Tramel's ScissorTales: Why Oklahoma State is no Big Ten candidate, but it's good that people think so

Conference realignment has become such a hot topic in the public domain, bookmakers have posted odds on potential movements.

Bovada sportsbook has given the 2022 odds for schools being invited to the Big Ten and schools being invited to the Southeastern Conference.

Remarkably, only two schools are on both lists: OSU and Cincinnati.

The lists are somewhat silly. OSU will not be invited to the Big Ten. Cincinnati will not be invited to the SEC.

There are a couple of schools who both conferences would find quite intriguing, should the big-money leagues decided to go past 16 members – North Carolina and Virginia. But the Tar Heels were not given SEC odds, and the Cavaliers were not given odds from either.

The truth is, I don’t see any Atlantic Coast Conference members jumping anytime soon. They are tied to the ACC by the grant of rights through 2036, and litigation seems the only way out. Litigation seems unlikely at this point.

But I was intrigued by OSU’s inclusion on both lists. Not because the Cowboys are some hot-button candidate for either league.

'Most important guy':Oklahoma State football players speak to Rob Glass' value to program

The Big Ten isn’t likely to relax its historical standard of inviting only members from the Association of American Universities, except for Notre Dame. OSU is not an AAU member, and the Big Ten can go a lot of different directions when looking for AAU members – UNC, Virginia, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Stanford, California, Kansas, Duke.

And while there are scenarios by which the SEC could be interested in OSU, the league historically has sought virgin territory, and OU’s soon admission to the SEC has the state of Oklahoma covered.

But still, OSU appears on each list.

On Bovada’s Big Ten list, here are the odds for the next school to accept an invitation: Notre Dame 3/2, Oregon 3/2, Washington 6/1, Kansas 14/1, Cincinnati 15/1, North Carolina 20/1, Duke 20/1, OSU 20/1, Stanford 20/1, California 20/1, Syracuse 25/1.

On Bovada’s SEC list, here are the odds: Clemson 5/2, Florida State 5/2, Miami 14/5, Louisville 5/1, Baylor 5/1, OSU 6/1, Cincinnati 15/2.

I’m not here to discuss the various numbers or even candidates. Remember, these odds are set not by people who intricately know the college football landscape. These odds are set by people who intricately know the mindset of American bettors.

And OSU and Cincinnati are on the minds of those bettors. There is national recognition of the Cowboy football program. That in itself is a positive development for OSU.

“That’s one of those teams that we thought could kind of fit,” said Pat Morrow, Bovada’s head oddsmaker. “A school like Oklahoma State, where the fit is very broad. They’re very attractive.

“If USC can fit in the Big Ten, anybody can fit in the Big Ten. When it comes to wagering, we’ve seen more money on Oklahoma State to the Big Ten than to the SEC, as of now.”

Tramel: Why a merger between Big 12, Pac-12 conferences was never in the cards

Of course, Bovada’s prime mission is to separate fools from their money, and people betting on a Big Ten invitation for OSU are fools.

But just the idea that a large swath of American football fans see OSU in the middle of all these expansion candidates is a good thing for the Cowboys. It shows the marketability of OSU football.

“Oklahoma State, especially from a football point of view, has started to share the spotlight with Oklahoma in recent years,” Morrow said. “Oklahoma State is definitely a team that week in and week out, has taken a lot of money. Oklahoma State is definitely a team that has national recognition when it comes to the bettors.”

In Oklahoma, we sometimes overlook the Cowboys’ ascending status over the last couple of decades. OU football casts a huge shadow. But OU’s shadow is less oppressive outside the state.

"I’m a Canadian, I’m not as wowed as the Sooner shadow, as it were,” Morrow said. “Boone Pickens, Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State, they’re very much on our radar and on our bettors’ radar.”

Morrow called conference realignment the “silly season.” Games are more predictable and much more popular. But conference realignment is a definite talking point with fans.

“College football this time of year can be part of the conversation, the way the NFL is always part of the conversation,” Morrow said.

OSU is nowhere close to being scooped up by the SEC, much less the Big Ten. But that doesn’t stop speculation, and the Cowboys are in the middle of such speculation. That’s not a bad thing for OSU.

Carlson:Think a new OKC arena isn't needed since Thunder owners are local? Seattle thought so, too

Thunder will at least be tough

The Thunder has been doing more than playing interesting Summer League games the last couple of weeks. The Thunder has signed two young veterans to long-term contracts.

Luguentz Dort signed a five-year, $87.5 million contract that starts immediately. Kenrich Williams signed a four-year, $27.2 million contract that starts after next season.

That’s great news on two fronts for Thunder fans:

∎ The Thunder tanking is over. Not necessarily the Thunder losing, but most definitely the Thunder tanking, unless we’re talking about the last month of a season going nowhere, when most everyone out of the playoff race tanks.

Teams hoping to lose as often as possible, to enhance draft positioning, don’t pay such contracts to players like Dort and Williams. Those guys are defensive-minded players who help you win.

Some people on the pro-tanking boat were exasperated with Mark Daigneault over playing Williams too much last season. Good things tend to happen when he’s on the court.

And Dort, of course, is a remarkable success story. Undrafted free agent, became a starter on a playoff team as a rookie, scored 30 points in a Game 7 while playing ferocious defense and now is considered one of the NBA’s best defenders, while, oh yeah, averaging 17 points a game.

∎ The Thunder will be a tough team going forward. I don’t know how talented, though the outlook is good with the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey and Chet Holmgren. I don’t know how successful; winning is not easy. Sometimes you lose without tanking.

But no team with Williams and Dort will be soft.

They are tough, gritty, hardscrabble players. And at least in the case of Williams (maybe Dort), they are leaders. Daigneault clearly has identified Williams as a locker-room force who reminds teammates every day how blessed they are to be in the NBA and how they ought to show it.

The Thunder’s willingness to pony up for Dort and Williams is encouraging.

Dort is being paid something less than star money, but still, $17.5 million per year is not chump change.

OKC wanted to keep Dort. He could have been a free agent next summer, when many teams will have payroll cap space and Dort will be 24. The Thunder wanted no part of a bidding war.

Dort likely traded in a little money for a lot of security, a move he made before. This is twice Dort has pledged his allegiance to the Thunder in the best way possible. If you don’t appreciate Dort, I really can’t help you.

Meanwhile, Williams, too, seems a Thunder loyalist. As our man Joe Mussatto reported, Williams said in January he wanted to be a Thunder lifer. Strange thing for an NBA journeyman to say.

Most NBA role players want more playing time and more money and more security. Williams, also undrafted (and basically unrecruited out of high school), was just trying to stay in the league when he came to OKC two years ago in the Steven Adams trade.

But Williams found a community in the Thunder rebuild and now he’s found a home. He’ll play 15-20 minutes a night, guard the best player on the court after the first rotations (when Dort’s sitting), make some shots and grab some rebounds. Williams is a versatile wing in a league that now values versatile wings.

Williams and Dort are different than most NBA players. They had to scrap even on the levels below the NBA. Williams played at Texas Christian, and there’s not one in five Big 12 fans who remember much about him at TCU, even though he was a Horned Frogs as recently as 4½ years ago.

The realization that the Thunder is willing to commit in years and money to players like Dort and Williams is a clear sign that the franchise is about to exit the wilderness and get back in the business of winning.

'Absolute perfect fit': Brett Yormark's journey goes from underdog to Big 12 commissioner

Mailbag: Does OU need a new stadium?

Talk of a new arena for the Thunder has some OU fans thinking of a new home for the Sooners. And not the basketball team.

Jeff: I agree with your assessment that OKC needs to build a new arena, and along that line, when is OU going to replace the 99-year- old relic (dump) that is Gaylord Family/(Oklahoma) Memorial Stadium or at least give the lower bowl a huge makeover? People’s rumps are wider than 18 inches now, and the bench seating requires senior citizens to do the limbo to go to the restroom facilities which are only located on the ground floor!”

Tramel: OU is not building a new stadium. While there are valid criticisms of the venerable coliseum, the Sooners’ constant upgrades around Owen Field makes the stadium amenities quite adequate for now.

OU would like to renovate the west upper deck – pressbox, suites, etc. -- but otherwise, there’s nothing pressing.

However, Jeff’s points about seat width are interesting. OU’s official capacity is listed at 80,126, which is several thousand less than a few years ago, before renovations.

Fan comfort is becoming more and more important, compared to jamming people into seats. If the Sooners reconfigured the stadium, giving each seat two more inches, capacity would dip by a few thousand.

Is that economic disaster? Maybe not. It’s more difficult than ever to get people into ballgames, and that goes for Alabama as much as OU.

Is reduced capacity a marketing problem? Probably. The SEC is a macho league, where number of seats is a badge of honor, even if they go unused, which many of them do even with quality teams.

The Sooners might be able to make up some of the ground by giving fewer seats to students, who frankly don’t use all of the sections allocated to them.

But either way, fan comfort is a major issue for anyone in athletics.

More:What should OU men's basketball look for with its final scholarship player?

The List: Big 12 in ESPN’s bracketology

Even in the summer, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has fun with bracketology – the projected brackets for the upcoming NCAA basketball tournament. Lunardi routinely updates his projected bracket, even this far out, four months before the season tips off and almost nine months before we crown a champion.

Lunardi’s bracket offers all kinds of nuggets, including this one. He has Houston as a No. 1 seed. Kelvin Sampson’s team has gone Sweet 16 (2020), Final Four (2021) and Elite Eight (2022) the last three seasons. The Cougars join the Big 12 next summer; could the conference have the previous three NCAA champions? Remember, Baylor won the title in 2021 and Kansas in 2022.

Anyway, here’s how Big 12 basketball ranks for 2022-23, based solely on Lunardi’s seeds in July bracketology:

1. Texas: Getting Iowa State’s Tyrese Hunter in the transfer portal changed the Big 12’s competitive balance. The Longhorns are a No. 2 seed in bracketology.

2. Baylor: The Bears seem intent on staying at the top of the sport under Scott Drew. Baylor is a No. 2 seed.

3. Kansas: Bill Self had a monster recruiting year and no portal losses. KU is a No. 2 seed in bracketology. How did I juggle the No. 2 seeds? Just guessing.

4. TCU: Jamie Dixon returns the bulk of his team and is a 4-seed in bracketology.

5. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are a 6-seed, according to Lunardi. Probably low. Tech coach Mark Adams hit the portal hard again.

6. Oklahoma State: Bracketology has OSU a 9-seed. The Cowboys would take that after missing the NCAAs a year ago. 

7. Oklahoma: OU is a 10-seed, which is remarkable, considering the portal losses Porter Moser suffered.

8. Iowa State: The Cyclones were hit with a crushing blow when Hunter left, but Lunardi still has ISU among the first four teams out of the 68-team bracket.

9. West Virginia: Lots of comings and goings in the transfer portal, and Lunardi ends up not including the Mountaineers in his field.

10. Kansas State: Wildcats are somewhat starting over under new coach Jerome Tang.

Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at 405-760-8080 or at btramel@oklahoman.com. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. Support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State football listed as Big Ten & SEC expansion candidates