned the league as a possible threat to land FSU and Clemson if the SEC and Big Ten genuinely aren’t interested. Even if they don’t land the ultimate prize, they could scoop up second-tier ACC teams or simply move up in the conference pecking order over a depleted ACC without its elite brands. 

Many ACC fans are in denial of the new reality, and honestly, I have empathy. Big 12 fans have been in their position multiple times—staring the death of their conference in the face. 

It’s led to a predictable debate. Which conference is better? 

It’s not just the Twitter communities surrounding both conferences that are going at it. The commissioners are engaging, too.

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark kicked it off this month at Big 12 media days. 

"We have solidified ourselves as one of the top three conferences in America," Yormark said. 

That, and many other things that came out of Big 12 media days, didn’t sit well with ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, who got his chance to respond two weeks later. 

“We are not chasing third. By any metric of significance — CFP appearances, national championships, having our own network, revenue generation, academic prowess — I’m comfortable where the ACC is: inside that top three,” Phillips told Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger. 

ACC influencers rushed to Phillips’ defense, like popular podcast host Joe Ovies. 

Phillips and Ovies are both right. The Big 12’s case is mostly built on vibes, and most tangible metrics favor the ACC right now…except the one that matters. 

Stability. 

The ACC is top-heavy with Clemson and FSU, which gives them a decided edge in what really matters for conference credibility: national championships. Clemson and FSU have won three in the last decade. The new Big 12 has won three all-time. 

In terms of revenue per school, the ACC currently holds a slight edge over the Big 12. Florida State’s lawyers have argued in court that the Big 12’s new TV deal in 2025 will push the Big 12 in front, but it’s fair to concede the edge to the ACC for now. 

Academics and Olympic sports no longer mean much in the realignment landscape, but if we’re keeping track, the ACC has an easy win here. 

So the ACC does win every major metric that Phillips likes to reference – just like the Titanic dominated every metric imaginable about cruise ships in 1912. 

It didn’t matter when it was resting at the bottom of the sea. 

Without stability, none of those metrics matter. Stability is the greatest currency in the realignment era we’re living in, and the Big 12 has it in spades over the ACC. 

The league also has a massive edge at commissioner. 

Brett Yormark is a shark with an elite marketing background who has completely resurrected the reputation and fortunes of the Big 12 in only two years. 

Jim Phillips is a college athletics lifer whose greatest accomplishment in the ACC is costing his schools millions of college football playoff dollars by holding up playoff expansion.  

You’re giving me a stability and commissioner edge while the three best brands on the other side are just biding their time before they can leave? Yeah, I’m gonna rock with the Big 12 here. 

Rest assured, Yormark will be circling the waters with lifeboats again when it all comes crashing down.