The Next Realignment Begins

[The Real SamC]

Houston Chronicle reports that Texas and Oklahoma will not renew a media deal with the Big 2, Little 8 which expires after the 25 season. Will apply to join the SEC.

The dominos will then start to fall. Eventually reaching this level. If only the university had a president or an athletic director.

 

[MUAlum2004]

Very good point. You know the positioning has already began….

 

[Jartard]

The Big 12 isn’t a P5 conference when those 2 schools leave.

 

[herdalicious]

I'd call this Realignment Part III, and it is by far going to be my favorite chapter. A bunch of P5 schools are about to get Musical Chair'd right into the minor leagues as the P5 become the P4 and the AAC has to reprint all their first down markers.

Tickets to the mothership just got a lot more expensive, and either your DNA scans as a blue blood, or you can go sit next to Memphis.

I think the first question on the application for the coming P4 should be: "Starting the moment the NIL verdict was announced, how many days was it before your QB1 was a millionaire?"

 

[Jartard]

I'd call this Realignment Part III, and it is by far going to be my favorite chapter. A bunch of P5 schools are about to get Musical Chair'd right into the minor leagues as the P5 become the P4 and the AAC has to reprint all their first down markers.

Tickets to the mothership just got a lot more expensive, and either your DNA scans as a blue blood, or you can go sit next to Memphis.

I think the first question on the application for the coming P4 should be: "Starting the moment the NIL verdict was announced, how many days was it before your QB1 was a millionaire?"

It will be interesting if/when teams like Rutgers, Vandy, and a few others get the boot from the “power” conferences.

 

[rammer101]

Big name conference is not about education like they would lead you to believe. It is all about sports and how much money you can bring in.
I believe they will eventually get rid of the dead weight

 

[MUAlum2004]

The Big 12 isn’t a P5 conference when those 2 schools leave.

I disagree…..
Baylor
Iowa state
Kansas (don’t forget bball)
Oklahoma state
TCU
Texas tech
Wvu

Still a solid group of teams but nevertheless, the dominos are going to fall.

 

[Jartard]

I disagree…..
Baylor
Iowa state
Kansas (don’t forget bball)
Oklahoma state
TCU
Texas tech
Wvu

Still a solid group of teams but nevertheless, the dominos are going to fall.

None of those schools are a needle mover when it comes to P5 schools. Baylor probably has the most to offer of the bunch. The Sun Belt had like 3-4 wins against those programs that would be remaining.

 

[herdalicious]

It will be interesting if/when teams like Rutgers, Vandy, and a few others get the boot from the “power” conferences.

Schools with tons of money located in places like New York and Nashville are uniquely positioned to remain in place, even though their teams are non-competitive. It's why they're already there now, when they've all been whipping boys for decades stretching back into the last century and beyond.

The ones in the most trouble are the schools with the opposite dynamic - where their consistency in quality made up for their lack of pedigree, connection and wealth, and that's what was keeping them above the line.

It was mostly about money before, its all about money now.

 

[herdalicious]

I disagree…..
Baylor
Iowa state
Kansas (don’t forget bball)
Oklahoma state
TCU
Texas tech
Wvu

Still a solid group of teams but nevertheless, the dominos are going to fall.

Big XII members currently receive $34.5 million a year from their TV contract. Remove Oklahoma and Texas from that equation, that number plummets, and the list of schools you mention above (minus Baylor and OSU) will struggle to offset the loss.

 

[i am herdman]

Houston Chronicle reports that Texas and Oklahoma will not renew a media deal with the Big 2, Little 8 which expires after the 25 season. Will apply to join the SEC.

The dominos will then start to fall. Eventually reaching this level. If only the university had a president or an athletic director.

We will and the others probably couldn't have handled it

 

[MUAlum2004]

I don’t disagree that the conf falls apart with them leaving and taking the money with. What I’m saying is that each of those schools are p5 quality somewhere.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

I'd call this Realignment Part III, and it is by far going to be my favorite chapter. A bunch of P5 schools are about to get Musical Chair'd right into the minor leagues as the P5 become the P4 and the AAC has to reprint all their first down markers.

Tickets to the mothership just got a lot more expensive, and either your DNA scans as a blue blood, or you can go sit next to Memphis.

I think the first question on the application for the coming P4 should be: "Starting the moment the NIL verdict was announced, how many days was it before your QB1 was a millionaire?"

What makes you think other P5 schools outside of the Big 12 are going to go down a level?

The Pac-12 will likely try to grab some Big 12 leftovers. Some like Iowa State and Kansas will go to the Big 10. The ACC has literally everyone to choose from...and really only need one other team since ND is oddly part of that conference.
Does this mean wvu is AAC bound?

 

[Herd1972]

Houston Chronicle reports that Texas and Oklahoma will not renew a media deal with the Big 2, Little 8 which expires after the 25 season. Will apply to join the SEC.

The dominos will then start to fall. Eventually reaching this level. If only the university had a president or an athletic director.

we do. Jerry Gilbert and Jeff O'Malley. They will handle whatever comes up very well.

 

[BigBlueCatNation]

What makes you think other P5 schools outside of the Big 12 are going to go down a level?

The Pac-12 will likely try to grab some Big 12 leftovers. Some like Iowa State and Kansas will go to the Big 10. The ACC has literally everyone to choose from...and really only need one other team since ND is oddly part of that conference.
Does this mean wvu is AAC bound?

Personally, WV might drop to CUSA level. Remember, that’s basically the old Big East. The conference they thought they were better than.

It will be interesting.

 

[kzigmond2]

4 power conferences with 16 teams and no NCAA turns into mini NFL paying players.

ACC
Miami - Florida St
UNC - Duke
Clemson - NC State
Wake Forest - Boston College
UVA - VT
Louisville - Pitt
Syracuse - GT
Notre Dame - UCF/WVU/Memphis/Cincinnati

PAC-12
USC - UCLA
Arizona - ASU
Utah - Colorado
Washington - Washington St
Oregon - Oregon St
California - Stanford
Texas Tech - Kansas St
OSU - Baylor

Big 10
OSU - Penn St
Rutgers - Indiana
Michigan - Mich St
Wisconsin - Iowa
Nebraska - Illinois
Maryland - Northwestern
Purdue - Minnesota
Kansas - Iowa St

SEC
Alabama - Auburn
Florida - Georgia
USC - Vandy
Tennessee - Kentucky
Miss St - Mississippi
TX AM - Arkansas
Texas - Oklahoma
LSU - Missouri

 

[Rock98Dog]

If wvu doesn’t catch a ride somewhere they are going to drain the state budget to pay for all the long term spending they did banking on that Big 12 money. They used that projected long term income stream to finance a lot of stuff they couldn’t afford otherwise.

 

[Jartard]

If wvu doesn’t catch a ride somewhere they are going to drain the state budget to pay for all the long term spending they did banking on that Big 12 money. They used that projected long term income stream to finance a lot of stuff they couldn’t afford otherwise.

I think the ACC would take UCF over WVU. I may be wrong, but that’s my first take.

 

[Rock98Dog]

I would say the ACC would not. The blue bloods of the conference would nix it using academic standing as justification.

 

[Herdfan1986]

That’s an insane comment, WVU will not fall to conference USA. I too love Marshall but I’m a realist, WVU pulls a lot more fans and has a lot money and better facilities they will most definitely be absorbed into either ACC or big 10. These conference’s will have to build bigger with SEC trying to distant themselves even further from everyone else.

 

[19MU88]

That’s an insane comment, WVU will not fall to conference USA. I too love Marshall but I’m a realist, WVU pulls a lot more fans and has a lot money and better facilities they will most definitely be absorbed into either ACC or big 10. These conference’s will have to build bigger with SEC trying to distant themselves even further from everyone else.

yes, I assume he meant to say fall to the AAC which is doubtful but in the realm of possibilities. As much as I hate to say it, the last 20 years wvu has elevated so much in FB and BB that I doubt they are left out. Also, now that UL is in the ACC and wvu has a better perception over last decades, they are possible to the ACC.

 

[MichiganHerd]

WVU is not an AAU school, so that hurts their chances in going to the B1G. However, Nebraska was an AAU school when they joined the conference, but has now lost that certification. It really all comes down to money, and with people cutting the cord, having millions of cable subscribers to Fox and ESPN may not mean as much today as it did during the last major round of movement.

Wouldn't surprise me to see the Texas and Oklahoma rumor end up not playing out, and it also wouldn't surprise me if those two schools moved to the B1G. It wouldn't be the first time the B1G has courted those schools, but the Longhorn Network always stood in the way. My preference would be to see WVU and Pitt both move to the B1G, or perhaps WVU and Virginia Tech. Doubt it would happen, but would love to see it. Of course, the WVU fans would then pivot from the Big XII being the world's greatest conference to the B1G being the world's greatest conference. We've seen that act play out since 1863.

I'll also add that the ACC has never wanted to have anything to do with WVU, and it's all due to their disdain for WV as a whole.

 

[RhinoD]

4 power conferences with 16 teams and no NCAA turns into mini NFL paying players.

ACC
Miami - Florida St
UNC - Duke
Clemson - NC State
Wake Forest - Boston College
UVA - VT
Louisville - Pitt
Syracuse - GT
Notre Dame - UCF/WVU/Memphis/Cincinnati

PAC-12
USC - UCLA
Arizona - ASU
Utah - Colorado
Washington - Washington St
Oregon - Oregon St
California - Stanford
Texas Tech - Kansas St
OSU - Baylor

Big 10
OSU - Penn St
Rutgers - Indiana
Michigan - Mich St
Wisconsin - Iowa
Nebraska - Illinois
Maryland - Northwestern
Purdue - Minnesota
Kansas - Iowa St

SEC
Alabama - Auburn
Florida - Georgia
USC - Vandy
Tennessee - Kentucky
Miss St - Mississippi
TX AM - Arkansas
Texas - Oklahoma
LSU - Missouri

This is interesting... If this, or something similar were to happen, I would be intrigued by what the programs in the AAC and the best of CUSA/Sun Belt could cobble together to try to be the "next best" 16-team league.

I would propose 16 teams in this new yet to be named league...

Marshall - Cincinatti
App State - UCF
Memphis - Houston
ECU - Tulane
Western Kentucky - Southern Miss
Temple - Navy
UAB - South Florida
Tulsa - Louisiana Tech

 

[Chris McLaughlin]

Unless the four super-conference thing becomes a mandate I don't see the benefit for a conference like the B1G to add anyone. Their television deal is already ridiculously lucrative and I can't see another school out there (outside of OU and UT) that would add value. Maybe Kansas because of basketball but their football program is a complete mess. And if they added Kansas they'd have to add another school to balance out divisions.

I actually think the Big 12 could survive as a P5 without OU and UT with some smart adds. This lineup would leave them with seven teams inside ESPN's pre-season top 40 power poll (which is two more than the Pac 12 and one more than the ACC):

WVU
Okie State
Baylor
TCU
Iowa State
Kansas State
Kansas
Texas Tech
plus
UCF
Cincinnati
Boise/Houston
Memphis

 

[The Real SamC]

WVU has almost nothing to offer any of the major conferences. We often lose our perspective here but get away for a minute and you see a tiny, academically suspect, school with a sports program that has accomplished nothing ever, in a dying state with redneck (and poor) fans.

IF, and its not certain, we end up with 4 16 team conferences, WVU won’t be in any of them. They bring almost nothing to the table.

The most likely outcome, IMHO, is UT and OU move up to the SEC, and the Little 8 pick up a couple of THE AMERICAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Teams and there you go. No thinking football fan takes THE AMERICAN!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously as to this “power 6” nonsense, and no one will take the Big 12 3.0 seriously either.

 

[exHerdSID]

Because the movements are about money, there is no reason to go to 16 team conferences unless you are increasing the value of your conference's brand. I think the ACC and B1G can sit still and not worry about it. The AAC will need to do something is the B8 makes a move. It will be interesting to see what schools make a move, or try to make a move towards the American if they do have losses. There is some discussion that Texas and Oklahoma are really just starting an auction among the SEC, B1G and even the PAC, with an outside hope for the ACC, but the ND deal adds so much to the ACC value. The ACC does have a really long TV deal that will eventually bring in fewer dollars, but I think they are figuring that by 2035 the whole TV, pay channel, alignment, playoffs will have changed and they could renegotiate before then.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

Unless the four super-conference thing becomes a mandate I don't see the benefit for a conference like the B1G to add anyone. Their television deal is already ridiculously lucrative and I can't see another school out there (outside of OU at UT) that would add value. Maybe Kansas because of basketball but their football program is a complete mess. And if they added Kansas they'd have to add another school to balance out divisions.

I actually think the Big 12 could survive as a P5 without OU and UT with some smart adds. This lineup would leave them with seven teams inside ESPN's pre-season top 40 power poll (which is two more than the Pac 12 and one more than the ACC):

WVU
Okie State
Baylor
TCU
Iowa State
Kansas State
Kansas
Texas Tech
plus
UCF
Cincinnati
Boise/Houston
Memphis

This would make the most sense to me as well. Leaving Marshall to hopefully move to the AAC, IF we could afford it.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

I've been hearing that UT and OU had been in talks since January of 2021.
The SEC had also excluded the Texas AM AD from these talks.
The Big 12 AD's met yesterday, excluding OU and UT's AD's.
I'm now reading the switch to the SEC could be final within a few weeks.

 

[HerdFan73]

I would say the ACC would not. The blue bloods of the conference would nix it using academic standing as justification.

The ACC proved after looking the other way during the UNC fake class fiasco that academics are no longer a priority to this conference.

 

[Jartard]

Unless the four super-conference thing becomes a mandate I don't see the benefit for a conference like the B1G to add anyone. Their television deal is already ridiculously lucrative and I can't see another school out there (outside of OU and UT) that would add value. Maybe Kansas because of basketball but their football program is a complete mess. And if they added Kansas they'd have to add another school to balance out divisions.

I actually think the Big 12 could survive as a P5 without OU and UT with some smart adds. This lineup would leave them with seven teams inside ESPN's pre-season top 40 power poll (which is two more than the Pac 12 and one more than the ACC):

WVU
Okie State
Baylor
TCU
Iowa State
Kansas State
Kansas
Texas Tech
plus
UCF
Cincinnati
Boise/Houston
Memphis

If Kansas would jump to the B1G, the logical other addition would be Kansas State. Notre Dame will join the ACC, and that really only leaves them with 1 other school to add and they could be selective(UCF or Cincy would be my guess…like others have said, academics don’t matter at this point). UCF to Boise would be a hell of a road trip. The G5 conferences just need to say f it and start from scratch. Make regional conferences that make sense.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

If Kansas would jump to the B1G, the logical other addition would be Kansas State. Notre Dame will join the ACC, and that really only leaves them with 1 other school to add and they could be selective(UCF or Cincy would be my guess…like others have said, academics don’t matter at this point). UCF to Boise would be a hell of a road trip. The G5 conferences just need to say f it and start from scratch. Make regional conferences that make sense.

KSU won't get an invite to the Big 10. I'd be shocked if they did. To even get considered, you have to be an AAU member and KSU is not. Nebraska WAS prior to getting into the Big 10 and not having AAU membership was an unpopular move by the Big 10.

However, Iowa State is AAU and could go along with Kansas to even things out.

The ACC is likely to stay where it is. It doesn't seem to sense a need to add more to what it currently has. wvu doesn't add anything except an annoying fanbase that the ACC teams would be happy to no longer be a part of. wvu doesn't offer much else.

I will say, in the lower levels of the FBS, wvu does add value to the AAC. Mike Aresco should be lobbying like hell to get wvu, even though wvu would never take it (until everyone tells Shane Lyons to shove it up his ass and says, "you're not getting into the Autonomous 4 Clubhouse, get lost you little sh*t").

So the ACC probably isn't expanding, but in case they do?

I think the ACC grabs Cincy. Decent academics, big student body, good city, and their stadium could be expanded.
Also, unlike others Cincy is currently a pretty hot team. Just made their 2nd straight conferenfe title trip, and played in a NY6 Bowl.

But one thing Cincy brings to the table that the ACC does NOT have, a school in the state of ohio. The recruiting would expand into one area the ACC doesn't have direct access to.

 

[i am herdman]

Kansas and the Big 10 are talking

Domino effect: Kansas reportedly reaches out to another Power 5 conference

Kansas isn't looking to stay in the Big 12 any longer.

www.saturdaydownsouth.com

 

[GreenDuke]

The ACC proved after looking the other way during the UNC fake class fiasco that academics are no longer a priority to this conference.

What the heck. After allowing VT and Louisville into the league why not go all the way to the bottom.

 

[Chris McLaughlin]

Anyone claiming WVU will get left out of realignment needs a timeout. And a flying elbow to the temple.

Seriously; stop being ridiculous.

 

[wvkeeper(HN)]

As far as the ACC goes ND can continue in their independency if it goes to 12 in the playoff. We've seen repeatedly that it doesn't hurt them at 4 in the playoff.

West Virginia makes the most sense for myriads of reasons for the ACC. 16 is also a much better number than 14 as far as scheduling goes.

A lot of people for a while have been saying four 16-team super conferences was where this was headed.

 

[Chris McLaughlin]

What the heck. After allowing VT and Louisville into the league why not go all the way to the bottom.

I hate VT but I’m not sure it is fair to lump them in academically with Louisville or WVU. They’re similar to Clemson or North Carolina State from an academic profile perspective. Louisville and WVU are not.

 

[Herd Insider]

WVU to ACC, if not, AAC.

 

[Herd Insider]

If AAC is poached, we fight like hell to get in!

 

[Herd Insider]

B12, sadly, implodes....😔😔

 

[Herd Insider]

Kansas or Kansas State to B10