Iowa State AD Pollard says Big 12 will emerge stronger

AMES (AP) - The move to a smaller Big 12 will leave Iowa State stronger and wealthier, athletic director Jamie Pollard said Tuesday.

Pollard, speaking publicly for the first time since Texas and other influential members of the Big 12 announced they would remain in the league, said an expected increase in television revenue would now be split among 10 teams, rather than 12 thanks to the departure of Nebraska and Colorado.

He acknowledged relief that the league had stuck together, saving Iowa State and four other schools thought most vulnerable if the league fell apart - Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Baylor - of being left without a home.

Pollard scoffed at questions about whether the Cyclones would harbor feelings of resentment toward other schools. Instead, the Cyclones were breathing a sigh of relief in knowing that they'll be playing in a Bowl Championship Series league for the forseeable future.

"Heck, we're all competitors. On a given Saturday, when you lose to another team, when I get up on Sunday morning I don't take it personally with the other coach or the other A.D. It's just part of competition," Pollard said. "I actually think we're going to come out of this stronger and much more vibrant."

Behind the scenes, though, Pollard said he and the athletic directors and administrators at those four other schools "stuck together like glue." Pollard said they even came up with a proposal to try to keep three key Big 12 schools - Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M - from jumping ship and crushing the league.

According to Pollard, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Baylor have offered to give up a portion of their expected incremental revenue to those three schools to assure they'll make as much in the new Big 12 as they could have elsewhere.

Pollard called the proposal a backstop, though. He said he believes the slice of revenue those five schools would have to give away would be insignificant - if they even have to do so.

"I can assure you, in analyzing it, that we certainly did not give away the future like many have portrayed it," Pollard said.

Though the Big 12's revolving door has apparently closed for now, there are still many issues for the remaining schools to hammer out.

One issue that's left to be decided for Iowa State is its football rivalry with Iowa.

Pollard said the Cyclones would play only three non-conference games instead of four once the league shrinks to 10 teams starting with the 2012 season. That means Iowa State would play every other Big 12 team - including powerhouses Texas and Oklahoma - every year instead of the current format, where Iowa State plays only eight of its 11 conference rivals.

The Big Ten may also shift the way it schedules its league season, according to Pollard, once they add Nebraska in 2011.

"At this juncture it's premature to speculate on which games we wouldn't play. Our belief, initial pass, is that the Iowa- Iowa State game means a lot to the state and we'd like to continue to see that continue," Pollard said.

But Pollard said he and coach Paul Rhoads would have to analyze what was best for the Cyclones.

"We'll have to look at the pros and cons of that, and then we'll have to talk to Iowa and find out where they're at," he said. "They may be in the same boat as we are in."

Geoffroy said it was always Iowa State's goal to keep the Big 12 together.

"Although there were a few shaky moments over the last several days, it will now continue," he said. "And for that, we are very, very pleased and delighted."