Division 1 College Conference Realignment

[McCall]

And I was under that same impression. I heard that's what they wanted to do, especially since they're making Texas A&M and Missouri inter-conference rivals.

My guessing was why announce it on the day the Cardinals were playing in game 7 of the World Series? As much as we have been waiting for this announcement, it could very well have gone unnoticed. The Cardinals pretty much supercede anything else in sports for Missouri. Then, they weren't going to announce it on the day of the Mizzou-aTm game, could be a distraction. And yesterday ended up being the parade, so again, the Cardinals celebration was the main focus. Today was a good guess because the celebrating is winding down and the games are over for the weekend, thus it could really take center stage here.

[Chicageaux]

Not to mention, the SEC website that had the early publish was set to be released on October 31st. Today was a good guess for it to be announced, however they're not going to announce it until they have everything worked out.

It's also possible they were going to announce today (even though they still can) but they didn't want to share the spotlight with LaRussa's retirement announcement. Like you said, they want to be the main focus. I'd imagine it'd be sometime this week, possibly Wednesday.

[Panthers]

All the realignment crap has gotten totally out of hand.

First things first. Any school jumping conferences should be bowl ineligible for the coming year. Secondly, much like expansion teams, they cannot share in that conference's tv loot for the year.

Now, on to saving the Big East. The ACC seemingly can't come up with any original ideas on its own. They are totally irrelevant as a football conference anyway.

If I was the Big East, here's what I'd do:

1. Make Maryland an offer they can't refuse. You are north of the Mason Dixon line, you come with us.

2. Add Navy. Maryland-Navy every year to open the season? Gotta love it.

3. Add Temple (again). Temple moves down to Philly's soccer stadium. Smaller venue. Easier to fill. Rutgers-Temple is a good match.

4. Force Dave "the Mouth" DiFillipo to close his mouth. UConn-BC either opens the season or ends the season.

5. Add Army. Add Buffalo.

So you have UConn, Army, Buffalo, Temple, Rutgers, Maryland, Navy (is that East or what?), You still have Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida. You can add Central Florida and East Carolina. That gives you a shot at the Boston market, the Hartford market, NYC, Philly, Baltimore/DC, Orlando/Tampa, Charlotte. Cincy and Louisville. Not so bad.

[jkrdevil]

So Maryland is going to jump from the ACC, a conference it has been in for 50+ years to a conference that is even worse than the ACC for football and with the loss of Pitt and Syracuse is probably a worse basketball conference long-term. That means the tv money is going to be significantly less in the Big East, meaning they can't make Maryland an offer they can't refuse. That doesn't make sense.

That conference is the definition of mid-major, which is a major reason the Big East teams are looking to get out now to begin with. If you are going to propose a solution for the Big East you have to understand why schools are looking to leave in the first place.

[rams80]

And I was under that same impression. I heard that's what they wanted to do, especially since they're making Texas A&M and Missouri inter-conference rivals.

I'm pretty sure Arkansas would be Missouri's designated rival under the alignment proposal most touted.

[rams80]

First things first. Any school jumping conferences should be bowl ineligible for the coming year. Secondly, much like expansion teams, they cannot share in that conference's tv loot for the year.

NCAA says that, major Conferences say "piss off laddie" and form their own College Athletics Premiere League. NCAA dies like the gutted fish it becomes.

The NCAA really doesn't have a lot of regulatory power here.

[jkrdevil]

And I was under that same impression. I heard that's what they wanted to do, especially since they're making Texas A&M and Missouri inter-conference rivals.

I'm pretty sure Arkansas would be Missouri's designated rival under the alignment proposal most touted.

I would assume it would be TAM. Arkansas-Missouri would leave South Carolina-TAM as annual rivals. That doesn't fit. To be fair currently Arkansas-SC isn't a fit either, but they have been playing each other a while now. TAM and Mizzou would fit as they are coming from the same conference and thus have some history of playing each other the last 14 years.

[DCDuck]

Maryland offers little in football. It's a basketball school located right in the middle of two passionate pro football fan bases (Redskins and Ravens).

Buffalo? Let's add Central Connecticut State, Wagner and Eastern Kentucky while we're at it.

[rams80]

And I was under that same impression. I heard that's what they wanted to do, especially since they're making Texas A&M and Missouri inter-conference rivals.

I'm pretty sure Arkansas would be Missouri's designated rival under the alignment proposal most touted.

I would assume it would be TAM. Arkansas-Missouri would leave South Carolina-TAM as annual rivals. That doesn't fit. To be fair currently Arkansas-SC isn't a fit either, but they have been playing each other a while now. TAM and Mizzou would fit as they are coming from the same conference and thus have some history of playing each other the last 14 years.

Except they were in opposite divisions. Which means they played each other twice out of every four years, which boils down to nine times total since the formation of the Big XII. Prior to that, there was only a two-game series played back in the 1950s between the two. There's about as much historical basis for an A&M-Mizzou permanent rivalry as there is for an Arkansas-South Carolina rivalry. Conversely, Arkansas and Missouri share a border and do have something of a history off the field, if not on it. Additionally, speaking as the guy on the ground here, the locals would love to have a battle for the Ozarks, if you will. Yes, I understand this leaves us with A&M and South Carolina playing annually, but hey, the Big Ten has Nebraska and Penn State as designated rivals by default, so travel isn't always a consideration.

[McCall]

I'd like it to be Arkansas, but I have been hearing it may very well be Mizzou-A&M.ay have been Mizzou asking for it as part of them agreeing to go into the East, so they can keep a game in Texas at least every other season. That'd be key to them keeping their recruiting in the state.

[rams80]

Of course Missouri could still be pissed off about Broyles...WTF?!

[DCDuck]

Yes, I understand this leaves us with A&M and South Carolina playing annually, but hey, the Big Ten has Nebraska and Penn State as designated rivals by default, so travel isn't always a consideration.

Score another one for "tradition".

... oh wait.

[dfwabel]

All the realignment crap has gotten totally out of hand.

First things first. Any school jumping conferences should be bowl ineligible for the coming year. Secondly, much like expansion teams, they cannot share in that conference's tv loot for the year.

Now, on to saving the Big East. The ACC seemingly can't come up with any original ideas on its own. They are totally irrelevant as a football conference anyway.

If I was the Big East, here's what I'd do:

1. Make Maryland an offer they can't refuse. You are north of the Mason Dixon line, you come with us.

2. Add Navy. Maryland-Navy every year to open the season? Gotta love it.

3. Add Temple (again). Temple moves down to Philly's soccer stadium. Smaller venue. Easier to fill. Rutgers-Temple is a good match.

4. Force Dave "the Mouth" DiFillipo to close his mouth. UConn-BC either opens the season or ends the season.

5. Add Army. Add Buffalo.

So you have UConn, Army, Buffalo, Temple, Rutgers, Maryland, Navy (is that East or what?), You still have Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida. You can add Central Florida and East Carolina. That gives you a shot at the Boston market, the Hartford market, NYC, Philly, Baltimore/DC, Orlando/Tampa, Charlotte. Cincy and Louisville. Not so bad.

The markets are big, but they are bad for college football.

Here are the current TV contracts for the BCS Conferences

They already rejected a new contract.

They had Paul Tagliabue as a consultant who told them to hold out as they thought they were gaining the DFW market with TCU and that annual fees would go up. They had a nine year $130M/year deal on the table which they rejected to play the market in 2012. That market has changed and the metro markets you talk about are those Top 30 markets which Tagliabue stressed as being important, but the northeast does not care about NCAA football and if they do, they care about the Big Ten since they went to school there in the 50's and 60's.

[rams80]

Yes, I understand this leaves us with A&M and South Carolina playing annually, but hey, the Big Ten has Nebraska and Penn State as designated rivals by default, so travel isn't always a consideration.

Score another one for "tradition".

... oh wait.

It's more like if you're splitting up the 4 biggest powers in the Big Ten, and are placing Ohio State and Michigan in opposite divisions, the other two are going to be paired up as well for inter-divisional rivalries. At least there is some mutual historical grievance between Nebraska and Penn State to work with.

[ESTONES6]

Yes, I understand this leaves us with A&M and South Carolina playing annually, but hey, the Big Ten has Nebraska and Penn State as designated rivals by default, so travel isn't always a consideration.

Score another one for "tradition".

... oh wait.

It's more like if you're splitting up the 4 biggest powers in the Big Ten, and are placing Ohio State and Michigan in opposite divisions, the other two are going to be paired up as well for inter-divisional rivalries. At least there is some mutual historical grievance between Nebraska and Penn State to work with.

It's going to have to be Texas A&M and South Carolina, because once Oklahoma and Oklahoma State join the SEC, its going to be another predetermined, nonnegotiable rivalry.

[Breakwood]

1. Make Maryland an offer they can't refuse. You are north of the Mason Dixon line, you come with us.

I suggest you go look at a map.

[ESTONES6]

1. Make Maryland an offer they can't refuse. You are north of the Mason Dixon line, you come with us.

I suggest you go look at a map.

...an offer they can't refuse, until the Big Ten taps them on the shoulder. Maryland won't mind paying a high exit fee knowing the paycheck they will be getting from the Big Ten Network.

[Chicageaux]

Yes, I understand this leaves us with A&M and South Carolina playing annually, but hey, the Big Ten has Nebraska and Penn State as designated rivals by default, so travel isn't always a consideration.

Score another one for "tradition".

... oh wait.

It's more like if you're splitting up the 4 biggest powers in the Big Ten, and are placing Ohio State and Michigan in opposite divisions, the other two are going to be paired up as well for inter-divisional rivalries. At least there is some mutual historical grievance between Nebraska and Penn State to work with.

It's going to have to be Texas A&M and South Carolina, because once Oklahoma and Oklahoma State join the SEC, its going to be another predetermined, nonnegotiable rivalry.

IF that were going to happen, I don't understand why that couldn't still be a rivalry if Texas A&M and Missouri were playing each other.

[Panthers]

Wait, do you not think that Buffalo can pull a UConn and outgrow the MAC? I do. Shouldn't Villanova's next step in football be to go to the MAC?

Since it seems that Swofford and his ACC cohorts couldn't go to the bathroom without raiding someone, Maryland weakens the ACC, strengthens the Big East. Shoot, go after Virginia as well. So you say Maryland has been in the ACC for 50+ years? What about Texas and Texas A&M being joined at the hip? Oklahoma/Nebraska? Kansas/Missouri? No one gives a crap about tradition and the past anymore. That's gone out the window.

The only way to stop the ACC from raiding is to raid them.

See to me the Big East is about the East. No doubt the Big East blew it by not inviting Penn State when it was forming. Seton Hall...Providence...Georgetown...St. Johns. That's the East. Football-wise, I was looking forward to BC-UConn every year. Miami and Va Tech? They were just visitors. West Va? Not so sure.

That's why I proposed what I did. Get back to your (mostly) Eastern roots. You don't think Maryland-Navy could develop into a nasty rivalry? I do. Buffalo-Army at the Bills Stadium? Temple-Rutgers? College football used to be about rivalries and the big-intersectional games. Let's form new rivalries based on geography.

[TBGKon]

You can't force rivalry. Look at USF-UCF for a perfect example. The Knight fans vehemently hate the Bulls, yet the Bull fans could care less after beating them 4 straight years (3 of them in steamrolling defeats).