In case you didn't know, the Big Ten may be triggering a nationwide conference realignment by adding as many as five teams to the currently 11 team conference. The addition of so many schools would cause a domino effect to commence around the country. The ACC, Pacific 10, and Big 12 would look to add teams in order to compete, while the Big East would struggle to keep their football conference functional. The result could be complete and utter madness.
The true meaning of conference competition has been diminshed over the years. Historic rivalries and geographically sound matchups have taken a back seat to the monetary value of all programs involved in a conference lineup. St. Louis (MO) University playing in the Atlantic 10 would be the most disturbing example of this trend. The Billikens moved to the A-10 instead of joining the ironically named Missouri Valley Conference. Instead of squaring off against geographic rivals like Missouri State, SLU plays conference games against the likes of Charlotte, which of course is located in North Carolina.
The Big Ten plans on expanding on this recent trend of ridiculousness. It is rumored that the Midwestern based conference will consider inviting teams such as Texas, Rutgers, and Connecticut to their revamped conference. Conferences were once meant to cut down on travel and missed class time, now they are all about breaking into new media markets.
If I ruled the NCAA, I would be sympathetic to my conferences' need for expansion, but I could not allow such nonsense to pollute college sports. Here's my take on realignment. I promise it will satisfy the conference's urge to expand, but it will keep the integrity of what conference play should be.
Let's get started -- this may take awhile, so bare with me.
New conference members will be annotated with an (*)
Teams that would have to move their football program to the FBS will be annotated with a (#)
The New Big Ten (14 teams)
WEST - Iowa, *Iowa State, *Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern
EAST - Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Indiana, *Notre Dame, Penn State, Purdue,
(Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN)
The new conference adds three teams, including the biggest prize in all of college sports, the Notre Dame football program. Missouri is added to team up with rival Illinois, and Iowa State joins Iowa in the West. All of the conference's rivalries are kept intact despite the split into two divisions.
The New Big 12 (12 teams)
NORTH - Nebraska, *Colorado State, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Kansas State
SOUTH - Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, *Arkansas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M
(Big 12 Championship at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX)
The Big 12 won't be able to expand in this scenario, but they do get a major prize by adding Arkansas who is a historical rival of Texas and Oklahoma in the old Southwestern Conference. Colorado State's addition makes the Rocky Mountain Showdown a conference game for the Rams and the Buffs, and Wyoming makes geographical sense for the conference.
The New Pacific 10 (14 teams)
NORTH - Washington, Washington State, Stanford, Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, *Boise State
SOUTH - USC, UCLA, Utah, BYU, Arizona, Arizona State, Hawaii
(Pac-10 Championship at the Hula Bowl in Honolulu, HI)
The new Pac-10 turns out perfectly. They get the biggest west coast expansion prize, Boise State football. The addition of Utah and BYU brings in two top 25 programs and one of college footballs best rivalries. Unlike the Big 12, the Pac-10 also adds three very strong basketball programs. This may be the conference that benefits from the expansion the most. Lastly, Hawaii is added because the other Pac-10 schools can monopolize the island's recruiting soil.
The New SEC (12 teams)
EAST - Florida, Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, *Georgia Tech
WEST - LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Memphis, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
(SEC Championship at The Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA)
The SEC adds a big time program in Tech and also acquires one of college footballs best rivalries. The SEC is the first conference that has to make a slight geographical concession. Tennessee would play in the West despite being farther east than both Georgia and Georgia Tech. The distance wasn't enough to separate the Vols from in-state opponents Memphis and Vanderbilt. Kentucky and Tennessee unfortunately are split up for football.
The New ACC (12 teams)
NORTH - North Carolina, North Carolina State, Wake Forest, Duke, Virginia, Virginia Tech
SOUTH - *South Carolina, Miami FL, *USF, Clemson, *UCF, Florida State
(ACC Championship at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, FL)
The ACC gets South Carolina to matchup with Clemson, and also adds two high potential Florida programs in USF and UCF. The ACC takes on a very Southern feel under this format as Boston College and Maryland find other homes.
The New Big East (12 teams)
EAST - Connecticut, Boston College, Syracuse, *Buffalo, *Maryland, Rutgers
WEST - #Villanova, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Louisville, *Temple, Cincinnati
(Big East Championship at The New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ)
The Big East steals Maryland from the ACC, and gets former member Temple from the MAC. Buffalo also comes from the MAC to be a geographical rival for Syracuse. Under this scenario, the Big East drops all of their non-football schools, leading to the formation of....
Generic Fictional Conference for Private Schools That Don't Play Football
Georgetown, St. John's, Seton Hall, DePaul, St. Joseph's, Xavier, Marquette
Providence, St. Bonaventure, LaSalle, Fordham, Dayton, St. Louis
This Catholic school conference turns out to be a fusion of the Big East and the A-10. In time it will be one of the country's best basketball leagues. Georgetown, Marquette, Dayton, and Xavier give the league immediate credibility.
The New Mountain West (9 teams)
Baylor, TCU, UTEP, Houston, New Mexico,
Fresno State, Nevada, UNLV, San Diego State
TCU is the biggest loser in expansion as Arkansas takes the spot in the Big 12 South that the Frogs probably would have expected to receive. They will have to settle for being the class of a much stronger Mt. West
Conference football. Baylor is no longer in above their heads on the football field and will dominant the MWC basketball league.
The New WAC (9 teams)
San Jose State, Idaho, New Mexico State, Utah State, Rice,
North Texas, #Montana, SMU, Air Force, Tulsa
The New Conference USA (14 teams)
EAST - Army, Navy, East Carolina, FIU, FAU, Marshall, Western Kentucky, Middle Tenn. State
WEST - Southern Miss, Tulane, UAB, Troy, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana, UL Monroe
(CUSA Championship at Superdome in New Orleans, LA)
The biggest development that comes from the formation of this mid-major super conference is that...
The New Sun Belt no longer will have an FBS football league
The New MAC will stay the same with the exclusion of Temple
So that's my solution, my apologies to the Sun Belt, but in a perfect world...who needs the Sun Belt?!
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