Thursday, August 18, 2011

Let's Realign The Conferences...Part Three, The Year Established Strategy

People love complaining about the conference structure in college football. Sure, there are some strange combinations, and long roadtrips, but it could be worse. And I'm here to show you how worse(or awesome) it could be.

Part Three...Year Established!

Yeah! Let's go old school with it, and talk 1800's football. You know, when the game looked more like slow-motion rugby, and the losing team was fed to rabid wolverines...well, maybe not, but you get the idea.

The strategy is simple...the teams are lined up by the year the team was established. Alphabetical order was used to split up some of the more popular years. That's about it, really. So, here you go!

(note: year established is not necessarily the year they joined FBS or 1-A)

Part One can be found here.
Part Two can be found here.


1. The Traditional Conference
Talk about the traditional programs here. Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State, Navy, Cincinnati. Wait...what? How the hell were the Bearcats one of the first teams? And, yes Rutgers, we know your the oldest school playing at this level.

Rutgers (1869)
Northwestern (1876)
Michigan (1879)
Navy (1879)
Kentucky (1881)
California (1882)
Minnesota (1882)
Cincinnati (1885)
Indiana (1887)
Notre Dame (1887)
Penn State (1887)
Purdue (1887)


2. The Blah Conference

I bet you can't wait for that Duke v Miami (OH) game? I'm sure Syracuse is going to love paying for those trips to New Mexico and California.

Duke (1888)
Miami (OH) (1888)
New Mexico State (1888)
North Carolina (1888)
USC (1888)
Virginia (1888)
Wake Forest (1888)
Iowa (1889)
New Mexico (1889)
Syracuse (1889)
Washington (1889)
Wisconsin (1889)


3. The Practical Conference

This conference kind of works. Most teams are in the midwest, and many play one another already. Army and Eastern Michigan would struggle just a little.

Army (1890)
Colorado (1890)
Illinois (1890)
Kansas (1890)
Missouri (1890)
Nebraska (1890)
Ohio State (1890)
Pittsburgh (1890)
Vanderbilt (1890)
Akron (1891)
Eastern Michigan (1891)
Stanford (1891)


4. The Power Conference

Now, this is a conference. Every team is from a Big-six conference with the exception of Utah State. Storylines galore.

Tennessee (1891)
West Virginia (1892)
Alabama (1892)
Aubrun (1892)
Georgia (1892)
Georgia Tech (1892)
Iowa State (1892)
Maryland (1892)
NC State (1892)
South Carolina (1892)
Utah (1892)
Utah State (1892)


5. The Geographically Messed-Up Conference

The entire country is represented in this conference. BC could travel to the south, southwest, and northwest all in one year. Some serious programs here as well with Texas and LSU anchoring.

Virginia Tech (1892)
Boston College (1893)
Colorado State (1893)
Kansas State (1893)
LSU (1893)
Ole Miss (1893)
Oregon State (1893)
San Jose State (1893)
Texas (1893)
Tulane (1893)
Wyoming (1893)
Arkansas (1894)


6. The Lopsided Conference

Ummm, not exactly a deep conference. Actually, one of Oregon, A&M, or Oklahoma should win the damn thing every year. Idaho v Washington State will garner huge east coast ratings.

Buffalo (1894)
Idaho (1894)
Ohio (1894)
Oregon (1894)
Temple (1894)
Texas A&M (1894)
Washington State (1894)
Marshall (1895)
Mississippi State (1895)
Oklahoma (1895)
Tulsa (1895)
Central Michigan (1896)


7. The Legit Conference

Anther pretty solid conference. Teams that may not get the attention they deserve. The taxpayers of Connecticut wouldn't enjoy the travel costs, but oh well.

Clemson (1896)
Connecticut (1896)
Michigan State (1896)
Nevada (1896)
TCU (1896)
Arizona State (1897)
Arizona (1899)
Baylor (1899)
Northern Illinois (1899)
Louisiana-Lafayette (1901)
Louisiana Tech (1901)
Oklahoma State (1901)


8. The Garbage Conference

Garbage.

Western Michigan (1905)
Florida (1906)
Hawaii (1909)
Troy (1909)
Arkansas State (1911)
Louisville (1912)
Memphis (1912)
Middle Tennessee State (1912)
Rice (1912)
Southern Miss (1912)
North Texas (1913)
Western Kentucky (1913)


9. The Defensively-Challenged Conference

Wow, we are talking about some serious points being put up in this conference. Take the over, unless Jacory Harris is your quarterback.

UTEP (1914)
SMU (1915)
Toledo (1917)
Bowling Green (1919)
UCLA (1919)
Kent State (1920)
Fresno State (1921)
San Diego State (1921)
BYU (1922)
Ball State (1924)
Texas Tech (1925)
Miami (1925)


10. The Lack-of-Depth Conference

This conference would probably come down to FSU v Boise State every year. Maybe the occasional South Florida, but we know how they choke every season.

Louisiana-Monroe (1931)
East Carolina (1932)
Boise State (1933)
Houston (1946)
Florida State (1946)
Air Force (1955)
UNLV (1968)
UCF (1979)
UAB (1991)
South Florida (1997)
Florida Atlantic (2001)
Florida International (2002)


WVU Love in the CFL

Shockingly on two former Mountaineers can be found n the CFL this season. You know what they say...Mountaineers just hate Canada. Actually, nobody says that. I guess we can add them with UFL boys and just have one post next time.

Lance Frazier, CB, Saskatchewan: 16 tackles on the season so far for the former Mounty corner.

Avon Cobourne, RB, Hamilton: Already with 459 yards on the season, Cobourne continues to have success up north. He was the Grey Cup MVP just a few seasons back.

WVU Love in the UFL

Since we track the former Mountaineers in NFL I figure it's only fair to check out the boys in the UFL. I know most people have no idea what this league is, but WVU fans will notice that two of the more popular players of the late-2000s have found a place in the league. Here is the list. I'm sure I have missed one or two. CFL to come next!

Pat White, QB, Virginia: May get a good chance to play, considering he's battling Mike McMahon and Chris Greisen for the starting job.

Noel Devine, RB, Omaha: The recently-signed Devine joins a backfield with Maurice Clarett, Shaud Williams, and Marlon Lucky. What is this, 2006?

Antwon Lake, DL, Las Vegas: Was part of the 2010 UFL Champion Locomotives.

Todd Sauerbrun, P, ?: He is still listed as a Florida Tusker. That's a problem, because the Tuskers became the Virginia Destroyers. He is not listed on the Virginia roster.