Big Eight Conference


 * This article concerns the dissolved NCAA Division I-A conference. For other uses, see Big Eight Conference (disambiguation).

The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MVIAA) by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, and Washington University in St. Louis. Additionally, the University of Iowa was a joint member of the newly formed MVIAA and the older Western Conference (now the Big Ten Conference).

The Big Eight dissolved in 1996, when its members joined the newly formed Big 12 Conference. The Big Eight's headquarters were in Kansas City, Missouri. Although Kansas City wanted to be the home for the headquarters of the new conference, the member schools voted, 7–5, to establish the conference headquarters in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. (The four Texas schools plus Colorado, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State voted for Irving, while Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, and Nebraska voted for Kansas City. )

History
The conference was founded as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MVIAA) at a meeting on January 12, 1907, by five charter members: the University of Kansas, the University of Missouri, the University of Nebraska, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Iowa. Iowa would only participate in the sports of football and outdoor men's track and field.

In 1908, Drake University and Iowa Agricultural College (now Iowa State University) joined the MVIAA, increasing the conference membership to seven. Iowa departed in 1911, but Kansas State University joined the conference in 1913. Nebraska left in 1918 to play two seasons as an independent before returning to the fold. In 1919, the University of Oklahoma and Saint Louis University applied for membership, but both schools were disapproved due to deficient management of their athletic programs. The conference added Grinnell College in 1919, with the University of Oklahoma following suit in 1920. Oklahoma A&M University joined in 1925, bringing conference membership to ten, an all-time high.

Conference split
The year 1928 proved to be a pivotal one as the conference split up. At a meeting in Lincoln, Nebraska, on May 19, 1928, six of the seven state schools (excluding Oklahoma A&M) organized a separate conference. Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma claimed the MVIAA name but thereafter became known informally to fans and the media as the Big Six Conference, while the smaller schools of Drake, Grinnell, and Washington University joined with Oklahoma A&M, becoming known as the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). The similarity of the two conferences' official names, as well as the competing claims of the two conferences, led to considerable debate over which conference was the original and which was the spin-off. For the remainder of the Big Eight's run, both conferences claimed 1907 as their founding date, as well as the same history through 1927.

Conference membership grew with the addition of the University of Colorado on December 1, 1947, from the Mountain States Conference. Later that month, Reaves E. Peters was hired as "Commissioner of Officials and Assistant Secretary" and set up the first conference offices in Kansas City, Missouri. With the addition of Colorado, the conference's unofficial name became the Big Seven Conference, coincidentally, the former unofficial name of the MSC.

The final membership change happened ten years later, when Oklahoma A&M, now known as Oklahoma State University, rejoined the conference on June 1, 1957, and the conference became known as the Big Eight. That same year, Peters' title was changed to "Executive Secretary" of the conference. He retired in June 1963 and was replaced by Wayne Duke, whose title was later changed to "Commissioner."

In 1964, the conference legally assumed the name "Big Eight Conference." In 1968 the conference began a long association with the Orange Bowl, sending its champion annually to play in the prestigious bowl game in Miami, Florida.

Big Twelve
The conference remained unchanged until 1996, when four former members of the now-defunct Southwest Conference – Baylor University, University of Texas, Texas A&M University, and Texas Tech University – joined with the eight member schools to form the Big 12 Conference. Talks of a merger between the two conferences were mentioned as early as 1994. The original membership of the Big 12 was essentially the old Big Eight plus four Texas schools, but the new conference did not officially claim the Big Eight's history as its own. Nonetheless, some college football history sources list both conferences as in continuous operation from 1907 onward.

When the Big Eight folded, all of its records were moved to Kansas State's Vanier Complex and are now on exhibit in the Big Eight Room which also serves host to post game interviews after football games.

Membership timeline
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Subsequent conference affiliations

 * 1) Colorado left the Big 12 for the Pac-12 beginning with the 2011-12 season.
 * 2) Drake withdrew from the Missouri Valley Conference from 1951-1956.  The MVC stopped sponsoring football in 1985; Drake remains a member for all non-football sports.  The football program was independent until the football-only Pioneer League began play with the 1993-94 season.
 * 3) Grinnell joined the Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference beginning with the 1939-40 season; their affiliation from 1928-1939 is unclear.  The MCAC merged with the Midwest Athletic Conference for Women to form the Midwest Conference beginning with the 1994-95 season.
 * 4) Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC beginning with the 2012-13 season.
 * 5) Nebraska left the Big 12 for the Big Ten beginning with the 2011-12 season.
 * 6) Washington-St. Louis left the MVC in 1946; it joined the College Athletic Conference from 1962 through 1971, and became a charter member of the University Athletic Association, which began play with the 1986-87 season.  It was independent in all other years.

Commissioners
Commissioners of the Big Eight Conference
 * Reaves Peters (1957–1963)
 * Wayne Duke (1963–1971)
 * Chuck Neinas (1971–1980)
 * Carl C. James (1980–1996)

Men's basketball
Following are the MVIAA/Big Eight conference championships from 1907 to 1996.
 * Kansas: 32 outright/43 total
 * Kansas State: 14/17
 * Missouri: 12/15
 * Nebraska: 2/7
 * Colorado: 3/5
 * Iowa State: 2/4
 * Oklahoma: 8/13
 * Oklahoma State:	1/2

Regular season champions
This includes titles in the MVIAA and the Big 6 and Big 7 conferences, with records in parentheses.

MVIAA
 * 1908: Kansas (6–0)
 * 1909: Kansas (8–2)
 * 1910: Kansas (7–1)
 * 1911: Kansas (9–3)
 * 1912: Nebraska (8–2)/Kansas (6–0)*
 * 1913: Nebraska (10–0)
 * 1914: Nebraska (7–0)/Kansas (13–1)*
 * 1915: Kansas (13–1)
 * 1916: Nebraska (12–0)
 * 1917: Kansas State (10–2)
 * 1918: Missouri (15–1)
 * 1919: Kansas State (10–2)
 * 1920: Missouri (17–1)
 * 1921: Missouri (17–1)
 * 1922: Missouri/Kansas (15–1)
 * 1923: Kansas (16–0)
 * 1924: Kansas (15–1)
 * 1925: Kansas (15–1)
 * 1926: Kansas (16–2)
 * 1927: Kansas (10–2)
 * 1928: Oklahoma (18–0)

* In 1912 and 1914, KU and NU were divisional winners and declared conference co–champions since no playoffs were staged either year.

Big 6 Conference
 * 1929: Oklahoma (10–0)
 * 1930: Missouri (8–2)
 * 1931: Kansas (7–3)
 * 1932: Kansas (7–3)
 * 1933: Kansas (8–2)
 * 1934: Kansas (9–1)
 * 1935: Iowa State (8–2)
 * 1936: Kansas (10–0)
 * 1937: Kansas/Nebraska (8–2 apiece)
 * 1938: Kansas (9–1)
 * 1939: Missouri/Oklahoma (7–3 apiece)
 * 1940: Kansas/Missouri/Oklahoma (8–2 apiece)
 * 1941: Iowa State/Kansas (7–3 apiece)
 * 1942: Kansas/Oklahoma (8–2 apiece)
 * 1943: Kansas (10–0)
 * 1944: Iowa State/Oklahoma (9–1 apiece)
 * 1945: Iowa State (8–2)
 * 1946: Kansas (10–0)
 * 1947: Oklahoma (8–2)

Big 7 Conference
 * 1948: Kansas State (9–3)
 * 1949: Nebraska/Oklahoma (9–3 apiece)
 * 1950: Kansas State/Nebraska/Kansas (8–4 apiece)
 * 1951: Kansas State (11–1)
 * 1952: Kansas (11–1)
 * 1953: Kansas (10–2)
 * 1954: Kansas/Colorado (10–2)
 * 1955: Colorado (10–2)
 * 1956: Kansas State (9–3)
 * 1957: Kansas (11–1)
 * 1958: Kansas State (10–2)

Big 8 Conference
 * 1959: Kansas State (14–0)
 * 1960: Kansas/Kansas State (10–4 apiece)
 * 1961: Kansas State (13–1)
 * 1962: Colorado (13–1)
 * 1963: Colorado/Kansas State (11–3 apiece)
 * 1964: Kansas State (12–2)
 * 1965: Oklahoma State (12–2)
 * 1966: Kansas (13–1)
 * 1967: Kansas (13–1)
 * 1968: Kansas State (11–3)
 * 1969: Colorado (10–4)
 * 1970: Kansas State (10–4)
 * 1971: Kansas (14–0)
 * 1972: Kansas State (12–2)
 * 1973: Kansas State (12–2)
 * 1974: Kansas (13–1)
 * 1975: Kansas (11–3)
 * 1976: Missouri (12–2)
 * 1977: Kansas State (11–3)
 * 1978: Kansas (13–1)
 * 1979: Oklahoma (10–4)
 * 1980: Missouri (11–3)
 * 1981: Missouri (10–4)
 * 1982: Missouri (12–2)
 * 1983: Missouri (12–2)
 * 1984: Oklahoma (13–1)
 * 1985: Oklahoma (13–1)
 * 1986: Kansas (13–1)
 * 1987: Missouri (11–3)
 * 1988: Oklahoma (12–2)
 * 1989: Oklahoma (12–2)
 * 1990: Missouri (12–2)
 * 1991: Kansas/Oklahoma State (10–4)
 * 1992: Kansas (11–3)
 * 1993: Kansas (11–3)
 * 1994: Missouri (14–0)
 * 1995: Kansas (11–3)
 * 1996: Kansas (12–2)

Tournament champions
All Big Eight men's basketball tournaments were held at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. Through 1985, however, the quarterfinal rounds were played on the home courts of the top four seeds in the tournament.


 * 1977: Kansas State
 * 1978: Missouri
 * 1979: Oklahoma
 * 1980: Kansas State
 * 1981: Kansas
 * 1982: Missouri
 * 1983: Oklahoma State
 * 1984: Kansas
 * 1985: Oklahoma
 * 1986: Kansas
 * 1987: Missouri
 * 1988: Oklahoma
 * 1989: Missouri
 * 1990: Oklahoma
 * 1991: Missouri
 * 1992: Kansas
 * 1993: Missouri
 * 1994: Nebraska
 * 1995: Oklahoma State
 * 1996: Iowa State

Football
Following are the MVIAA/Big Eight conference championships from 1907 to 1995.
 * Colorado (3 outright/5 total): 1961; 1976 (Co-Champions); 1989; 1990; 1991 (Co-Champions)
 * Iowa (0/1): 1907 (Co-Champions)
 * Iowa State (0/2): 1911 (Co-Champions); 1912 (Co-Champions)
 * Kansas (2/5): 1908; 1930; 1946 (Co-Champions); 1947 (Co-Champions); 1968 (Co-Champions)
 * Kansas State (1/1): 1934
 * Missouri (10/12): 1909; 1913 (Co-Champions); 1919; 1924; 1925; 1927; 1939; 1941; 1942; 1945; 1960*; 1969 (Co-Champions)
 * Nebraska (30/41): 1907 (Co-Champions); 1910; 1911 (Co-Champions); 1912 (Co-Champions); 1913 (Co-Champions); 1914; 1915; 1916; 1917; 1921; 1922; 1923; 1928; 1929; 1931; 1932; 1933; 1935; 1936; 1937; 1940; 1963; 1964; 1965; 1966; 1969 (Co-Champions); 1970; 1971; 1972; 1975 (Co-Champions); 1978 (Co-Champions); 1981; 1982; 1983; 1984 (Co-Champions); 1988; 1991 (Co-Champions); 1992; 1993; 1994; 1995
 * Oklahoma (26/33): 1920; 1938; 1943; 1944; 1946 (Co-Champions); 1947 (Co-Champions); 1948; 1949; 1950; 1951; 1952; 1953; 1954; 1955; 1956; 1957; 1958; 1959; 1962; 1967; 1968 (Co-Champions); 1973; 1974; 1975 (Co-Champions); 1976 (Co-Champions); 1977; 1978 (Co-Champions); 1979; 1980; 1984 (Co-Champions); 1985; 1986; 1987
 * Oklahoma State (1/2): 1926; 1976 (Co-Champions)

 * Kansas would have won the 1960 title, but after found to be using an ineligible player they were forced to forfeit their victories over Missouri and Colorado, which meant that Missouri was awarded the 1960 Big Eight title.

Wrestling
Following are the MVIAA/Big Eight conference championships from 1907 to 1995.
 * Iowa State (13/14) 1929, 1933, 1937, 1941, 1947, 1958, 1970, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1987 (Co-Champions), 1993
 * Kansas State (3/3) 1931, 1939, 1940
 * Nebraska (2/2) 1949, 1995
 * Oklahoma (20/21) 1930, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1967, 1968 (Co-Champions), 1981, 1985, 1986
 * Oklahoma State (22/24) 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968 (Co-Champions), 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1987 (Co-Champions), 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994

''Oklahoma State did not accept the trophy in 1992 in order to lessen any consequences stemming from an NCAA investigation of improper payments made to its student athletes. They are still listed as champions in the Big Eight record book.

NCAA championships won by MVIAA/Big Eight members
From 1907 to 1996

Baseball

 * Missouri: 1954
 * Oklahoma: 1951, 1994
 * Oklahoma State: 1959

Men's Basketball

 * Kansas: 1952, 1988
 * Oklahoma State: 1945, 1946

''Oklahoma State won its national titles while a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, when it was known as Oklahoma A&M. Kansas was awarded two Helms Foundation national titles in 1922 and 1923 in the MIVAA.

Men's Cross Country

 * Kansas: 1953
 * Oklahoma State: 1954
 * Iowa State: 1989, 1994

''Oklahoma State won its national title while a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, when it was known as Oklahoma A&M.

Men's Golf

 * Oklahoma: 1989
 * Oklahoma State: 1963, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995

Men's Gymnastics

 * Iowa State: 1971, 1973, 1974
 * Oklahoma: 1977, 1978, 1991
 * Nebraska: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1994

Football

 * Colorado: 1990
 * Nebraska: 1970, 1971, 1994, 1995
 * Oklahoma: 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985

Skiing
''Before 1983, the championship was for men's skiing.
 * Colorado: 1959, 1960. 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1991, 1995

Men's Indoor Track and Field

 * Missouri: 1965
 * Kansas: 1966, 1969, 1970

Men's Outdoor Track and Field

 * Kansas: 1959, 1960, 1970

Women's Indoor Track and Field

 * Nebraska: 1983, 1984

Women's Volleyball

 * Nebraska: 1995

Wrestling

 * Iowa State: 1933, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1987
 * Oklahoma:1936, 1951, 1952, 1957, 1960, 1963, 1974
 * Oklahoma State: 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1971, 1989, 1990, 1994

Conference facilities
This is a listing of the conference facilities as of the last year of the conference 1995-1996.