WAC, MWC, & SunBelt Realignments, etc.

[jasomm]

So Boise State is now reconsidering Joining the Big East

I think this is a good thing, as it takes some more of the ridiculousness out of the Big East, making it possible to move into a better(?), and more sustainable version of itself.

College football is now moving toward a structure that is similar to one I have been thinking the best outcome from all this upheaval.

Step 1: is making a multi-team playoff, then requiring participants to be conference winners. (second part is still pending)
Step 2: is standardizing the conferences (To some extent), and shrinking the number of conferences. (Say goodbye to the WAC)
Step 3: is create a uniform season schedule that makes winning a division, then a conference the emphasis of the regular season, and expand the post season to 8 conference champions participating. (that might require more realignment, or booting the SunBelt from FBS play eventually.

This is what I think it actually has a chance to look like in 2014 or 2015 after taking all the recent changes into account.


The red indicates moves that would need to be negotiated to make this happen.

-If they do agree on the rule that playoff teams need to win a conference than I think ND joins the B1G, BYU joins the PAC, and Army joins with Navy in the Big East.

-before that Boise and SD St decided to stay in the Mountain West.
-Pitt joins the B1G so that ND can maintain their same rivalry schedule going forward with Mich, Mich St, NW, Purdue, and Neb (an older rival) in their division, and Pitt as their cross-divisional protected rival. Then they have 4 open games to schedule Navy, USC, and two others (BC, Army, Standford, etc, as they wish)
-Hawaii OR Fresno, or SD St join the PAC14
-Cincy + Louisville join the Big12 (they get a championship game back in the schedule). This is what gets the non-football schools to leave and form their own non-football conference.
-The rest of the conferences do their best to get to 12 teams (at least). This could result in either SunBelt adding 2 more FCS teams, or disbanding and having all conferences required to have 14 teams (9 conferences of 14 coincidentally works out, but would mean a lot of other teams jumping around).

This is the path Im hoping for anyway. Even as a BigEast Alumni.

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by jasomm

So Boise State is now reconsidering Joining the Big East

I think this is a good thing, as it takes some more of the ridiculousness out of the Big East, making it possible to move into a better(?), and more sustainable version of itself.

College football is now moving toward a structure that is similar to one I have been thinking the best outcome from all this upheaval.

Step 1: is making a multi-team playoff, then requiring participants to be conference winners. (second part is still pending)
Step 2: is standardizing the conferences (To some extent), and shrinking the number of conferences. (Say goodbye to the WAC)
Step 3: is create a uniform season schedule that makes winning a division, then a conference the emphasis of the regular season, and expand the post season to 8 conference champions participating. (that might require more realignment, or booting the SunBelt from FBS play eventually.

This is what I think it actually has a chance to look like in 2014 or 2015 after taking all the recent changes into account.


The red indicates moves that would need to be negotiated to make this happen.

-If they do agree on the rule that playoff teams need to win a conference than I think ND joins the B1G, BYU joins the PAC, and Army joins with Navy in the Big East.

-before that Boise and SD St decided to stay in the Mountain West.
-Pitt joins the B1G so that ND can maintain their same rivalry schedule going forward with Mich, Mich St, NW, Purdue, and Neb (an older rival) in their division, and Pitt as their cross-divisional protected rival. Then they have 4 open games to schedule Navy, USC, and two others (BC, Army, Standford, etc, as they wish)
-Hawaii OR Fresno, or SD St join the PAC14
-Cincy + Louisville join the Big12 (they get a championship game back in the schedule). This is what gets the non-football schools to leave and form their own non-football conference.
-The rest of the conferences do their best to get to 12 teams (at least). This could result in either SunBelt adding 2 more FCS teams, or disbanding and having all conferences required to have 14 teams (9 conferences of 14 coincidentally works out, but would mean a lot of other teams jumping around).

This is the path Im hoping for anyway. Even as a BigEast Alumni.

All looks well. Hope it ends up this way.

[Mr. GE]

Originally Posted by jasomm

The red indicates moves that would need to be negotiated to make this happen.

I don't think Marshall would go back to the conference that expelled them years ago... Plus it's a step backwards.

[jasomm]

Originally Posted by Mr. GE

I don't think Marshall would go back to the conference that expelled them years ago... Plus it's a step backwards.

I think most people would consider the MAC a step up from C-USA after UCF, Houston, SMU, and Memphis leave, and especially if Southern Miss and UTEP leave after that. it will basically become a coherent version of the SunBelt.

Marshall's main Rivals are Ohio and Miami who are in the MAC, and now that Marshall has improved their system they may be welcomed back in. Its basically the same thing that Temple went though with the BigEast.

[Mr. GE]

Originally Posted by jasomm

I think most people would consider the MAC a step up from C-USA after UCF, Houston, SMU, and Memphis leave, and especially if Southern Miss and UTEP leave after that. it will basically become a coherent version of the SunBelt.

Marshall's main Rivals are Ohio and Miami who are in the MAC, and now that Marshall has improved their system they may be welcomed back in. Its basically the same thing that Temple went though with the BigEast.

The key word is after... And I still wouldn't say its a step up. Maybe it will be the same, but definitely not backwards.

Because the MAC is basically nothing but a glorified I-AA conference for Big 10 country. It might as well be the WAC of the Midwest! When was the last time you even heard a MAC school ranked in the top 10? Have they ever even sniffed a BCS bowl game? atleast Tulane, East Carolina, and Southern Mississippi have some pedigree for fielding a great team that gets some national recognition here and there. No one in the MAC can say that UNLESS they add Marshall.

Sure C-USA will be weakened with those 4 leaving but none of them are powers. The replacements UTSA, FIU, LA Tech, North Texas, and UNC-Charlotte are ALL pretty big schools (except la tech). And FIU is a HUGE school... almost 50K students. So I think C-USA will be fine from an infrastructure standpoint to have build more decent programs again. No one in the conference is going to win a Natty or really have a chance to compete for major bowls...

So losing the prettiest girls when its a room full of uglies is no big deal.