(02-17-2021 11:29 PM)GE and MTS Wrote: (02-17-2021 06:53 PM)JRsec Wrote: (02-17-2021 04:57 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote: Oklahoma will definitely be sitting at a historic cross road in 2024 as they mull their conference affiliation future.
The Big Ten offers a very winnable division and academics but they are going to have to rely on their brand name rather than away games to recruit nationally, particularly in Texas (the Big 10’s best seem to have no problem doing this). Schedule wise, they’ll have either Nebraska or one of the East’s top 4 to draw interest plus other divisional opponents Iowa and Wisconsin, who are generally pretty good. In a Future where CFB is the P4 (with the SEC and Big 10 being stronger than the other 2) this wouldn’t be a bad option.
The SEC path offers more attractive division opponents but the Sooners would have a stiffer path to the CCG. Texas recruiting maintains the status quo. If the future is a near single entity structure, where the SEC adds the best of the Big 12 and ACC (and then leverages the Big 10) I’d want to be in the SEC conglomerate.
I think 16 is truly the max for a conference in the traditional sense. Beyond that, you’re a conglomeration of divisions and/or scheduling pods United by a tv contract and CCG. I think the big question here is do we stop at the line or cross over?
I think we wind up with a 18- 20 member Big 10, a 18-20 member SEC and a best of the rest conference in an upper tier of ~60 schools. If this happens it will be predicated by a merger of the Big 12 and PAC and the subdivision of the ACC and likely only takes place if ESPN winds up with majority Big 10 rights.
If the SEC or Big 10 successfully raid the Big 12 we wind up with 2 well paid conferences in the SEC and Big 10 and two less well paid conferences in the ACC and what ever emerges from the PAC and Big 12 remnants.
An equitable division might be Oklahoma and Notre Dame to the Big 10 and Texas and Florida State to the SEC. At 18 the Big 10 adds Virginia and N.C. State and the SEC picks up North Carolina and Duke. UNC will insist upon their partners in crime and that's not Virginia. N.C. State is land grant and next 5 in for AAU.
Everybody else goes into a new conference in the East along with the some of the Big 12.
So both conferences expand with a couple of national brands and prestigious markets with academics.
I'd be good if things shook out this way. I'd prefer Virginia Tech to UVA is this scenario but that's not a criticism.
Divisions would be interesting. Three of six or two of nine? Two divisions is easier with Indiana switching to the west and going with Oklahoma. Otherwise, something like this perhaps:
Oklahoma
Nebraska
Iowa
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Northwestern
Illinois
Purdue
Indiana
Michigan State
Michigan
Ohio State
Penn State
Notre Dame
Rutgers
Maryland
NC State
Virginia
The SEC works out pretty well too:
Arkansas, Louisiana State, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M
Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Duke, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina
And the new conference isn't too bad either:
Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, T.C.U., Texas Tech
Boston College, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, West Virginia
Clemson, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
While the cream of the brands of the ACC get much needed, though not always deserved, boosts in pay, ESPN gets really enhanced value out of those brands by their placement in the SEC and Big 10. ESPN gets to keep the cheaper conference but with more football competitiveness with the emerging conference.
The PAC which is stunted by geography remains the same.