lash wrote:
Mconner1201 wrote:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/eye-on-college-football/21614091/report-big-12-looking-to-partner-up-with-acc-two-other-leagues
Interesting...B12, ACC, P12
An Alliance by the ACC, Big 12 and Pac 12 could become a major cue if they could pull it off.
It would be an interesting number of 36 total schools (14 ACC, 10 Big 12, 12 Pac 12) to combine all the football schools into four 9 team divisions. The divisions would be virtual by scheduling and not necessarily have to be physical such as complete merger of all three leagues.
West: USC, UCLA, Stanford, California, Utah, Oregon, Oregon, Washington, Washington State
South: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor
North: Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Louisville, WVU, Virginia Tech, Pitt, Syracuse, Boston College
East: North Carolina, Duke, NC State, Wake Forest, Virginia, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami Fl
What would each of three leagues gain by this alliance.
All three would have a most or almost guarantee of getting two of the four playoff spots each year (i.e. East Division Champion facing the West Division Champion and the North Division facing the South Division with both winners advancing to two of the four playoff spots.
TV benefits would be enormous for all three leagues as all four divisions span the entire USA creating two of the four team playoff members. Would be so fun to watch this scenario play out as a college football fan.
ACC could most likely get all 14 schools sign GOR which along with the Big 12 and Pac 12 would virtually stop the Big Ten and SEC in their tracks with future expansion of those conference networks.
Big 12 would get to remain with 10 permanent members and have a championship game as well and keep the Texas and Oklahoma schools in the same virtual divisions.
Pac 12 would get to push its network all the way east without expanding with a single school penetrating a lot of markets the conference may not otherwise get into as easily.
I too like the thinking but now the 4 team playoff really becomes a 6 team playoff in which the B1G and SEC get byes while the 4 champions you describe have to play in.
For the record, I'd prefer it at 40 (changes in bold):
West: USC, UCLA, Stanford, California, Oregon, Oregon, Washington, Washington State,
Arizona, Arizona StateSouth: Colorado, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor,
Kansas, Kansas State, UtahNorth: Iowa State, Louisville, WVU, Pitt, Syracuse, Boston College,
Notre Dame, Cincinnati, UConn, Temple (Either ACC adds 3 for 18 or gives up Louisville to Big 12 and they take Cincy)
East: North Carolina, Duke, NC State, Wake Forest, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami Fl, Virginia,
Virginia TechCan't leave out ND or the B1G could get them. This does feel like the first logical step towards getting CFB into 8 regional divisions and an 8 team playoff (be it 72 or 80 schools). These 40 plus the SEC and B1G give you 68 total schools. Would only need 4-12 more...
That feels like the right move for football because they can't have large playoffs like other sports. Other sports it's ok to have many conferences because you just have a 32 or 64 school playoff at the end to crown a champion. Fun thought, but probably not happening any time soon.