Conference realignment is a fun topic. It's essentially the best soap opera going in sports. Where will your new team end up? And, if the four super conferences is the future, you better hope that your team ends up in one of them. If not, well, kiss a national championship goodbye. The likely playoff scenario would have the four winners of the conferences to face-off in a small tournament. It's not ideal, but it still beat the BCS.
Here's a look at what those conferences may look like. I have eliminated both the Big 12 and the Big East. It seems that those power conferences are the most likely to disappear. Unfortunately, not every team makes the cut, so it may be one hell of an ugly process in real life.
UPDATE: It seems the Big East does seem dead considering Syracuse and Pittsburgh are officially future members of the ACC.
ACC
Boston College-Existing Member
Clemson-Existing Member
Connecticut-Good sports, and a market that reaches from New York to Boston. Rumored to be pushing for it.
Duke-Existing Member
Florida State-Existing Member
Georgia Tech-Existing Member
Maryland-Existing Member
Miami-Existing Member
North Carolina-Existing Member
North Carolina State-Existing Member
Pittsburgh-Is now an official future member.
Rutgers-The conference would get a good piece of New York by bringing Rutgers in. RUmored to be pushing for it.
Syracuse-Is now an official future member.
Virginia-Existing Member
Virginia Tech-Existing Member
Wake Forest-Existing Member
Illinois-Existing Member
Indiana-Existing Member
Iowa-Existing Member
Iowa State-Probably a long shot, but may get in due to a few built-in rivalries and geography.
Kansas-Why not? Geographically it fits, plus the conference gains Kansas City, a very good market.
Kansas State-Probably a package deal with Kansas \
Michigan-Existing Member
Michigan State-Existing Member
Minnesota-Existing Member
Nebraska-Existing Member
Notre Dame-The Irish will hold out as long as possible, but if needed to join a conference the Big Ten is the best fit.
Northwestern-Existing Member
Ohio State-Existing Member
Penn State-Existing Member
Purdue-Existing Member
Wisconsin-Existing Member
SEC
Alabama-Existing Member
Arkansas-Existing Member
Auburn-Existing Member
Florida-Existing Member
Georgia -Existing Member
Kentucky-Existing Member
LSU-Existing Member
Mississippi-Existing Member
Mississippi State-Existing Member
Missouri-The school that either everyone wants or nobody wants. Tough to tell at this point. Rumored to be number 14.
South Carolina -Existing Member
TCU-Great Texas markets, fertile recruiting ground, and solid athletics.
Tennessee-Existing Member
Texas A&M-Joining in 2012, the Aggies will be the 13th team in the SEC.
Vanderbilt-Existing Member
West Virginia-Solid sports, great fan base, and alum hotbeds in Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. Plus, it's close enough to the South. RUmored to have applied.
Pac 16
Arizona-Existing Member
Arizona State-Existing Member
California-Existing Member
Colorado-Existing Member
Oklahoma-The rumors are there, and probably a done deal when the Sooners truly believe the Big 12 is dead. Rumored to be joining.
Oklahoma State-Will go wherever big brother, Oklahoma goes. Rumored to be joining
Oregon-Existing Member
Oregon State-Existing Member
Stanford-Existing Member
Texas-The big money school may resist this, but a move to the west could be a genius move from an economic standpoint. Rumored to be joining
Texas Tech-Rumored to be headed with Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas.
UCLA-Existing Member
USC-Existing Member
Utah-Existing Member
Washington-Existing Member
Washington State-Existing Member
Outside Looking In
Baylor-Solid sports, but did no favors in possibly creating an enemy in the SEC
Boise State-What is there beyond football? A geographical nightmare as well.
BYU-Draws good crowds, but may be stuck without a home if the Pac 12 gets the Big 12 schools.
Cincinnati-Perfect example of a boarder-line team. Decent market and athletics, but doesn't bring much more than that.
Louisville-Probably behind a few teams in the pecking order. Could find a way in, but more than likely in new combined conference.
South Florida-Could sneak in somewhere, but seems to have Big East/Big 12 written all over it.
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