The conference realignment talk continues to rule college football between the weekends. WVU has been linked to a possible move to the SEC this week, and have had links to the ACC and staying in the Big East in the past. Let's take a closer look of what these conferences look like, and the positives and negatives for all.
Scale: Very Poor, Poor, Fair, Pretty Solid, Solid, Excellent
Football Competition: Fair
Football Recruiting Area: Fair
Basketball Competition: Excellent
Basketball Recruiting Area: Solid
Other Sports Competition: Solid
Conference Markets: Excellent
Best Market: New York
The Big East is certainly known for its basketball. Both Men's and Women's are very good. However, the Big East's best asset is the markets. The Northeast is the Mecca of news and publicity, and many of the teams are in or around New York, Philadelphia, and Washington. Teams are based from the Midwest, soon-to-be Texas, and the Eastern Seaboard. Sure, money isn't huge in football, but could be in the future with expansion.
Chance of Staying in Big East: 45%
SEC:
Football Competition: Excellent
Football Recruiting: Excellent
Basketball Competition: Fair
Basketball Recruiting: Fair
Other Sports Competition: Very Solid
Conference Markets: Fair
Best Market: Atlanta
Easily the best football conference in the nation. It would be very hard to say "No" to the big money sport. The football recruiting grounds are fertile. However, the markets aren't great, and basketball is top-heavy. Yes, the SEC gets serious football publicity, but it starts to dry-up quickly after that. For example...Who exactly calls SEC basketball games on ESPN?
Chance of Going to SEC: 25%
Big 12:
Football Competition: Very Solid
Football Recruiting: Excellent
Basketball Competition: Fair
Basketball Recruiting: Fair
Other Sports Competition: Solid
Conference Markets: Solid
Best Market: Dallas/Fort Worth
Big schools, mostly based in a big state. The market is good. Several schools are in or close to some of the largest cities in the country. Football and basketball are competitive every year. However, the future of this conference is up in the air. There's a good chance this conference may completely dissolve, especially with Texas and Texas A+M leaving, and the possibility of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State bolting too.
Chance of Going to Big 12: 5%
ACC:
Football Competition: Solid
Football Recruiting: Excellent
Basketball Competition: Excellent
Basketball Recruiting: Very Solid
Other Sports Competition: Solid
Conference Markets: Very Solid
Best Market: Charlotte
It would be a nice fit for WVU. It makes sense geographically, and it would reignite a few old rivalries. The markets are good, even reaching New England. It's also competitive in both football and basketball. It's not as deep as other conferences, and there is the possibility of some teams leaving, but overall, it's a pretty good situation.
Chance of Going to ACC: 20%
Big Ten
Football Competition: Very Solid
Football Recruiting: Solid
Basketball Competition: Solid
Basketball Recruiting: Very Solid
Other Sports Competition: Solid
Conference Markets: Solid
Best Market: Chicago
This midwestern stronghold boasts tradition and consistent competition. The markets are solid, though stuck in the middle of the country. However, that still beats the west coast. Travel is not as wild as some other conferences, and many of the stadiums and arenas are cathedrals. The conference's biggest issue may be its stereotyped style of play. The word "boring" tends to come up a lot with football and basketball. Whether its fair or not is irrelevant. The bottom-line is the word comes up too often.
Chance of Going to Big Ten: 5%
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