It wouldn't surprise me if it ends up 2 mega conferences. I think the money the Big and SEC make will dwarf the PAC and ACC so much that the top properties of those conferences will bolt. The PAC first, because they are due up soon and most likely the numbers won't be enough to compete with the other 2 conferences. The Big and SEC could end up with something like 24 teams each.
Report: OU & Texas reach out to join SEC
- Thread starter BigJCy
- Start date
I agree with what you are saying. Maybe I didn't state it very clearly. I did mean to state that if 32 teams make a lot more than the other 32 teams, it's probably not going to work very well.
That was my first thought too, BUT unless the playoff is literally just the 8 division winners then ND would still have a way in and would be viable as an independent.
Yeah but that's as part of the NCAA's CFP. If the 4 league thing happens where they break away from the NCAA, they will be able to literally write their own rules regarding independence and CFP qualifiers.
This reminds me of the German officer prior to Normandy wondering: would the Allies reconquer France, driving the Germans out, the thought being dismal; perhaps there would be some kind of peace settlement with Germany surrendering France and Poland but keeping Austria and Czechoslovakia, that seemed better; but the only happy ending would be Rommel's army pushing the invaders back into the sea.
We know how that ended.
We know how that ended.
I"m more reminded of the Yalta Conference at the end of WWII when Roosevelt (Big 10), Churchill (Pac 12), and Stalin (ACC) met to discuss how to reorganize Germany/Europe (the Big 12).
There are 65 including ND: 14+14+14+12+10+1.
I don’t think ND would join a conference, but I still think someone would get left out, and someone would get promoted:
Iowa State and Kansas to B1G
Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, TCU, and Kansas State to Pac-16
West Virginia and Cincinnati to ACC (swap ND for Cincy if you think we can make them join)
Baylor to American
Actually I could also see KU and ND to the B1G, Tech/OSU/KSU/ISU to Pac-16, WVU and Cincy to ACC, TCU and Baylor to American.
As long as we end up in one of the three conferences, make us a treaty *****
I honestly think it's ND to the ACC or working around their independence. I just don't ever see ND to the Big 10 ever happening to this point - bridges have been burned to the point where I think they're irreparable between the two parties. ND doesn't even have its annual rivalry games with UM and MSU anymore. Yes, they still have their annual game with Purdue and they did schedule Wisconsin this year, but beyond Purdue, anything scheduled with the Big 10 seems to be on a case-by-case basis. Ever since ND allied itself with the ACC the only people that think ND to the Big 10 is still a thing are those that have their heads stuck in the 1990s. At this point the only way I ever see ND in the Big 10 is if CFB devolves to the point where only the Big 10 and SEC are the remaining superconferences.
Pac-12 and the Big 10 will be and have always been joined at the hip. We can't count on them to save us.. We can though start to cause some network conflict. Bowlsby already started it with ESPN. Though it pains me to say, ESPN and SEC may be our only shot on staying sort of relevant and having a decent conference money payout. We can play both sides (Fox - Big 10, Pac-12 versus ESPN - SEC). Not sure where ACC stands. If the Fox alliance is going to give us the middle finger, we need to keep the SEC - ESPN alliance open. We have some leverage with ESPN with their meddling (cease and desist). Also, with every year Texas remains in the Big 12 is another $15 million down the drain for ESPN for the LHN.
ESPN has deals with BYU and AAC. Like done with us, we poach Cinci, Houston, Central Florida, Memphis, South Florida. Hate leaving out the rest of the AAC. But that ESPN money can go to the Big 12. Fox would not be pleased with more teams siding with ESPN and vice versa. That is 14 teams. We may be the swing vote for the CFP network in several years too.
ESPN has deals with BYU and AAC. Like done with us, we poach Cinci, Houston, Central Florida, Memphis, South Florida. Hate leaving out the rest of the AAC. But that ESPN money can go to the Big 12. Fox would not be pleased with more teams siding with ESPN and vice versa. That is 14 teams. We may be the swing vote for the CFP network in several years too.
Could the Big 8 programs work together now to help each program find a power conference landing spot so that the GoR wouldn't be an issue?
Yes, 65 teams instead of 66. I like your top scenario the best, I think most of us do
There are 65 teams currently in the 5 "power" conferences. Let Notre Dame keep it's independence and then put the rest into 4,16 team conferences. 4X16=64. Just use some simple math,geography and maybe just a pinch of reshuffling and there you go. However the problem is that these things aren't being used by those in charge. They are using money,politics,population and location to make these decisions.
In the first scenario, how about TCU and UCF to SEC since they can afford to absorb 2 more teams (3 six team pods) and Baylor to Pac 16?
1. SEC currently sits at 16 teams
2. ACC adds Notre Dame and West Virginia to form a 16 team conference.
3. Big Ten adds Iowa State and Kansas to form a 16 team conference.
4. Pac 12 adds four of these teams to form a 16 team conference: Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, BYU.
If the ultimate goal and requirement for these four conferences is to get to 16 teams and split from the NCAA and hire a commissioner this seems like the logical end result. Nothing about all of this has been logical however so it is anyone's best guess.
I'd bet the B1G and other conferences are going to do what's in their best interest and not necessarily march in lockstep towards 16 just because that's what seems most logical across the board. If it doesn't bring $$$, don't bet on it. And the B1G is operating from a much stronger position than the Pac and ACC. It's not going to line up shoulder-to-shoulder in realignment with conferences who bring in barely half the $$$ payouts per school.
ND will never go to the Big 10 for 2 simple reason, the Big 10 will never allow them to be a part time member of the league for football, keeping their independence, and the Big 10 will never allow them to keep their NBC contract. If they do the second then very quickly Ohio State will also ask for the same deal, to set up their own network, and thereby undermining BTN.As long as we end up in one of the three conferences, make us a treaty *****
I honestly think it's ND to the ACC or working around their independence. I just don't ever see ND to the Big 10 ever happening to this point - bridges have been burned to the point where I think they're irreparable between the two parties. ND doesn't even have its annual rivalry games with UM and MSU anymore. Yes, they still have their annual game with Purdue and they did schedule Wisconsin this year, but beyond Purdue, anything scheduled with the Big 10 seems to be on a case-by-case basis. Ever since ND allied itself with the ACC the only people that think ND to the Big 10 is still a thing are those that have their heads stuck in the 1990s. At this point the only way I ever see ND in the Big 10 is if CFB devolves to the point where only the Big 10 and SEC are the remaining superconferences.
Unless the Big 10 is willing to give on those two issue, it will never happen, but the ACC was more than willing to allow it.
There are so many unknowns and so much to consider you can go around in circles all day. If the four conferences split from the NCAA and hire a commissioner of sorts perhaps it becomes a league requirement to get to 16 teams. I of course don't have the answers. The only hole I can currently poke in Herbstreit's four conferences consisting of 16 teams theory is how in the world would the playoffs work? Common logic you'd think the winner of each conference makes a four team playoff. I dont think the powers down in the SEC are going to be okay with a conference consisting of Bama, LSU, Georgia, Florida, A&M, Texas, OU only getting one seat at the table however.
Perhaps if 64 is the end goal while also moving away from the NCAA could you blow up the traditional conferences altogether? Create new conferences doing your best to evenly balance the strength of conferences while also honoring geographical/traditional rivalries? How does revenue sharing work? If there is no NCAA there will be a lot more $. How do you appease the major players like Texas and Ohio State? I think we can all admit Iowa State shouldn't get the same piece of the pie as Ohio State. People smarter than me need to sit down and have these conversations and figure the dang thing out.
Totally agree, it's all a big unknown. I just don't see a situation where the B1G is going to expand in a way where it works with the Pac and ACC to make sure everything is equitable and everyone is happy. If it's going to be better for the B1G coffers to go after USC, Oregon, UCLA, Washington, I don't think they're going to not do that just so it can to grow in sync with the Pac and ACC.
They’ll do like they’ve done in every scenario that arises, ask Gene Smith what Ohio State wants to do first, then call Michigan second to see if they’re ok with what OSU wants, and finally calls Penn St to let them know what the other two want to do.
after that, they tell the rest of you what’s going to happen.
I know you’re like the rest of the hawks, loving the dream Iowa State goes to the Mac. But you’re really showing to be a poor man’s version of the Michigan State guy that was posting here.
I don't blame you for being salty.
Iowa gets the same $$$ payout as OSU, Mich, PSU.
I've said from the start I hope ISU stays in a P5 conference and would like it if they got a B1G invite because it's better for the state and it'd be fun to be conference rivals.
