After months of waiting around and listening to every conference realignment story and theory under the sun, the sport we all love is finally back! So go ahead, fire up those grills, crack open a cold one, and soak in every glorious minute of college football as humanly possible.
For those of us in Big 12 country, this season will look a little different. Texas and Oklahoma have packed their bags and filled their pockets as they enter the SEC. Some were sad to say goodbye — I say good riddance.
However, those weren’t the only changes around here. In fact, the league just got bigger — again. Despite losing those two schools, the Big 12 adds four new members, including one familiar face. Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State are now officially part of the Big 12, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier.
If you are a fan of one of the newcomers, I’ll enlighten you on a few of the customs in this part of the country. First of all, this ain’t the Pac-12. In the Big 12, we are passionate about football. Throughout this conference, you will find some of the most intense fanbases and incredible venues in all of college football. Simply put, you won’t be playing in front of a 10% capacity crowd in Los Angeles anymore.
Along with discovering the incredible scenery, you will also quickly find out just how deep this conference is. There are no easy games here and no cupcake weekend in November to take a break (looking at you, SEC). Instead, you’ll need to buckle up for nine straight weeks of war, and only the strong will survive.
The Big 12 is not a top-heavy conference; it’s one solid beam. Here, you can make an argument for almost every single team to be a title contender. It truly is the deepest conference in college football. It always seems like there is always a school that comes out of nowhere and ends up in Jerry World, and don’t be surprised if it happens again this year.
It’s no secret that the Big 12 doesn’t get the respect it deserves. If you don’t believe me, just listen to the national media or the playoff committee. That’s why places like Heartland College Sports exist: to give the conference a voice. We think outside the box here, just like our great commissioner, Brett Yormark.
“The Big 12 isn’t the Big Ten or the SEC!”
You’ve heard it shouted from the rooftops ad nauseam by this time — but, as it turns out, they are right. This isn’t the Big Ten or the SEC — this is the Big 12.
This is the league born and bred in the heartland of the Land of the Free.
This is the league for the folks who toil and work tirelessly Monday-Friday so they can crack open a cold one and enjoy the game with friends and family on Saturday, the way God intended.
This is the league where development and culture matter — where college football still actually looks like college football.
This is America’s conference, and this is the Big 12. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
