Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[FarminCy]

Loved watching Mointain West games on Thursday nights in the early 2000’s before every conference started doing it. You never knew when a blizzard game could happen and that’s what was fun about it.

Sad that the Mountain West is being gutted but it was inevitable I guess with everything else in college sports.

Good move by WSU and OSU.

Makes me think SMU jumped too soon at the no money plan in the ACC.

 

[Nor'MidWester]

I was in Fresno last year during football season and I'll give them credit they had billboards and signs around the city for the team and I saw a decent number of folks in Fresno State merch. Seems like they were all in on the team. Not sure how that translates to attendance and the size of their fanbase.

 

[Cyclonsin]

Doesn’t this all seem like rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic? I mean, the Pac 12 name carries some cache but they aren’t a power conference and won’t be considered one.

Anyone want a guess as to what a media deal would like once they get to 8 teams?

Top 5 conference champs get an autobid to the playoff. The winner of the new look PAC will be the 5th (or better) champ more often than not. Keeps them relevant until the autobids go away.

 

[CascadeClone]

I really thought it would be a “merger” with the MW but I like the way they are doing this.

Utah State, although no real history, has a decent enrollment in a state that cares about athletics. Could be a sneaky good choice.

Guessing they have their eyes on Memphis and Tulane for the start of a central division more or less

Counterpoint - USU is the 3rd school in a small population state.

But they do have a big enrollment, pushing 30k, so it's not UNI. And you're right about the athletics support.
But are USU fans more like UNI fans, where they actually are fans of BYU or UU first? Might be like an Ohio Bobcats / Toledo/ Akron kind of add? I've no idea. But you have to have a plan, and this seems feasible, certainly better than just sitting in the corner waiting to die.

 

[Clonehomer]

Top 5 conference champs get an autobid to the playoff. The winner of the new look PAC will be the 5th (or better) champ more often than not. Keeps them relevant until the autobids go away.

But there is a minimum size to be considered a conference champ. OSU and WSU are not eligible this year for the PAC. I assume this number correlates to the minimum number for a playoff. A 6 pac then would not receive an auto bid.

 

[SCNCY]

I just don’t really see what the point of this PAC 12 move is. Its like they went “what if we rebuilt the Mountain West but with a different name”

Maybe they get to keep the benefits of being a Power conference? But I am not sure how that works or who decides who gets that power or not.

 

[CascadeClone]

The Monty Show reported yesterday that the SDSU athletic director revealed that SDSU declined an invitation to join the Big 12. Apparently the invite was extended back when the Pac was circling the drain and it included only a 1/2 share with no opportunity to receive a full share. SDSU's AD said they declined the invitation because they felt like they would always be on the bottom looking up, and their real desire was to join the Pac.

That's shocking and kind of gross. That was clearly the EMERGENCY backup plan to the backup plan.

And it's no wonder that BY didn't float that out there to the media.

 

[ClubCy]

Top 5 conference champs get an autobid to the playoff. The winner of the new look PAC will be the 5th (or better) champ more often than not. Keeps them relevant until the autobids go away.

This will get interesting because I would guess the P4 has zero interest in giving another auto bid away.

But there is a minimum size to be considered a conference champ. OSU and WSU are not eligible this year for the PAC. I assume this number correlates to the minimum number for a playoff. A 6 pac then would not receive an auto bid.

They have until July 2026 to get to 8 teams to be considered a conference, per Ross Dellenger.

 

[Cyclonsin]

This will get interesting because I would guess the P4 has zero interest in giving another auto bid away.


They have until July 2026 to get to 8 teams to be considered a conference, per Ross Dellenger.

There's already 5 autobids. I don't think this move elevates the new PAC back to "Power" status, but it makes it arguably the best of the G6. This refurbished conference could scoop up the 5th autobid more often than not, I'd imagine.

 

[cyclones500]

MountainPac

 

[JM4CY]

MountainPac

LightlyPac'd

 

[ForbinsAscynt]

Counterpoint - USU is the 3rd school in a small population state.

But they do have a big enrollment, pushing 30k, so it's not UNI. And you're right about the athletics support.
But are USU fans more like UNI fans, where they actually are fans of BYU or UU first? Might be like an Ohio Bobcats / Toledo/ Akron kind of add? I've no idea. But you have to have a plan, and this seems feasible, certainly better than just sitting in the corner waiting to die.

that’s a great point about being BYU and UU fans first. There certainly has to be some of that.

I did additional research. USU has the 5th highest enrollment in the MW. Two are already in the PAC 12 and the other 2 are SJSU (commuter school) and UNLV who I think will gets in.

I don’t think USU will happen but if their were some sort of submission process they could probably put together a nice plan focused on growth.

This’ll be fun to watch. Glad we are on the outside for once.

 

[cyclones500]

LightlyPac'd

New-Pac Shakur

 

[SolterraCyclone]

The Monty Show reported yesterday that the SDSU athletic director revealed that SDSU declined an invitation to join the Big 12. Apparently the invite was extended back when the Pac was circling the drain and it included only a 1/2 share with no opportunity to receive a full share. SDSU's AD said they declined the invitation because they felt like they would always be on the bottom looking up, and their real desire was to join the Pac.

0% chance that’s true

 

[cyclones500]

Where would you go next to get to, say 12 members (for football)? (16 seems too bloated for the situation). You may include schools not on this list.

6 Pac (so far):
Boise State
Colorado State
Fresno State
Oregon State
San Diego State
Washington State

MWC remainders:
Air Force
Nevada
New Mexico
San Jose State
UNLV
Utah State
Wyoming

Unlikely to return, but not impossible:
Cal
Stanford

To reach into Central zone:
Memphis
Rice
Tulane
Tulsa

By extension, who does MWC take for back-fill?

 

[StPaulCyclone]

MountainPac

BrokePacMountain?

 

[SolterraCyclone]

Where would you go next to get to, say 12 members (for football)? (16 seems too bloated for the situation). You may include schools not on this list.

6 Pac (so far):
Boise State
Colorado State
Fresno State
Oregon State
San Diego State
Washington State

MWC remainders:
Air Force
Nevada
New Mexico
San Jose State
UNLV
Utah State
Wyoming

Unlikely to return, but not impossible:
Cal
Stanford

To reach into Central zone:
Memphis
Rice
Tulane
Tulsa

By extension, who does MWC take for back-fill?

They probably need 4 more right? I’d think Air Force and UNLV would be no brainers. Then try to lure Memphis and get someone near them for a traveling partner like Tulane.

Long term, I think Utah State would have more value than Tulane cause there’s more passion for athletics. I think Hawaii would be a cool add for the league, but wouldn’t make sense for financial reasons

 

[Clonehomer]

Where would you go next to get to, say 12 members (for football)? (16 seems too bloated for the situation). You may include schools not on this list.

6 Pac (so far):
Boise State
Colorado State
Fresno State
Oregon State
San Diego State
Washington State

MWC remainders:
Air Force
Nevada
New Mexico
San Jose State
UNLV
Utah State
Wyoming

Unlikely to return, but not impossible:
Cal
Stanford

To reach into Central zone:
Memphis
Rice
Tulane
Tulsa

By extension, who does MWC take for back-fill?

If ESPN doesn’t renew the ACC deal in 2025, I’d think Stanford and Cal would go back to the PAC. The money won’t be there to justify the travel expenses in the ACC.

 

[Hubbs4cy]

I get what OSU and WSU are doing here. But when you start looking at financials I scratch my head. So they settled for 5 mil from each from the departing schools (50 mil) and signed an anti-tamper contract with mountain west (40 some mil) that you broke in less than 4 months and then you are telling these schools you'll pay their exit fees (18 mil each). And then expect to get some sort of decent TV deal with this new product that makes you sustainable?

 

[KnappShack]

If ESPN doesn’t renew the ACC deal in 2025, I’d think Stanford and Cal would go back to the PAC. The money won’t be there to justify the travel expenses in the ACC.

I feel for those athletes at Stanford and Cal. Two great universities with an amazing experience. A great, historic conference

Then the world changes and you have to fly across the entire country for a game against school that has no history with yours.

**** realignment