Big 12
All you want to know about Big 12
| Big 12 Conference | |
| Established: 1996 | |
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| NCAA | Division I FBS |
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| Members | 12 |
| Sports fielded | 21 (men's: 10; women's: 11) |
| Region | Central United States |
| Headquarters | Irving, TX |
| Commissioner | Dan Beebe (since 2007) |
| Website | http://www.big12sports.com/ |
| Locations | |
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The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of twelve schools located mostly in the central United States. It is a member of the NCAA's Division I for all sports; its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS; formerly Division I-A), the higher of two levels of NCAA Division I football competition. The conference was officially formed on February 25, 1994, when the former Big Eight Conference merged with four Texas schools that had been members of the Southwest Conference, which had just disbanded. Athletic competition in the conference commenced on August 31, 1996. Big 12 headquarters is located in Irving, Texas, which is a suburb of Dallas. According to the Big 12 Conference's website, the use of the alternate names "Big Twelve" and "Big XII" are incorrect; the trademarked name of the conference is "Big 12 Conference" (notwithstanding the Roman numeral XII featured on the conference logo).[1]
Although the Big 12 is essentially the old Big Eight plus the four Texas schools, the Big 12 considers itself a separate conference and does not claim the Big Eight's history.
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Membership
Conference facilities
| * Note the official capacities are listed on the respective schools' websites. Due to temporary seating, the attendance records are often more than the official capacity. The record attendance for Faurot Field is 75,298, The record attendance at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is 85,313, the record for Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium is 98,053, the record attendance at Kyle Field is 88,253, and the record for Jones AT&T Stadium is 56,333. **Haymarket Park has 4,500 seats. Its total capacity is listed as 8,500 because an additional 4,000 people can sit on berms along the outfield walls. |
Commissioners
Commissioners of the Big 12 Conference[4]
- 1995–1997 Steve Hatchell
- 1998 Dave Martin (Interim)
- 1998–2007 Kevin Weiberg
- 2007–present Dan Beebe
Sports
The conference sponsors championships in the following sports: baseball (m), basketball (m,w), cross-country (m,w), football (m), golf (m,w), gymnastics (w), soccer (w), softball (w), swimming and diving (m,w), tennis (m,w), track and field (m,w), volleyball (w), wrestling (m)
Among the sponsored sports, all twelve universities participate in 12 sports, while the following sports do not have full participation:
- 11 schools participate in volleyball (Oklahoma State does not)
- 11 schools participate in women's soccer (Kansas State does not)
- 10 schools participate in baseball (Colorado and Iowa State do not; Colorado discontinued its program following the 1980 season and Iowa State followed suit after the 2001 season)
- 10 schools participate in softball (Colorado and Kansas State do not)
- 7 schools participate in men's tennis (Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri do not)
- 6 schools participate in women's swimming and diving (Kansas, Iowa State, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, and Texas A&M)
- 5 schools participate in wrestling (Iowa State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State)
- 4 schools participate in gymnastics (Iowa State, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma)
- 3 schools participate in men's swimming and diving (Missouri, Texas, and Texas A&M)
Additionally, member schools participate in the following varsity sports, not organized by the conference:
- Kansas State, Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M participate in equestrian.[5]
- Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Texas participate in rowing.
- Nebraska participates in women's bowling and the coeducational sport of rifle.
- Colorado participate in skiing.
- Nebraska, Kansas State, Iowa State, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech participate in rodeo. (Rodeo is not sanctioned by the NCAA, but instead by the NIRA.)
Football
- See also: Big 12 Football
There are many national football powerhouses in the Big 12 Conference, and when the league was formed, it was decided that the top team from the South Division would play the top team from the North Division at the end of the season to determine the conference champion.
Teams play eight conference games a season, facing all five opponents within its own division and three teams from the opposite division. Inter-divisional play is a "three-on, three-off" system, where teams will play three teams from the other division on a home-and-home basis for two seasons, and then play the other three foes from the opposite side for a two-year home-and-home.
This format has come under considerable criticism, especially from fans at Nebraska and Oklahoma, who are denied a yearly matchup between two of college football's most storied programs. The Oklahoma–Nebraska rivalry was one of the most intense rivalries in college football history. (Until 2006, the teams had never met in the Big 12 Championship.) There has been talk of modifying the current format to allow each team to have one permanent opponent from the opposite division (as is the case in the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference), or for Nebraska and Oklahoma to play a non-conference game when the two teams are not scheduled to meet in conference play.
| North Division | South Division |
|---|---|
| Colorado | Baylor |
| Iowa State | Oklahoma |
| Kansas | Oklahoma State |
| Kansas State | Texas |
| Missouri | Texas A&M |
| Nebraska | Texas Tech |
Championship Game
The Big 12 Championship Game is held by the Big 12 Conference each year. The championship game pits the Big 12 North Division champion against the Big 12 South Division champion in a game held after the regular season has been completed. The first championship game was held during the 1996 season. Since the 1996 season, the most football championships have been held at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 2008 Big 12 Championship Game was held at Arrowhead, while the 2009 game will be played at the Dallas Cowboys New Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Bowl affiliates
Although the Big 12 is currently partnered with nine postseason bowls, only eight slots are guaranteed each season. The Gator Bowl selects a Big 12 team twice every four years, and in the two years that it does not, the Sun Bowl does.[6]
The following is the current bowl selection order and the teams involved in each bowl:
| Bowl name | Teams involved |
|---|---|
| BCS National Championship Game | BCS No. 1 vs. BCS No. 2 |
| Fiesta Bowl | Big 12 No. 1 vs. BCS At-Large |
| Cotton Bowl | Big 12 No. 2 vs. SEC No. 3/4/5 |
| Holiday Bowl | Big 12 No. 3 vs Pac-10 No. 2 |
| Gator Bowl* | Big 12 No. 4 vs. ACC No. 3 |
| Alamo Bowl | Big 12 No. 4/5 vs Big Ten No. 4/5 |
| Sun Bowl** | Big 12 No. 5 vs. Pac-10 No. 3 |
| Insight Bowl | Big 12 No. 6 vs Big Ten No. 6 |
| Independence Bowl | Big 12 No. 7 vs SEC No. 6/7/8 |
| Texas Bowl | Big 12 No. 8 vs. Big East No. 3 (2008); vs.C-USA No. 3/4 (2009) |
| * Selects a Big 12 team twice every four years
** Selects a Big 12 team when the Gator Bowl does not |
Rivalries
The Big 12 has many rivalries among its member schools, primarily in football. Most of the rivalries existed before the Big Eight and Southwest Conferences merged, but the Texas–Oklahoma rivalry is unique, as it was a major rivalry decades before the two schools were in the same conference. Some of the longstanding football rivalries between Big 12 schools include:
| Rivalry | Name | Trophy | Games played* |
Began |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas - Missouri | The Border War** | Indian War Drum[7] Lamar Hunt Trophy[8] |
117 | 1891 |
| Texas - Texas A&M | Lone Star Showdown | The Lone Star Showdown Trophy | 114 | 1894 |
| Kansas - Kansas State | The Sunflower Showdown | The Governor's Cup | 105 | 1902 |
| Baylor - Texas A&M | The Battle of the Brazos | 104 | 1899 | |
| Oklahoma - Texas | The Red River Rivalry*** | The Golden Hat | 102 | 1900 |
| Oklahoma - Oklahoma State | The Bedlam Series | Bedlam Bell | 102 | 1904 |
| Nebraska - Missouri | Missouri - Nebraska Bell[9] | 101 | 1892 | |
| Iowa State - Missouri | The Telephone Trophy[9] | 100 | 1959 | |
| Oklahoma - Missouri | The Peace Pipe | 93 | 1929 | |
| Texas Tech - Texas | Silver Spurs | 56 | 1928 |
| * Following the 2007 season.
**Re-branded as the "Border Showdown" on October 4, 2004. The new name has been criticized for political correctness, and has not been used by alumni, students, or major news sources such as ESPN.[10] ***Changed name from "Red River Shootout" in 2005 to deemphasize war and for political correctness. Played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas during the Texas State Fair annually. |
Other notable series
- Kansas v. Nebraska - The series began in 1892 and has been played 115 times, making it the second most-played series in the Big 12 and tied for second oldest. The series is also the longest uninterrupted series in college football, having been played each year since 1906.[11] While longstanding, the series is not known as a rivalry due to Nebraska's dominance. Nebraska once won 36 games in a row (the second most consecutive wins over a team in college football history) and currently leads the series 89-23-3.[12]
- Oklahoma v. Nebraska - This game once played in late November decided the Big 8 Champion almost yearly. Although the teams only play twice every four years the game still has plenty of meaning to both schools.
Men's basketball
- See also: Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament
Although standings in the conference are combined and not split among divisions, the schedule is structured as if the schools were split into two divisions. Teams play a home-and-home against teams within its division and a single game against teams from the opposite division for a total of 16 conference games. This denies Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, formerly in the Big Eight, two games a season against their opponents from that former conference, but does allow most of the other traditional rivalries to be played home-and-home.
| North Division | South Division |
|---|---|
| Colorado | Baylor |
| Iowa State | Oklahoma |
| Kansas | Oklahoma State |
| Kansas State | Texas |
| Missouri | Texas A&M |
| Nebraska | Texas Tech |
Big 12 regular season champions
- 1997 - Kansas (15-1)
- 1998 - Kansas (15-1)
- 1999 - Texas (13-3)
- 2000 - Iowa State (14-2)
- 2001 - Iowa State (13-3)
- 2002 - Kansas (16-0)
- 2003 - Kansas (14-2)
- 2004 - Oklahoma State (14-2)
- 2005 - Oklahoma/Kansas (12-4)
- 2006 - Texas/Kansas (13-3)
- 2007 - Kansas (14-2)
- 2008 - Texas/Kansas (13-3)
In 2005, Oklahoma won the post-season tournament seeding tiebreaker over Kansas based on their 71-63 home victory over the Jayhawks.[13]
In 2006, Texas won the post-season tournament seeding tiebreaker over Kansas based on their 80-55 home victory over the Jayhawks.[14]
In 2008, Texas won the post-season tournament seeding tiebreaker over Kansas based on their 72-69 home victory over the Jayhawks.[15]
Baseball
- See also: Big 12 Baseball Tournament
The top 8 teams compete in the Big 12 Baseball Tournament at the conclusion of each season. Colorado and Iowa State do not sponsor baseball.
In the 2008 Big 12 Baseball Tournament, The Texas Longhorns edged The Kansas State Wildcats, 15-7.
Champions by Year
| Year | School | Site | MOP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Oklahoma | All Sports Stadium, Oklahoma City | Brian Shackelford (Oklahoma) |
| 1998 | Texas Tech | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City | Josh Bard (Texas Tech) |
| 1999 | Nebraska | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City | Jason Jennings (Baylor) |
| 2000 | Nebraska | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City | Adam Shabala (Nebraska) |
| 2001 | Nebraska | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City | Dan Johnson (Nebraska) |
| 2002 | Texas | The Ballpark in Arlington, Arlington | Dustin Majewski (Texas) |
| 2003 | Texas | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City | Dustin Majewski (Texas) |
| 2004 | Oklahoma State | Ameriquest Field in Arlington, Arlington | Cody Ehlers (Missouri) |
| 2005 | Nebraska | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City | Curtis Ledbetter (Nebraska) |
| 2006 | Kansas | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City | Matt Baty (Kansas) |
| 2007 | Texas A&M | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City | Craig Stinson (Texas A&M) |
| 2008 | Texas | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City | Brandon Belt (Texas) |
By School
| School | Appearances | W-L | Pct | Tourney Titles | Title Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor | 12 | 20-18 | .526 | 0 | |
| Iowa State | 1 | 1-2 | .333 | 0 | |
| Kansas | 3 | 4-4 | .500 | 1 | 2006 |
| Kansas State | 3 | 3-4 | .429 | 0 | |
| Missouri | 10 | 13-16 | .448 | 0 | |
| Nebraska | 10 | 28-10 | .737 | 4 | 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005 |
| Oklahoma | 12 | 17-20 | .459 | 1 | 1997 |
| Oklahoma State | 12 | 10-22 | .313 | 1 | 2004 |
| Texas | 10 | 20-14 | .588 | 3 | 2002, 2003, 2008 |
| Texas A&M | 10 | 15-16 | .484 | 1 | 2007 |
| Texas Tech | 9 | 12-17 | .414 | 1 | 1998 |
National championships
The following is a list of all national championships won by member schools in NCAA-recognized sports.[2] Only championships 1996 and later should be counted towards the Big 12 total itself (40).
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Football (18):[16] Baseball (10): Men's Basketball (7): Women's Basketball (3): Women's Bowling (4): Men's Cross Country (7): Women's Cross Country (3): |
Men's Golf (13): Men's Gymnastics (18): Men's Indoor Track (4): Women's Indoor Track (8): Men's Outdoor Track (3): |
Women's Outdoor Track (5): Men's/Women's Skiing (16): Softball (3): Men's Swimming (9): Women's Swimming (7): Men's Tennis (1): Women's Tennis (2): Women's Volleyball (5): |
Wrestling (49): |
Conference champions
The Big 12 Conference sponsors 21 sports, 10 men's and 11 women's.
In football, divisional titles are awarded based on regular-season conference results, with the teams with the best conference records from the North and South playing the in the Big 12 Championship Game for the Big 12 title. Baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, and tennis titles are awarded in both regular-season and tournament play. Cross country, golf, gymnastics, swimming and diving, track and field, and wrestling titles are awarded during an annual meet of participating teams. The volleyball title is awarded based on regular-season play.
Big 12 Conference titles by school
As of 29 November 2008. List includes both regular-season and tournament titles.
North Division
- Nebraska - 64
- Colorado - 27
- Kansas - 18
- Iowa State - 10
- Kansas State - 7
- Missouri - 3
South Division
- Texas - 94
- Texas A&M - 36
- Oklahoma - 31
- Baylor - 29
- Oklahoma State - 29
- Texas Tech - 9
References
- ^ Big 12 Conference - Official Athletic Site
- ^ a b "How many NCAA Division I championships has your school won?". NCAA.org (Spring 2007). Retrieved on 2008-11-07.
- ^ http://www.missouri.edu/about/mufacts.php
- ^ Dan Beebe Named Big 12 Conference Commissioner :: <blank>
- ^ Varsity Equestrian Universities
- ^ "Big 12 Football Bowl Affiliates". Retrieved on 2008-07-08.
- ^ University of Missouri, Official Athletic Site of the Mizzou Tigers, Traditions - Retrieved March 29, 2008
- ^ Tigers fans relish win, possible No. 1 ranking
- ^ a b Legendary Rivalries - mizzoutailgating.com - Retrieved December 3, 2007
- ^ Messenger, Tony Football boosters light flames of MU-KU Border War once again Columbia Daily Tribune November 10, 2004.
- ^ Kansas at Nebraska
- ^ [http://www.huskerpedia.com/games/kansas.html Nebraska vs. Kansas]
- ^ Kansas, Oklahoma Share Regular Season Big 12 Men's Basketball Title
- ^ Kansas, Texas Share Regular Season Big 12 Men's Basketball Title
- ^ http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/big12/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/weekly-release.pdf
- ^ "NCAA FBS History". NCAA.com. Retrieved on 2008-11-07.
External links
- Big 12 Conference
- Big 12 Record Book - Men's Baseball
- Big 12 Record Book - Men's Basketball
- Big 12 Record Book - Women's Basketball
- Big 12 Record Book - Cross Country
- Big 12 Record Book - Men's Football
- Big 12 Record Book - Golf
- Big 12 Record Book - Women's Gymnastics
- Big 12 Record Book - Women's Soccer
- Big 12 Record Book - Women's Softball
- Big 12 Record Book - Swimming & Diving
- Big 12 Record Book - Tennis
- Big 12 Record Book - Track & Field
- Big 12 Record Book - Women's Volleyball
- Big 12 Record Book - Men's Wrestling
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