Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

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Stormin

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
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Big 12 has the opportunity to establish itself as the #3 Conference behind SEC and Big Ten. Colorado has to hope there are some feelings of nostalgia. Possibility of them being Mountain West.

I like the geographic fit of Utah, Colorado and the Arizona schools. Plus they are decent additions. Some great Conference Rivalry Games. Great viewing for fans. It will be a competitive fun league
 

Gunnerclone

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2010
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DSM
Iowa State has zero percent chance at the SEC and a tenth of a percent at the B1G.
The idea that the SEC would take ISU is laughable.

Pass the blunt.

The guy that was smoking the blunt talking about USC and UCLA going to the Big Ten just ****** your wife.
 

BigJCy

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
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If ESPN wants Clemson and Florida State in the SEC, the grant of rights disappears and the league is free to be poached

You know there are big time lawyers that can't wait to get their crack at the GOR agreements.
From the Athletic ($$$):

 

cyIclSoneU

Well-Known Member
Apr 7, 2016
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If ESPN wants Clemson and Florida State in the SEC, the grant of rights disappears and the league is free to be poached

You know there are big time lawyers that can't wait to get their crack at the GOR agreements.

Counterpoint: you know Texas and Oklahoma already hired those lawyers, and they apparently didn't find a way to get those schools out early.

The GOR doesn't go away just because ESPN wants it to, or the Big 12 GOR would have "disappeared" by now too.
 

JUKEBOX

Well-Known Member
Oct 27, 2008
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There will be a top 3 and a top 2. There is a huge difference between Arizona, Utah, Kansas, Texas Tech, perhaps schools like NC State or Pitt, than the G5. The Big 12 will have a large gap behind it and in front of it. Maybe one day the SEC and B1G will fully break off, but that day is not now and the Big 12 remains in the picture. I expect that the league with a collection of major state universities (not directionals like G5) is going to remain in the sport.
Yeah I think there will be a top 2 and a top 3.

I could see something like this:

1. SEC, B1G - ABC/ESPN, FOX
2. Big 12 - CBS, Apple/Amazon
3. ACC, Pac 12, G5 - ESPN, ESPN+
4. FCS - ESPN+ (or whatever they're on lol)
 
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Cloneon

Well-Known Member
Oct 29, 2015
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West Virginia
My guess timeline on how things shake out and when it will happen.

Yesterday - ~2024: Pac 12 blows up and gets poached by B1G and Big 12
Tomorrow - ~2036: ACC blows up with SEC/B1G taking top dogs and Big 12 takes viable leftovers

After that's done I think we enter into a conference realignment phase where B1G and SEC start trimming the fat (and Big 12 could potentially expand if/when those teams would get cut off).

I don't think they will directly kick anyone out, but will just make it difficult or impossible for those teams to compete to basically force them out.
And, if/when that happens, attrition results in worse records, worse viewership and ultimate demise. They need their bottom feeders.
 

HFCS

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2010
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LA LA Land
Nebraska won 9 or more games there first few years in the B1G. Riley even had a season of 9 wins. They've only truly been bad under Frost. They even beat Michigan St. during their playoff season. lol

How does that show they have a higher ceiling than Iowa and Wisconsin?

Maybe I misunderstood and you’re agreeing with me. Iowa and Wisc get nine wins all the time in that easy division.

What advantage do they have over Iowa and Wisc? Let alone OSU, Mich, PSU, USC, Oregon and maybe ND? Better because their state has way less people and they’re further away from recruiting hotbeds?

Neb is lucky schools like Indiana, Purdue and Illinois are gonna get grandfathered into this thing or they would be the whipping boy. If they make a breakaway super league they’ll definitely be the Washington generals of that.
 

Cloneon

Well-Known Member
Oct 29, 2015
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West Virginia
Which is largely a function of offering over 30 sports, including a bunch that have small national participation. It's easy to rack up Directors Cup points in sports like men's gymnastics where there are less than 15 teams.
Add to that the financial travel burden of those sports popular on the west coast. If Stanford goes to B1G, I see several non-revenue sports being cut.
 

clonedude

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2006
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The more I think about this (and drink whiskey) the better I think ISU fares than Iowa realistically. ISU probably has a better chance in a 3rd tier conference making a future iteration of the CFP.

Once the dust settles, they are more than likely (95%) going to be a part of that 3rd conference. There’s probably a better chance that they come out on top for a conference championship over say Baylor or Colorado or Arizona State on an annual basis then Iowa finishing 2nd or 3rd in the B10 with OSU, Michigan, USC, Penn St, and Wisconsin .

The only real pause for concern is whether the Big Ten and SEC goes for the jugular And essentially creates their own championship. Dear God I hope that doesn’t happen and I think 99% of fans would agree with that. Even the ones that view themselves at the top of the pecking order. All of this makes me morose because it’s destroying a lot of the things that I loved about college football. The bowls, arbitrary banter over conference superiority, rivalries… Unfortunately they’re going to have to learn the hard way and realize that they in the long-term are going to have a depleteing dollar over a loss of interest. I just hope they can find their way back somehow.

As long as the Big 12 has a seat at the table for the CFP.... I think you are absolutely correct.... ISU is probably in a better situation than Iowa (except for the instability, which is huge of course).

But ISU will have a much better chance of playing winning football in a conference without OU in it... which means ISU has a better chance of having a decent record year in and year out, fans will still be at games, and they would have a shot at winning their conference and making the CFP.

Iowa would risk having .500 seasons or worse, fans quit coming to games and forking out thousands of dollars, they would no longer have a chance at winning their conference or ever going to the CFP.

But the money and stability might just be worth all that?
 
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clonedude

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2006
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Yeah I think there will be a top 2 and a top 3.

I could see something like this:

1. SEC, B1G - ESPN, FOX
2. Big 12 - CBS, Apple/Amazon
3. ACC, Pac 12, G5 - ESPN, ESPN+
4. FCS - ESPN+ (or whatever they're on lol)

MAC would be ahead of the FCS.