Thursday, September 15, 2011

Projecting the Super Conferences

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.


ACC

Boston College-Existing Member
Clemson-Existing Member
Connecticut-Good sports, and a market that reaches from New York to Boston.
Duke-Existing Member
Florida State-Existing Member
Georgia Tech-Existing Member
Kansas-A good market for the ACC, grabbing Kansas City. Plus, another solid team for basketball.
Kansas State-See above.
Maryland-Existing Member
Miami-Existing Member
North Carolina-Existing Member
North Carolina State-Existing Member
Rutgers-The conference would get a good piece of New York by bringing Rutgers in.
Virginia-Existing Member
Virginia Tech-Existing Member
Wake Forest-Existing Member


Big Ten(16)

Illinois-Existing Member
Indiana-Existing Member
Iowa-Existing Member
Iowa State-Would be a good fit, considering they already have built-in rivalries
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
Pittsburgh-Long rumored to go to the Big Ten, Pitt would fit in well geographically, and has rivals already in the conference.
Purdue-Existing Member
Syracuse-Good academics, solid sports and a connection to New York make Syracuse very attractive to the Big Ten
Wisconsin-Existing Member

SEC

Alabama-Existing Member
Arkansas-Existing Member
Auburn-Existing Member
Florida-Existing Member
Georgia -Existing Member
Kentucky-Existing Member
Louisville-Works geographically, and already has rivals in the conference. Would help the conference boost the basketball too.
LSU-Existing Member
Mississippi-Existing Member
Mississippi State-Existing Member
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.

Pac 16

Arizona-Existing Member
Arizona State-Existing Member
California-Existing Member
Colorado-Existing Member
Missouri-Rumored to possibly go SEC, though a better fit would be the Pac 12.
Oklahoma-The rumors are there, and probably a done deal when the Sooners truly believe the Big 12 is dead.
Oklahoma State-Will go wherever big brother, Oklahoma goes.
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.
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.
South Florida-Could sneak in somewhere, but seems to have Conference USA written all over it.
Texas Tech-In the middle of nowhere, and is behind many of the larger Texas schools.