"ISU is the only loser in the new Big 12"

[Dino]

This is off the mark. ISU is much further ahead with the new conference alignment both in terms of funding of programs and capacity to win. Texas already recruits all the top athletes in football allowed under the 25 annual scholarship limit. Texas having more money or relatively more funds than ISU in the future doesn't add to their recruiting ability one iota. They are already top drawer with the best and the state of the art in everything. They used the additional funds to expand their total athletic program which includes baseball and a myriad of Olympic sports. They use the funds to get better at that, to hire a women's AD (which they already have) and support staff etc.
Iowa State will actually be able to improve its football and basketball programs relative to the top end of the Big 12 who already have everything. ISU head coaches and assistants will have larger recruiting travel budgets, will be able to see more athletes, will have a better shot by generating higher numbers than before. The football and athletic departments will be able to show off better equipment etc. The assistant coaches salaries can be upgraded even further. Texas, Oklahoma and A&M are already there at the top competitive level. It's called ISU finally having the ability to close the gap more than a little. It's called the teams get to stay at nicer places on trips, take more convenient flights, having your own something that you don't have now, etc. It's the big and little things that get you closer to the top, closer to the guys already there. I'll take that opportunity any day. Yes, ISU is much better off than before in real and relative terms. Go Cyclones

This. The money we get is less than TX but will increase our total athletic budget by a larger % than TX's cash bump will theirs. Its like if you give a guy making 20 grand a year a $40,000 raise and a guy making $500,000 an 80 grand raise. Who is going to feel the extra cash the most?

I also don't think the schedule is as horrible for us as the Hawk, Wolverine, Bluejay and Canadian paint it. Sure its some tough games and one less cupcake, although we play teams like Utah in the non conference this year. But I think it will vastly improve our Texas recruiting. That's 4 Texas teams we will play every year. We can sell playing against these teams and playing games in Texas every year for friends and family to watch them. Plus our TV exposure in TX will be much higher. So while Texas and Oklahoma are going to be very tough to beat, I'd like to think we start to bring in some better athletes from Texas and I like our coaching staff even more if they have the horses.

Plus Nebraska has nearly always been tough, Kstate was a top ranked Big 12 champion this decade and Missouri and Kansas were both ranked in the top 5 3 years ago, so its not like we've never played any tough teams before. If Northwestern can win the Big 10, we can compete in the new revamped Big 12.