Conference Shuffle

I have been opposed to conference realignment in college football for quite some time, with the loss of rivalries and historic match-ups, but at this time it seems like it is unavoidable. So if things must change and it appears like they must, this is what I would like to see happen based on current moves and other rumors.

Most analysts believe there are going to be four power conferences with 16 teams a piece. Those conferences being the Pac-12, ACC, SEC, and Big 10.

The Pac-12 is likely to add Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma St.

The ACC has already added Syracuse and Pittsburgh. Connecticut has been rumored to want in to stay with long time rival Syracuse, leaving the ACC with 15 teams. And breaking news today is that if forced to give up independence Notre Dame would like to be the 16th in the ACC.

The most elite football conference the SEC has added Texas A&M and is now at an odd 13 teams. I see the SEC either adding West Virginia from the Big East or Missouri from the Big 12 or both! If both teams go, a 16th would most likely be added.

The Big 10 has been relatively quiet in this new wave of rumors but it is unlikely that they wouldn't make a move to pick up some pieces of the disparaged Big 12 and Big East. The four candidates I see most likely moving to the Big 10 (assuming Notre Dame goes to the ACC) would be Rutgers, Iowa St., Cincinnati, and Louisville.

So there we have it, four big 16 team conferences. Something similar to this will most likely happen. My opinion differs on what will happen, and what I hope happens to some of the remaining schools though. A fifth super conference composed of Big 12 teams and other powers under the name of the Big 12 so that the automatic BCS bid still applies. Here is my list of the those teams and where they would be coming from. From the Big 12- Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State; BYU (Independent); and from the current and future Mountain West- Boise St., TCU, Air Force, Colorado St., New Mexico, SDSU, UNLV, Wyoming, Hawaii, Fresno St. and Nevada. A 16th team would of course be added at a future time. This could definitely be a power conference with TCU, Boise St., Baylor and BYU. Hawaii, Fresno St., SDSU, and Nevada have all been known to have good seasons too.

Is this a solution to the problems in college football? Most definitely not. Believe it or not there was a 16 team conference in college football once before. The WAC from 1996-1998. Why did it fail? Elite teams felt that the super conference compromised academic and athletic integrity. Travel costs were also cited as a reason of league failure. The conference stretched from Hawaii to California to Oklahoma.

As far as the new super conferences go they probably will be around for a while, this isn't the 90's anymore. Rivalries, traditions, academics, and athletic excellence don't really matter. The only thing that matters is money and the money could be big in big conferences.

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