NCAA Conference Musical Chairs

[JBHuskers]

What I don't get is, don't these conferences or TV deal makers (ESPN?) realize that these schools have little to no market presence? I mean sure, MTSU is 30 minutes from Nashville, but anyone in Nashville pays attention to Tennessee or Vanderbilt. Same with Tulane to Big East... everyone in New Orleans pays attention to LSU. It's actually quite pitiful watching these programs in major markets that have horrible attendance... just look at FIU, FAU, MTSU & UNT. I guarantee their actual attendance draw is under 15k (FIU is probably closer to under 5k) each whereas Arkansas State is will average 25k with a 22k+ crowd this weekend.

Yeah. Just take a look at the Superdome in a Tulane game.

http://oi47.tinypic.com/34djy43.jpg

[CLW]

Look its pretty clear we are headed for 4 "Super" Conferences. To me it's just a question of whether the "Big XII" or the "ACC" survives to go along with the B1G, Pac and SEC. The funny thing about all this to me is that when football is banned (my estimation is 10-20 years) and everyone gets their "tv" from the net all of this will be for not and we will probably do this all over again.

[gschwendt]

WKU & NMSU supposedly up next for CUSA

That leaves the Sun Belt with (football):
Arkansas State
UL Lafayette
UL Monroe
Troy
South Alabama
Texas State
Georgia State


My bet, we look to Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, and Sam Houston State as replacements. In an ideal world, we'd look at USM or the like but they won't be defecting from CUSA anytime soon.

[souljahbill]

WKU & NMSU supposedly up next for CUSA

That leaves the Sun Belt with (football):
Arkansas State
UL Lafayette
UL Monroe
Troy
South Alabama
Texas State
Georgia State


My bet, we look to Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, and Sam Houston State as replacements. In an ideal world, we'd look at USM or the like but they won't be defecting from CUSA anytime soon.

We suck so hard, we're relegated to Sun Belt status......and we're so bad, we'd probably be just the 4th best team. Before his disaster of a season, a bad season was a mediocre one. Now everything about our program has changed.

[baseballplyrmvp]

why the hell are there still conferences at this point? i'm surprised more schools havent tried to go in notre dame's direction and get their own private network.

[JeffHCross]

Look its pretty clear we are headed for 4 "Super" Conferences.I would agree with that, except that a 14-team conference is a scheduling nightmare. A 16-team conference is a scheduling armageddon. That's the only thing I see stopping the 4 16-team conference idea.


i'm surprised more schools havent tried to go in notre dame's direction and get their own private network.Notre Dame doesn't have a private network, they have an exclusive contract. Because of the other deals in place, I don't think there are any entities out there that could offer an Ohio State or Alabama the deal that Notre Dame has. Look at BYU's comparatively pathetic deal with ESPN. Granted, BYU is not a :6star: school, but they are the only real major other independent out there.

Look at the Longhorn Network if you want an example of why following Notre Dame's path will not be an immediate success.

[SmoothPancakes]

I would agree with that, except that a 14-team conference is a scheduling nightmare. A 16-team conference is a scheduling armageddon. That's the only thing I see stopping the 4 16-team conference idea.

Notre Dame doesn't have a private network, they have an exclusive contract. Because of the other deals in place, I don't think there are any entities out there that could offer an Ohio State or Alabama the deal that Notre Dame has. Look at BYU's comparatively pathetic deal with ESPN. Granted, BYU is not a :6star: school, but they are the only real major other independent out there.

Look at the Longhorn Network if you want an example of why following Notre Dame's path will not be an immediate success.

Also, how truly viable would those networks be? Either you're going to just have the network in your home area, where you're really not reaching any new screens. So you'd have to expand out. If it was "a la cart" with team networks, I would never pick up the Hoosier Network, or Ball State Network or whatever. Even Toledo and Bowling Green, as much as I enjoy watching them play, I doubt I'd be willing to pay extra to have their networks. Same if they were to try and force it onto standard cable packages, I'm not gonna just sit quietly by while my cable bill goes up because Indiana wants to force their private network on cable companies here in NW Ohio. Even Toledo and Bowling Green I'd be against, at least in terms for forcing their way on the lineups and raising bills.

Then you face the recruiting issue. Why the major schools already have a recruiting advantage, that gap in advantage would widen even more. The major schools would have a greater chance of forcing their way onto a channel lineup or better chance of being willingly subscribed to by people vs. that of Ball State or Eastern Michigan. Just look at NW Ohio. Who would be the most popular teams when it comes to channel subscriptions? Ohio State. Michigan. Michigan State. Indiana (maybe). Notre Dame. Good luck to the smaller schools around here getting on TV (or national TV for that matter) and possibly having any chance of swaying or stealing a top player in the nation.

[gschwendt]

Handy page for tracking changes and when they'll be happening...
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-conference-realignment-tracking-all-changes

[CLW]

I would agree with that, except that a 14-team conference is a scheduling nightmare. A 16-team conference is a scheduling armageddon. That's the only thing I see stopping the 4 16-team conference idea.

Actually its EASY. Two 8 Team divisions. In football you play ONLY the 7 teams in your division (no cross division games). Top team from each division meet in Conference Championship. Each team is free to schedule their own 5 game non-conference schedule.

[baseballplyrmvp]

Actually its EASY. Two 8 Team divisions. In football you play ONLY the 7 teams in your division (no cross division games). Top team from each division meet in Conference Championship. Each team is free to schedule their own 5 game non-conference schedule.

:fp: :smh:

no. 2 divisions of 8 need to have 7 interdivision games AND 2 cross division games. otherwise, you'll see every sec team's ooc schedule be like idaho, north texas, wku, south alabama, and some fcs team. that right there, means they only need 1 conference win to be bowl eligible. every team in that conference could go to a bowl then.

a 16 team conference needs a 9 game conference schedule.

[JeffHCross]

CLW also seems to be forgetting that sometimes people like playing teams in the other division ... y'know, for rivalries and the like. And that's why 16 is a nightmare. A 8-game schedule (which, being honest, I'm 99% sure most of the conference will be keeping as long as possible) means 7 intradivision games and only one rotating cross division game. 16 years to rotate through all conference opponents.

[morsdraconis]

Yeah, 8 conference games is just the best because it enables for equal home/away setups for the conferences games, unlike what you get from 9 game setups. 16 teams is doable, but if you're going to go with 4 16 team super conferences, they need to stop fuckin' around and make a 16 team playoff already. That way, all this bullshit about being able to go with 4 OOC easy wins and be bowl eligible with a 2-6 conference record is just trash. Fuck the bowl games, give me a December to Remember. :nod:

[baseballplyrmvp]

i dont agree mors. i think 9 conference games would be best for every 16 team conference, as you'd get to go through the other division quicker (for the fans anyway). it also adds another conference game to everyone's schedule, thereby adding the potential for another quality win/loss. with 8 conference games for a 16 team conference, it'll only encourage more of the better college football teams to try and schedule the bottomfeeders of the mid majors. more an more teams will try to stack their ooc schedules with 4 weak teams, as then, they'd only need 2 conference wins to become bowl eligible.

you wanna try and cut down on the amount of teams going to bowl games? add another conference game. this takes away an ooc game for teams, and if you're a big name college team, thats taking away a guaranteed win over a crap sun-belt/c-usa/mountain west/wac team.

[psusnoop]

Certainly gaining more and more rumors but it looks like the ACC could be losing two members to the BigTen here soon maybe.

Georgia Tech & Virgina

[SmoothPancakes]

Certainly gaining more and more rumors but it looks like the ACC could be losing two members to the BigTen here soon maybe.

Georgia Tech & Virgina

And to counter the Big Ten trying to make a play on the Atlanta market, the SEC will probably grab Virginia Tech (to try and claim some of the Virginia/DC market) and someone like North Carolina or something.

[psusnoop]

And to counter the Big Ten trying to make a play on the Atlanta market, the SEC will probably grab Virginia Tech (to try and claim some of the Virginia/DC market) and someone like North Carolina or something.

Yeah it will not end haha

[JeffHCross]

i dont agree mors. i think 9 conference games would be best for every 16 team conferenceThe lack of parity between 5 conference home games for half the schools and 4 conference home games for the rest is enough to make it not "best". It has advantages over the 8 game schedule, I absolutely agree, but in a system that is solely being driven by money, the uneven-ness of the 9 game schedule is enough to make most of the conferences avoid it, IMO.

[jaymo76]

Watching the creation of these mega conferences just makes me sad. I miss the old days with small conferences and a large variety in scheduling. Very soon I suspect we will see out of conference games being the exception rather than the rule.

[JeffHCross]

Very soon I suspect we will see out of conference games being the exception rather than the rule.Huh?

[CLW]

CLW also seems to be forgetting that sometimes people like playing teams in the other division ... y'know, for rivalries and the like. And that's why 16 is a nightmare. A 8-game schedule (which, being honest, I'm 99% sure most of the conference will be keeping as long as possible) means 7 intradivision games and only one rotating cross division game. 16 years to rotate through all conference opponents.

You keep forgetting this is all about $ money (and potentially a BIG F OFF! to the NCAA as the 4 conferences could just leave and do whatever they wanted). What "rivalries" does :Maryland: have with ANYONE in the B1G? Ditto :Syracuse: / :Louisville: in the ACC?

Answer: None

You can EASILY set up 16 team conferences to keep any "rivalries" you wanted with the divisions.

[baseballplyrmvp]

rumors of pac12 looking into san diego state and boise state for possible expansion.

[JeffHCross]

You can EASILY set up 16 team conferences to keep any "rivalries" you wanted with the divisions.Uhm, no. Try to setup an SEC with some of the West's rivalries with the East maintained. Good luck.


And to counter the Big Ten trying to make a play on the Atlanta market, the SEC will probably grab Virginia Tech (to try and claim some of the Virginia/DC market) and someone like North Carolina or something.And either the SEC or Big 12 will come calling to Tallahassee, and suddenly the ACC is looking on the way out like the Big East is looking now.

[morsdraconis]

And either the SEC or Big 12 will come calling to Tallahassee, and suddenly the ACC is looking on the way out like the Big East is looking now.

I wonder, theoretically and legally speaking, what would happen to all the exit fee money if the entire ACC conference imploded at once? $50 million X 9 or 10 teams is QUITE a bit of money to figure out what should be done with it.

Of course, that would never happen, but if something catastrophic happened that caused the conference to dissolve into only 5 or 6 teams in one offseason, one has to wonder how the exit fees would work or if, since the conference is dissolving, if they would even need to be paid anymore.

[jaymo76]

Huh?

Think about it. Lets say you are in the SEC and you believe that you have the 16 best teams in the nation. Why take on an"inferior" team from the PAC 12 (14-16)? As a conference just have all games played within the conference. It would run just like a professional league. I don't want to see that but I think it is a possibility.

[cdj]

Think about it. Lets say you are in the SEC and you believe that you have the 16 best teams in the nation. Why take on an"inferior" team from the PAC 12 (14-16)? As a conference just have all games played within the conference. It would run just like a professional league. I don't want to see that but I think it is a possibility.

I've heard some local sports guys discuss that - way before the majority the conference changes took place. They hypothesized that eventually all of the major programs (BCS conferences) would band together and leave the jurisdiction of the NCAA to form their own league OR simply use their power to ensure the post-season structure only features them and bump the non-BCS programs to a new lower-tier.

[JeffHCross]

The "leave the NCAA" idea has been floated in multiple areas over the last year or so. But Jaymo's idea is something I certainly haven't thought about before. If you have a 16 team conference, do you just play a 12 game conference schedule? Is there a reason not to?

The first, and foremost, reason I can think of is that eliminates the guaranteed payday games. So schools like Ohio State go from 7 or 8 home games to just 6. So major schools, the ones that can get payday games for 3 or 4 of their OOC games, would probably be against it. But that also means you don't have to pay for the payday games. Maybe that's enough to offset?

I agree with Jaymo that I'd hate to see it. But it is compelling. And, in a way, I'd prefer it over the mess that would be an 8 game schedule with 16 teams.

[JBHuskers]

I think I have finally reached the point where this is making my head hurt. :D

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8742607/seven-catholic-schools-leaning-leaving-big-east-sources-say

[morsdraconis]

I think I have finally reached the point where this is making my head hurt. :D

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8742607/seven-catholic-schools-leaning-leaving-big-east-sources-say

Good, fuck them. They're the god damn reason the football side of the conference is fucked to begin with. I hope they all rot in fuckin' meaningless basketball hell.

[JeffHCross]

I think I have finally reached the point where this is making my head hurt. :D

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8742607/seven-catholic-schools-leaning-leaving-big-east-sources-sayActually, this is the first decision to actually make sense to me.


Good, fuck them. They're the god damn reason the football side of the conference is fucked to begin with. I hope they all rot in fuckin' meaningless basketball hell.I assume this is stemming from some WVU background stuff ... but ... how do you figure? How is the basketball side at fault for the Boise State, SDSU, and Tulanes getting added to the conference?

[morsdraconis]

I assume this is stemming from some WVU background stuff ... but ... how do you figure? How is the basketball side at fault for the Boise State, SDSU, and Tulanes getting added to the conference?

It stems from all the way back to before BC, Miami, and Virginia Tech left. The basketball only schools basically did NOTHING to prevent Miami, BC, and Virginia Tech from leaving the conference for the ACC. They knew that they were trying to leave and never lifted a finger to try to pursed them to stay or anything. If the Big East would have kept those teams in it's conference, things would be MUCH different than they are now from the football side of things and the basketball side of things would have stayed the way it was then. But, the basketball schools decided to fuck the football side, and the Big East has been scrambling to keep schools in it's conference ever since.

[baseballplyrmvp]

big east talking to fresno state and unlv (http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/74207/report-big-east-talks-to-fresno-unlv).

seriously, how in the hell do they still have an automatic bcs berth?

[JeffHCross]

They don't, per se. Once the BCS expires, they'll lose their Tier 1 status. The only reason they still have it, say, next year, is because the exodus isn't happening until the year after.

[JBHuskers]

Boise State has officially announced that they're staying in the Mountain West instead of boarding the sinking ship of the Big East.

[gschwendt]

Thank goodness... now hopefully SDSU follows their lead.

[JBHuskers]

Thank goodness... now hopefully SDSU follows their lead.

:+1:

So ridiculous.

[SmoothPancakes]

Damnit! I thought I was finally once and for all done and through with preseason conference changes in my CC/Tulsa dynasty. :fp:

[JeffHCross]

Boise State has officially announced that they're staying in the Mountain West instead of boarding the sinking ship of the Big East.Also: Boise retains TV rights to their home games. The only school with such a deal.

:fp:

EDIT: Does seem to be some debate on whether Boise retains the rights, or the MWC is just going to sell them as a separate package (which, presumably, the bulk of the money would go to Boise).

[SmoothPancakes]

Hey, I don't give a damn if it's to the future non-BCS Big East, it's still "moving up" per se. :D

Received via Navy Sports Information Department email, attributed to ESPN.com


By Andy Katz

The remaining Big East athletic directors will meet in Dallas on Jan. 11 to discuss their latest moves, including the update on the television negotiations. Tulsa and UMass have been discussed as possible additions if the Big East decides to expand, according to multiple sources. Rice and Southern Miss were also tossed around. Meanwhile, the Mountain West expects to move on San Diego State by the end of this week, according to a league source. The MWC has to decide if it will go to 12 or 14. The MWC has interest in SMU and Houston, but SMU has let it be known to the MWC it has no interest as the Mustangs and Cougars are set to go to the Big East. UTEP desperately wants to be in the MWC, according to a source, and is on the MWC list. BYU is the first choice for the MWC but at this juncture the Cougars want to remain independent in football, WCC in other sports.

[gschwendt]

Twitter is saying that SDSU will stay in MWC and that FAU & MTSU will bail in 2013 (a year early) to CUSA. Expect Tulsa to get an invite to the Big East soon.

[JeffHCross]

SDSU confirmed to be staying in the MWC.

[SmoothPancakes]

Ugh. I'm never gonna be able to go one season in my dynasty without changing something in the conference alignments.

[JeffHCross]

Suggestion: Just stop. Based on the last few months, half of them won't come to pass anyway.

[JBHuskers]

Sources tell ESPN that FAU and MTSU will join CUSA.

[gschwendt]

Sources tell ESPN that FAU and MTSU will join CUSA.
They're already joining, it's just that they're expected to join a year early (ie 2013-2014). The only matter is the amount of the buy-out... SBC voted in a new buyout this year and FAU & MTSU are fighting it.

[souljahbill]

Man, why couldn't I be a student trainer at Southern Miss now? Trips to Miami and Boca Raton? Sweet!

[souljahbill]

Tulsa and Southern Miss are now Big East targets
Click for link (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/fau-owls/fau-blog/sfl-nothing-new-with-cusa-move-20130118,0,1796848.story)

[JeffHCross]

Oh, good grief. Just implode that conference, it's brand is ruined.

At least the SWC had the decency to die.

[SmoothPancakes]

At least they're going after decent teams. Southern Miss and Tulsa have been right up there as two of the best/better teams from C-USA. The Big East has already taken the previous best teams in Houston, UCF, etc, so now it's time for USM and Tulsa. It's better than going after Memphis (who is only worth a damn in basketball).

[JeffHCross]

Decent by C-USA standards, sure. But I'd rather the Big East die and let the C-USA, MWC and other conferences take their place in the pecking order. Rather than trying to hold on to life so desperately that they force the other conferences to bring more teams up (who probably won't make profits) from other divisions. All this realignment is really doing, in the big picture, is adding more teams to FBS. And that's not necessarily a good thing in the long run.

[SmoothPancakes]

Well, in regards to NCAA Football, the more teams that make it onto the game the better I say. :D

[NatureBoy]

Multiple sources within the Big 10 contend the University of Virginia is set to receive an invitation to join the conference early next week. UVA is expected to ratify the move from the ACC to the Big 10 shortly after receiving the invitation.

UVA would become the 15th member of the Big 10.

None of the Big 10 sources would divulge the identity of the Big 10’s target for #16 but they did confirm that Georgia Tech and UNC are the leading candidates.

Media contacts working close to Georgia Tech believe the Yellow Jackets are the Big 10’s choice for #16 while several sources within the Big 10 believe the conference would prefer UNC over GT.

Sources close to the SEC allege UNC is also engaged in serious discussions to join the SEC along with Duke.

The same sources indicate that the SEC is prepared to be the catalyst of the next round of conference realignment and move quickly to secure either UNC and Duke or Virginia Tech and NC State.

Sources at WVU say the Big 12 is set to discuss expansion at the end of the month and it is likely they will invite as many as 6 ACC teams after the Big 10 and SEC move.

So what does this mean?

If the Big 10 and SEC sources are correct we can assume UNC is highly prized commodity – at least a big enough prize to force the SEC to break their pattern of benign poaching and make a preemptive move on UNC before the Big 10 has a chance to snatch up the Tar Heels.

As for the Big 10 my sources tell me on paper UNC looks like a perfect fit but Georgia Tech has enormous support from both Illinois and Purdue. So much support that Delany has been forced to rethink his choice of UNC.

The Big 12 has previously agreed to add FSU and either Miami or Clemson (it’s different depending on who you talk to at WVU or in the Big 12). My sources at WVU explain that Miami is the more valuable choice due to its larger television market and fertile recruiting grounds but they are quick to explain Clemson is a close second.

What’s clear is that the Big 12 will have the opportunity to add 6 quality schools that will drastically improve their footprint and increase their available television inventory.

If the Big 12 is lucky and the Big 10 and SEC hit 16 and hold the conference could see FSU, Miami, Clemson, Virginia Tech and NC State as members.

The folks at WVU are giddy at the prospect of being in the same division as old friends FSU, Clemson, Miami and our best “frenemy” Virginia Tech.

The worst scenario for the Big 12 is still an improvement. At the very least Bowlsby will decide to add FSU, Miami and Clemson and he’ll have some options to round out the conference at either 14 or 16 with Louisville, Cincinnati, Pitt, BYU or even UCONN.

Why would ACC schools move before the UMD lawsuit with the ACC is settled? A mass defection of 10 schools would kill the ACC as a viable conference and their may be no one left to pay the exit fee to after realignment is finished.

The other popular opinion is that it won’t matter. They know UMD will pay far less than the $52 million and they’re willing to move on to greener pastures confident that the ACC’s share of playoff money and eventually even the ACC’s TV money will be redistributed to the remaining big 4 and more than make up for whatever exit fee they may be forced to pay.

Keep in mind I don’t have direct knowledge of the discussion. I rely on friends at WVU and contacts within the ACC, Big 10 and SEC for this information and it can change quickly.

http://www.eersauthority.com/big-10-and-sec-race-to-add-acc-schools/

[morsdraconis]

The rumors are running thick this offseason.

[souljahbill]

Multiple sources within the Big 10 contend the University of Virginia is set to receive an invitation to join the conference early next week. UVA is expected to ratify the move from the ACC to the Big 10 shortly after receiving the invitation.

UVA would become the 15th member of the Big 10.

None of the Big 10 sources would divulge the identity of the Big 10’s target for #16 but they did confirm that Georgia Tech and UNC are the leading candidates.

Media contacts working close to Georgia Tech believe the Yellow Jackets are the Big 10’s choice for #16 while several sources within the Big 10 believe the conference would prefer UNC over GT.

Sources close to the SEC allege UNC is also engaged in serious discussions to join the SEC along with Duke.

The same sources indicate that the SEC is prepared to be the catalyst of the next round of conference realignment and move quickly to secure either UNC and Duke or Virginia Tech and NC State.

Sources at WVU say the Big 12 is set to discuss expansion at the end of the month and it is likely they will invite as many as 6 ACC teams after the Big 10 and SEC move.

So what does this mean?

If the Big 10 and SEC sources are correct we can assume UNC is highly prized commodity – at least a big enough prize to force the SEC to break their pattern of benign poaching and make a preemptive move on UNC before the Big 10 has a chance to snatch up the Tar Heels.

As for the Big 10 my sources tell me on paper UNC looks like a perfect fit but Georgia Tech has enormous support from both Illinois and Purdue. So much support that Delany has been forced to rethink his choice of UNC.

The Big 12 has previously agreed to add FSU and either Miami or Clemson (it’s different depending on who you talk to at WVU or in the Big 12). My sources at WVU explain that Miami is the more valuable choice due to its larger television market and fertile recruiting grounds but they are quick to explain Clemson is a close second.

What’s clear is that the Big 12 will have the opportunity to add 6 quality schools that will drastically improve their footprint and increase their available television inventory.

If the Big 12 is lucky and the Big 10 and SEC hit 16 and hold the conference could see FSU, Miami, Clemson, Virginia Tech and NC State as members.

The folks at WVU are giddy at the prospect of being in the same division as old friends FSU, Clemson, Miami and our best “frenemy” Virginia Tech.

The worst scenario for the Big 12 is still an improvement. At the very least Bowlsby will decide to add FSU, Miami and Clemson and he’ll have some options to round out the conference at either 14 or 16 with Louisville, Cincinnati, Pitt, BYU or even UCONN.

Why would ACC schools move before the UMD lawsuit with the ACC is settled? A mass defection of 10 schools would kill the ACC as a viable conference and their may be no one left to pay the exit fee to after realignment is finished.

The other popular opinion is that it won’t matter. They know UMD will pay far less than the $52 million and they’re willing to move on to greener pastures confident that the ACC’s share of playoff money and eventually even the ACC’s TV money will be redistributed to the remaining big 4 and more than make up for whatever exit fee they may be forced to pay.

Keep in mind I don’t have direct knowledge of the discussion. I rely on friends at WVU and contacts within the ACC, Big 10 and SEC for this information and it can change quickly.

http://www.eersauthority.com/big-10-and-sec-race-to-add-acc-schools/

Damn! 10 defections? That's a mega-poach!

[JeffHCross]

I'll take GT simply because I have zero interest in seeing UNC and Duke split.

If the ACC gets crushed like this, expect Notre Dame to go begging to the Catholic 7 for basketball.

[SmoothPancakes]

And suddenly the ACC is on potential death watch ahead of the Big East.

[JBHuskers]

I'd love to go to the new Husker basketball arena to watch them get creamed by UNC. :D

[JeffHCross]

And suddenly the ACC is on potential death watch ahead of the Big East.Nah, the ACC would just raid the Big East, take all of their teams, then the Big East would take the C-USA, etc, etc.

Or the ACC could just draft the entire FCS Southern conference and bypass the middle-men and get us the end result: 10+ more FCS teams in FBS.

[jaymo76]

And suddenly the ACC is on potential death watch ahead of the Big East.

I hate reading this thread now. This craziness never seems to end.

[baseballplyrmvp]

whats the point having conferences anymore? everyone should just be an independant.

[SmoothPancakes]

whats the point having conferences anymore? everyone should just be an independant.

Ugh. Then you'd have Alabama playing LSU, Florida, Auburn, Georgia Texas State, New Mexico, Idaho, UMass, Eastern Michigan, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State and Savannah State every year.

Likewise for all the other major teams. THAT would kill college football for me. I'd say "fuck you" and walk away from college football entirely at that point.

[baseballplyrmvp]

Ugh. Then you'd have Alabama playing LSU, Florida, Auburn, Georgia Texas State, New Mexico, Idaho, UMass, Eastern Michigan, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State and Savannah State every year.

Likewise for all the other major teams. THAT would kill college football for me. I'd say "fuck you" and walk away from college football entirely at that point.

let em play those teams. i'd make strength of schedule worth a shitload more in the polls. even if alabama went 12-0 with that schedule, i'd leave them out of the 4 team playoff or whatever it is. their whole out of conference scheduling and only 8 conference game arguments are pathetic as shit.

[SmoothPancakes]

let em play those teams. i'd make strength of schedule worth a shitload more in the polls. even if alabama went 12-0 with that schedule, i'd leave them out of the 4 team playoff or whatever it is. their whole out of conference scheduling and only 8 conference game arguments are pathetic as shit.

Even then, it'd still kill all interest I have in college football. I already find it difficult to watch the major teams play unless it's something like Ohio State-Michigan, a CCG, or a bowl game. Almost every chance I had this year, I watched games like Army-Kent State or Harvard-Penn over the likes of Big Ten/Pac-12/SEC battles between Top 10 teams. What the hell would make me want to watch Alabama or any other major team kill the weaker team 60-0 every week?

[JeffHCross]

You wouldn't, Smooth. But plenty of people would.

Also, that argument doesn't totally hold water. Notre Dame could be accused of watering down their schedule, but not that badly. Same goes for Army and Navy. They have the opportunity, and yet they don't take advantage of it like that.

More likely, the problem with 124 independents would be that, without some kind of scheduling agreement between groups of teams (hey, we could call them conferences), you'd end up with 60 or so teams that could fill their schedule, and 60 or so teams that couldn't find a partner for all 12 games.

Plus, do you really want to see games covered on the Auburn Sports Network? Because without conferences, TV contracts are suddenly done by individual teams and that would be a nightmare and a half.

[SmoothPancakes]

You wouldn't, Smooth. But plenty of people would.

Also, that argument doesn't totally hold water. Notre Dame could be accused of watering down their schedule, but not that badly. Same goes for Army and Navy. They have the opportunity, and yet they don't take advantage of it like that.

More likely, the problem with 124 independents would be that, without some kind of scheduling agreement between groups of teams (hey, we could call them conferences), you'd end up with 60 or so teams that could fill their schedule, and 60 or so teams that couldn't find a partner for all 12 games.

Plus, do you really want to see games covered on the Auburn Sports Network? Because without conferences, TV contracts are suddenly done by individual teams and that would be a nightmare and a half.

Yeah, well Army and Navy (and maybe even Notre Dame, if I hold my nose long enough) has more class than the likes of Alabama, so they don't try and pull those kinds of shenanigans. :P

[JBHuskers]

whats the point having conferences anymore? everyone should just be an independant.

Because conferences make more $$$$

[baseballplyrmvp]

Because conferences make more $$$$

notre dame begs to differ ;)

[JeffHCross]

Nobody else could get Notre Dame's deal.

Though Notre Dame may earn less off their deal than Big Ten teams get from theirs. :dunno:

[baseballplyrmvp]

Nobody else could get Notre Dame's deal.

Though Notre Dame may earn less off their deal than Big Ten teams get from theirs. :dunno:

i'm pretty sure that texas, alabama, USC, michigan, ohio state and a few other historically great schools would be able to get their own deals.

some schools might even consider partnering with another in large media markets (ie: syracuse and rutgers gaining the NYC market). the losers of this would be the middle of the road, bottom feeders of college football as they'd only get on the local markets, and not mainstream tv.

[gschwendt]

FAU & MTSU to CUSA in 2013 official, effective July 1.
http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/c-usa/genrel/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013members.pdf

[gschwendt]

CUSA divisions for 2013
East: ECU, FAU FIU, Marshall, MTSU, USM, UAB. West: LT, UNT, Rice, Tulane, Tulsa, UTEP UTSA

[Escobar]

CUSA divisions for 2013
East: ECU, FAU FIU, Marshall, MTSU, USM, UAB. West: LT, UNT, Rice, Tulane, Tulsa, UTEP UTSA

Created that exact lineup in my offline dynasty when I changed the conferences after UH left. Although I named it the Southwest instead of the West.

[SmoothPancakes]

Hold onto your butts, here we go again. Received this story in an email from the Navy Sports Information Department, who accredited it to SB Nation (no actual link to the story was provided).


Maryland 247 site reporting North Carolina has Big Ten offer, Virginia on deck?



By Luke Zimmermann (http://www.sbnation.com/users/Luke%20Zimmermann) on Feb 19, 1:38p


http://cdn2.sbnation.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/8373913/20120908_gav_bb4_146.0_standard_730.0.jpg


One of the leaders at being both first and right in the last round (https://twitter.com/insidemdsports/status/303927988326641664) of Big Ten expansion is reporting that the University of North Carolina has an offer on the table to join the league. Where it goes from there is anyone's guess, but it appears that Virginia is also a chip (as long speculated) on the table possibly get in on the action as well.

Reports began leaking out last month that Virginia (http://www.offtackleempire.com/2013/1/20/3897940/big-ten-expansion-realignment-acc-sec-big-12) was next in the pecking order to join the Big Ten, but mostly originated from sources without the track record of Inside Maryland. There has also long been second guessing about the validity of a potential North Carolina offer, particularly in lieu of the lingering academic scandal still attached to the school's football and basketball programs, and the school's influence within the ACC. If recruiting college athletes is considered to be the silly season, recruiting colleges (particularly in lieu of lingering legislation still complicating matters (https://twitter.com/Landgrant33/status/303877966822248448)) takes matters to a whole other level.

Now that there appears to be some actual hard evidence that North Carolina may be the next domino to fall, the question becomes what happens after that. Virginia would seem like some redundancy given the league's investment in Maryland (which potentially could cost in upwards of $50 million dollars), but the Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News and Richmond-Petersburg TV markets combine to form something worth noting. It would also all but seal the Big Ten Network's second tier negotiating prowess in the vaunted Washington DC market.

It's long been thought that Georgia Tech (and Atlanta) have been coveted for not just the large number of Big Ten alumni occupying "the capital of the south", but as a way to announce their presence to the rival Southeastern Conference. Of course Georgia Tech itself doesn't exactly scream "athletic dominance", but with a foothold in the football rabid area, as bleak of a possibility as it may be, the midwest's most prominent conference would at least be able to lay claim to a tiny bit of the territory and lay the ground works for a rather ancillary pipeline north.

And then of course there's Duke. While Duke football has taken decades to return to even fringe prominence, Duke basketball (and academics, despite being a smaller private school) fall far more in line with what the Big Ten seeks to represent. You have to wonder if Duke and Carolina could be a package deal of some sort (assuming interest on both parts and the league's interest in the former).

Where things go from here is tough to say. How much of it is credible is even harder. It certainly won't stop just about everyone from talking about it – up and through when there's actual football to discuss once again.

[JBHuskers]

Yeah our local talk show was talking about it today. Either Virginia or Georgia Tech would be #16. Might as well just bring Duke, they're getting better at football, and obviously that will make the B1G a conference to beat with the Big East imploding.

[SmoothPancakes]

Yeah our local talk show was talking about it today. Either Virginia or Georgia Tech would be #16. Might as well just bring Duke, they're getting better at football, and obviously that will make the B1G a conference to beat with the Big East imploding.

While it's football driving all these moves, could you imagine the Big Ten in basketball? Duke, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Ohio State and Wisconsin (and depending on the year, Iowa, Minnesota and Purdue). Damn that would be some insane basketball.

[JBHuskers]

While it's football driving all these moves, could you imagine the Big Ten in basketball? Duke, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Ohio State and Wisconsin (and depending on the year, Iowa, Minnesota and Purdue). Damn that would be some insane basketball.

You forgot Nebraska! Oh. Wait. :fdown:

[SmoothPancakes]

You forgot Nebraska! Oh. Wait. :fdown:

:D

Though it made me realize that I did forget Maryland. Not quite the same as they were a decade ago, but still a decent team.

[JBHuskers]

:D

Though it made me realize that I did forget Maryland. Not quite the same as they were a decade ago, but still a decent team.

Bubble team ATM.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[CLW]

If K has his way and he has plenty of power at the school I just cannot imagine him leaving the :ACC: . I have read/heard rumors also that the :SEC: inquired re: :North_Carolina: who knows. It will be "fun" to watch this all again when football is banned or is no longer popular b/c you can only tickle people to the ground after this concussion issue is "resolved" and everyone tries to get the basketball $.

[gschwendt]

Appalachian State & Georgia Southern expected to join Sun Belt this week, likely on Wednesday.
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/3/25/4145372/georgia-southern-appalachian-state-sun-belt

[gschwendt]

https://twitter.com/38Godfrey/status/316236975311028224

I can confirm Georgia Southern is joining the Sun Belt. Eagles will play two "transition" seasons, join SBCin 2015. @sbnation story coming.

[JBHuskers]

I claim them for SBCOL for NCAA 16 :D

[psusnoop]

I claim them for SBCOL for NCAA 16 :D

And I'll take Appalachian State if it happens :)

[gschwendt]

Ugh... Idaho & NMSU as SBC football only members :glare:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/dennis-dodd/21949121/sun-belt-will-grow-by-four-in-2014-

I could tolerate NMSU but Idaho has no redeeming value while greatly increasing travel... let's all thank good ole Karl Benson.
http://vandalnation.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/karl-benson.jpeg



I'm ready for ASU & ULL to get into a different conference...

[SmoothPancakes]

It may not be the best fit for the Sun Belt, but I am happy that they found a home for football. Idaho and NMSU never would have survived as independents, and I hated the possibility of them dropping to FCS solely because they couldn't find a new conference to join.

[baseballplyrmvp]

Idaho and NMSU never would have survived as independents,

maybe.....but i'm sure the sec schools would have lined up to play them every year. :D

[jaymo76]

It may not be the best fit for the Sun Belt, but I am happy that they found a home for football. Idaho and NMSU never would have survived as independents, and I hated the possibility of them dropping to FCS solely because they couldn't find a new conference to join.

Totally agree with Smooth on this one.

[JBHuskers]

It may not be the best fit for the Sun Belt, but I am happy that they found a home for football. Idaho and NMSU never would have survived as independents, and I hated the possibility of them dropping to FCS solely because they couldn't find a new conference to join.

:+1: those programs deserve a D-I home

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[gschwendt]

https://twitter.com/McMurphyESPN/status/316629376806572034

Tulsa will join old Big East & East Carolina will be added as full member in 2014, sources told @ESPN


​Expect WKU to get an invite to CUSA.

[SmoothPancakes]

https://twitter.com/McMurphyESPN/status/316629376806572034

Tulsa will join old Big East & East Carolina will be added as full member in 2014, sources told @ESPN


​Expect WKU to get an invite to CUSA.

:clap:

Moving on up!

[steelerfan]

maybe.....but i'm sure the sec schools would have lined up to play them every year. :D

Damn straight!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2

[ram29jackson]

I told you they'd find a home...the SBC is in fact, the first Super Conference and the Big will follow and so on and so it goes from here on in

[bdoughty]

I told you they'd find a home...the SBC is in fact, the first Super Conference and the Big will follow and so on and so it goes from here on in

South Alabama
Troy
Western Kentucky
Arkansas at Little Rock (Basketball Only)
Arkansas State
Louisiana Lafayette
Louisiana Monroe
Georgia State
Texas State
University of Texas at Arlington (Basketball Only)
Georgia Southern
Appalachian State
Idaho (Football Only)
New Mexico State (Football Only)

So using my mathematical skills that would be 12 Football Teams and 12 Basketball Teams.



The SEC has 14 teams that play football and basketball. How exactly does that make the Sun Belt the first Super Conference? Even the MAC has more teams at 13.

[ram29jackson]

South Alabama
Troy
Western Kentucky
Arkansas at Little Rock (Basketball Only)
Arkansas State
Louisiana Lafayette
Louisiana Monroe
Georgia State
Texas State
University of Texas at Arlington (Basketball Only)
Georgia Southern
Appalachian State
Idaho (Football Only)
New Mexico State (Football Only)

So using my mathematical skills that would be 12 Football Teams and 12 Basketball Teams.



The SEC has 14 teams that play football and basketball. How exactly does that make the Sun Belt the first Super Conference? Even the MAC has more teams at 13.

both humor and ground breaking moves are completely lost on/by you. this is the first rock rolling down the hill( one of the first two if you want to have a hissy fit about it ) that will start the avalanche combined with the SEC etc. This is just the beginning.
Thats all there is to it.

edit- ultimately I mean to say, just stop with the over analyzation dude ,sheesh

[bdoughty]

both humor and ground breaking moves are completely lost on/by you. this is the first rock rolling down the hill( one of the first two if you want to have a hissy fit about it ) that will start the avalanche combined with the SEC etc. This is just the beginning.
Thats all there is to it.

edit- ultimately I mean to say, just stop with the over analyzation dude ,sheesh


http://i.imgur.com/q6r9wmA.gif

[gschwendt]

Marshall AD insinuates WKU to CUSA a done deal...
http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/Marshall/201303280230?page=2

"We haven't been spending much more," Hamrick said. "In football, we bus to non-conference games. We've been flying to four away games. In the MAC you had Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Northern Illinois. Now [in C-USA] we're adding Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and, in 2015, Charlotte."

[jaymo76]

Any truth to the rumour that the former BIG EAST will adopt the name AMERICA 12? I saw this on another website talking about realignment but it was the first I have heard of it.

[morsdraconis]

Any truth to the rumour that the former BIG EAST will adopt the name AMERICA 12? I saw this on another website talking about realignment but it was the first I have heard of it.

I heard something similar as well. No idea how much truth is in it though but it was basically talked about shortly after it was announced that the Catholic Big East teams are going to be keeping the Big East conference naming rights, leaving the football side of things scrambling to come up with something different.

[cdj]

Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN
With WKU to C-USA, James Madison & Liberty leading Sun Belt candidates source told @espn

[JeffHCross]

And I'll take Appalachian State if it happens :)Ahem, get in line.


Any truth to the rumour that the former BIG EAST will adopt the name AMERICA 12? I saw this on another website talking about realignment but it was the first I have heard of it.Last I heard, it was one of several names being discussed but it would not be fair to say, at least at the time, that it was the leading candidate.

[jaymo76]

Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN
With WKU to C-USA, James Madison & Liberty leading Sun Belt candidates source told @espn

Nice! Since Tiburon seems pretty uninterested and/or opposed to bringing back FCS TEAMS (as you all know, this is now my #1 request...) I guess I will have to wait until JMU joins the FBS.

[gschwendt]

It's official for Tulsa (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20130401_11_A1_TheTul637572) & Western Kentucky (http://www.conferenceusa.com/genrel/040113aac.html).

[CLW]

It's official for Tulsa (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20130401_11_A1_TheTul637572) & Western Kentucky (http://www.conferenceusa.com/genrel/040113aac.html).

Seems like a DUMB move for :Western_Kentucky: They won't be able to compete in football or in basketball where they fairly regularly made the NCAA tourny although I guess they could just be happy receiving :Memphis: basketball money?

[gschwendt]

Seems like a DUMB move for :Western_Kentucky: They won't be able to compete in football or in basketball where they fairly regularly made the NCAA tourny although I guess they could just be happy receiving :Memphis: basketball money?

Memphis is now in Conference America East...

[JBHuskers]

We need a road map just for basketball alone with the Catholic 7+3.

[CLW]

Memphis is now in Conference America East...

Yeah I give up trying to keep up with all of this crap then. Never even heard of "Conference America East" I presume that is the "old" Big East?

[gschwendt]

Yeah I give up trying to keep up with all of this crap then. Never even heard of "Conference America East" I presume that is the "old" Big East?
That's not the official name... just what I call it since it's a rehash of Conference USA and now the "old" Big East.

[jaymo76]

Does anyone have a link to the new conferences as they will be in 2013 and 2014? Honestly there have been so many changes that I can't even recall the half of them.

[gschwendt]

Does anyone have a link to the new conferences as they will be in 2013 and 2014? Honestly there have been so many changes that I can't even recall the half of them.
This is the site that does a good job of keeping track of it.
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-conference-realignment-tracking-all-changes

[jaymo76]

This is the site that does a good job of keeping track of it.
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-conference-realignment-tracking-all-changes

Great link. Thanks!

[SmoothPancakes]

And we have a new name. The Big East is now the American Athletic Conference.

[psusnoop]

This is the site that does a good job of keeping track of it.
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-conference-realignment-tracking-all-changes

Thanks G, my mind like others has teams where they are not and this helps big time haha.

[Deuce]

I just heard a rumor that Arkansas State is moving to the big 12 in 2015. Anyone confirm?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

[bdoughty]

I just heard a rumor that Arkansas State is moving to the big 12 in 2015. Anyone confirm?

I can confirm that you fell victim to a satire site.

http://www.rockcitytimes.com/arkansas-state-announces-move-big-12-beginning-2015-football-season/

“It is certainly not the first team I would expect the Big 12 to add, but when you analyze the move it does make a lot of sense,” CBS Sports analyst Bruce Feldman tells us. “They are a program that has began recruiting strongly in SEC regions, it establishes a footprint in the Little Rock, Memphis, and Northern Mississippi markets. It can’t be any worse than adding West Virginia for sure.”

:D

[gschwendt]

He includes Feldman in the article because he fell for a similar article during our coaching search which said Houston Nutt was going to be our next coach. Feldman went so far as getting a quote from Nutt himself denying it.

[Stan HAMsen]

RockCityTimes does good work. :D

[Deuce]

Dammit Jim!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

[cdj]

448894278291685376

448894980778893313

[souljahbill]

Are they going Indy or back down to FCS?

[cdj]

Are they going Indy or back down to FCS?

I haven't read any rumors yet, but some are guessing they might go American Conference.

[CLW]

I haven't read any rumors yet, but some are guessing they might go American Conference.

That won't work. The ONLY reason you add :U_Mass: is for hoops. They are in the A-10 in hoops which isn't a fbs football conference. They are going to either have to leave the A-10 to join another conference or go back to FCS or stay indy. I just cannot imagine a conference allowing a new school to be in its conference for some sports but not others.

[jaymo76]

I just don't see a conference jumping over itself to land UMASS. No offense to the people who attend UMASS but I don't think about this school when I think about a powerful athletic programme (outside of the odd year in bball). Personally I think they should stay where they are in all sports.

[JBHuskers]

I think the Atlantic 10 would be a good fit. Maybe stay indy for football if they don't want to move back down.

[cdj]

IIRC, there were rumors a few months ago they might drop back to FCS for football since they are not competitive in the FBS. Maybe that is what is going on here?

I've read some speculation they might go Sun Belt in football to give them 12 teams, but I don't think there's anything behind that (yet).

[SmoothPancakes]

So, who does the Big 12 approach to add this winter/spring? :D

They need two more teams for a conference championship game.

[gschwendt]

So, who does the Big 12 approach to add this winter/spring? :D

They need two more teams for a conference championship game.
Cincinnati, Memphis & BYU.

[bdoughty]

Cincinnati, Memphis & BYU.

There has also been mention of UCF. BYU & Cincinnati would be my picks.

[JBHuskers]

So, who does the Big 12 approach to add this winter/spring? :D

They need two more teams for a conference championship game.

Problem is they probably won't be able to play til 2016 right? There isn't any way to get them in for next season at this point right?

[souljahbill]

A championship game isn't the problem. The problem is that the second best team in the Big 12 beat the best team and took them out of the mix when they won the conference. Had Baylor lost, Ohio St. would be out and TCU would be in.

[volsfan]

Kansas AD: Big 12 discussing league championship game 'right now'

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/dennis-dodd/24874865/kansas-ad-big-12-discussing-conference-championship-game-right-now

[JeffHCross]

Well, yes, TCU going undefeated (which they would have had they beaten Baylor) would have solved everything ;)

EDIT: Just realized you were saying if Baylor had lost to K-State. Not sure that would have gotten TCU in, but certainly the discussion is different then.

Not having a championship game was absolutely part of the problem. Everybody says that TCU and Baylor both win Saturday and don't understand why they dropped (for the record, I would have been just fine with any of the three getting in. I consider it a pleasant surprise). What if TCU and Baylor had been off? Would there be shock then? Because by playing one less game they had an extra bye week. The fact that it wasn't after Thanksgiving doesn't change that fact.

If TCU and Baylor had played again this week, I personally believe that the winner would have been in the playoffs.

[SmoothPancakes]

Problem is they probably won't be able to play til 2016 right? There isn't any way to get them in for next season at this point right?

No, there would be no way to add new teams for next season, at least not without the teams/Big 12 shelling MAJOR money (tens upon tens of millions) in conference exit fees. So yeah, probably 2016 would be the earliest the Big 12 could get anyone added, expand to 12 and have a CCG. However, they will need to get the ball rolling soon if they want to be able to add teams in 2016 without shelling out for exit fees.

[cdj]

Seeing rumors/reports that Idaho will be announcing a return to FCS tomorrow.

[jaymo76]

Seeing rumors/reports that Idaho will be announcing a return to FCS tomorrow.

NO!!!!!! Everybody's favourite NCAA FBALL 14 team is leaving? But I love the Kibbie Dome!

[cdj]

Some speculation UMass may go the same route.

If I heard correctly, Idaho will announce their decision today. (I loved using Idaho & the Kibbie Dome in NCAA as well, jaymo. Sad day here as well.)

[souljahbill]

RIP Kibbie Dome

[steelerfan]

You guys realize that before we can have the Kibbie Done taken away from us we'd have to have an NCAA Football game to have it removed from, right?

:D

[JBHuskers]

You guys realize that before we can have the Kibbie Done taken away from us we'd have to have an NCAA Football game to have it removed from, right?

:D

https://media.giphy.com/media/13cXHBqGdocB1K/giphy.gif

[cdj]

The Big 12 Conference announced Tuesday that it has authorized commissioner Bob Bowlsby to begin exploring expansion candidates.

The Big 12 board of directors met in Irving and deliberated on the merits of expansion, hearing presentations from two paid consultants on the issue.

Bowlsby is expected to begin contacting schools to gauge their interest in the Big 12 in the coming days.

"It's a forward step, a positive step," said Oklahoma president and board chair David Boren, who has been the most outspoken proponent for Big 12 expansion. "Not yet a decision ... but it shows momentum on the board to consider [expansion] as a possibility."

Boren said expansion by both two and four schools will be on the table moving forward.

Bowlsby told ESPN that it's "conceivable" the conference would be ready to vote on specific expansion candidates before the board's regularly scheduled meeting in October.

Via ESPN (http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/17108512/big-12-begin-exploring-expansion-candidates)

[bdoughty]

Give us BYU, UCF, Memphis, Cincinnati and Houston. Rid ourselves of Baylor. This is the punishment they deserve. Puts us at 14, gets us more coverage in every direction. Now pay me half of whatever those consultants were to get.

[SmoothPancakes]

Ffs. :fp:

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[jaymo76]

Give us BYU, UCF, Memphis, Cincinnati and Houston. Rid ourselves of Baylor. This is the punishment they deserve. Puts us at 14, gets us more coverage in every direction. Now pay me half of whatever those consultants were to get.

Definitely BYU and maybe Cincy but the others... Really?

[bdoughty]

Definitely BYU and maybe Cincy but the others... Really?

The announcement of the ACC Network plays a big part in this. I do not see teams wanting to leave the ACC right now. It is less of wanting these specific teams and more about needing 14 teams and this is the best of the bunch with the positive of spreading out in the right places. Houston was in the SWC and they had more competitive teams than Baylor back then and did so without the murders and rapes (this is my swap team, only mentioned because I would get rid of Baylor which will not happen). UCF was horrible last year but they are the biggest college in terms of enrollment in Florida, plus the whole having a school in Florida recruiting grounds. Memphis is the same thing. Right there in SEC country. Not to mention these teams are positives for the Basketball conference.

The days of close knit conferences are gone and the power conference is here to stay. The SEC wanted to be in Texas, hence the offer to the Aggies. Same with Missouri, as it puts them near Big 10 country. Dare I even mention Rutgers in the Big Ten. Not exactly a powerhouse but they wanted to move East and also keep Pedo St happy.

[cdj]

USC & UCLA to the Big Ten....could be announced as soon as today.