2021 College Football Discussion and Pick'em Thread

[NewYorkExpress]

Most likely scenario in my opinion if Texas and Oklahoma leaves is Texas A&M walks out of the SEC and goes back to the Big Twelve, and they also get Nebraska back from the Big Ten.

[Donerail]

That's not going to happen.

[Orwell]

Most likely scenario in my opinion if Texas and Oklahoma leaves is Texas A&M walks out of the SEC and goes back to the Big Twelve, and they also get Nebraska back from the Big Ten.

I wouldn't call this likely

[GeorgiaModerate]

Most likely scenario in my opinion if Texas and Oklahoma leaves is Texas A&M walks out of the SEC and goes back to the Big Twelve, and they also get Nebraska back from the Big Ten.

I wouldn't call this likely

Me neither. Their current conferences are far superior to the Big 12.

[sting in the rafters]

CBS Sports writer's prediction of where the remaining Big 12 teams will end up if the conference implodes:

Baylor: AAC
Iowa State: Big 10
Kansas: Big 10
Kansas State: MWC
Oklahoma State: Pac-12
TCU: Pac-12
Texas Tech: AAC
West Virginia: ACC

I'm skeptical that the Pac-12 would prefer TCU to Texas Tech, but who knows.

I think it's more a thing of Baylor and Texas Tech staying together. They survived the SWC imploding and the rivalry would survive the Big 12 imploding.

Big 12 could also stay alive by adding UH and Boise State

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Most likely scenario in my opinion if Texas and Oklahoma leaves is Texas A&M walks out of the SEC and goes back to the Big Twelve, and they also get Nebraska back from the Big Ten.

I wouldn't call this likely

Me neither. Their current conferences are far superior to the Big 12.

While not "likely", I wouldn't call Nebraska unlikely. If they want a prayer of competing and have any care about long-term cash flows, they would switch back. TV is such a short term investment and building a new generation of fans that know winning culture and can recruit Texas is much more critical. Passion can only withstand so much.

But corporate short term-ism will ensure they make the wrong choice for the sport and themselves.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Texas and Oklahoma take the first official step toward leaving the Big 12: https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/31889044/texas-longhorns-oklahoma-sooners-tell-big-12-not-renew-grant-media-rights.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

As the title says, Texas and Oklahoma have stated they're leaving the Big 12 Conference and are rumoured to be seeking to join the SEC, tho that's not official. I can understand why they would want to do that. 💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵

It's also clear why the SEC would be interested. 💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵

If it does happen, they likely join the SEC West, Missouri moves from the SEC East to the SEC West, and Alabama and Auburn move from  the SEC West to the SEC East. Problem is, it'll mean one less non-conference football game for SEC members, which will be a problem.  Also, the Big 12 likely loses its status
as one of the so-called Power Five Conferences, even if it survives. For the Big 12 to survive it'll need to add members as it'll be down to eight members. BYU looks like a school they might go after, but I think they'll have to get at least one other school to join with BYU for BYU to even consider joining the Big 12.

It's probably a done deal by now, but from the viewpoint of the difficulty it'll give South Carolina in scheduling its traditional non-conference rivals in football, I think USC should consider whether rejoining the ACC is a viable option. (Probably not. I don't see where the ACC would be interested.)

[Santander]

Convincing the Huskers to come home along with BYU would be the absolute best-case scenario and maybe give the Big 12 a chance to retain a veneer of P5 status, but the Huskers seem quite content to lose to Purdue and cash those sweet Big Ten checks. (and the faculty surely love being in the Big Ten)

But even then, the conference marquee matchup would be what? Nebraska-Oklahoma State? Yawn.

[NewYorkExpress]

South Carolina joining Clemson in the ACC in response to this is certainly plausible.

In terms of who the Big Twelve could get, I think they'll try and get two of Nebraska/Texas A&M/Missouri/Colorado back (My guess is they can probably convince Nebraska and Missouri, and not A&M or Colorado). Other options would be UCF (I can't think of a school in the Big Twelve that would be opposed to UCF joining now), BYU/Gonzaga (for all sports except Football. I think in that scenario BYU would remain a Football Independent), SMU (Used to be a conference member, and I can't think of anyone who would opposed to bringing them back, except maybe SMU themselves) and possibly Boise State.

[Santander]

South Carolina joining Clemson in the ACC in response to this is certainly plausible.

In terms of who the Big Twelve could get, I think they'll try and get two of Nebraska/Texas A&M/Missouri/Colorado back (My guess is they can probably convince Nebraska and Missouri, and not A&M or Colorado). Other options would be UCF (I can't think of a school in the Big Twelve that would be opposed to UCF joining now), BYU/Gonzaga (for all sports except Football. I think in that scenario BYU would remain a Football Independent), SMU (Used to be a conference member, and I can't think of anyone who would opposed to bringing them back, except maybe SMU themselves) and possibly Boise State.

lol. They cannot "probably" convince schools to leave the two richest (one of which will be even richer soon) conferences in college sports to join a conference where the biggest brand is Oklahoma State.

Gonzaga? wtf?

The only reason to bring in BYU is for its football and its national fanbase. It makes no sense for either the Big 12 or BYU to join as a non-football member.

I can think of one school in Fort Worth that would be opposed to bringing SMU in. The Big 12 already did the "add an irrelevant private school in DFW to bolster our numbers because we're on fire" thing before with, well, TCU. And that was with Texas and Oklahoma to make up for everyone else.

[Pink Panther]

If both colleges leave, the Big 12 will be as irrelevant as Katy Perry is right now.

[GeorgiaModerate]

There's also quite a bit of discussion on this in the generic college football thread - https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=455592.0.

[GeorgiaModerate]

And there it is: Texas and OU officially ask to join the SEC.  This is moving fast.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/31897367/oklahoma-sooners-texas-longhorns-formally-notify-sec-membership-request

[Хahar 🤔]

The Maryland board I pay money for is earnestly discussing the feasibility of getting Toronto into the Big Ten.

[Santander]

The Maryland board I pay money for is earnestly discussing the feasibility of getting Toronto into the Big Ten.

Maryland and Rutgers need conference wins from somewhere.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

South Carolina joining Clemson in the ACC in response to this is certainly plausible.

In terms of who the Big Twelve could get, I think they'll try and get two of Nebraska/Texas A&M/Missouri/Colorado back (My guess is they can probably convince Nebraska and Missouri, and not A&M or Colorado). Other options would be UCF (I can't think of a school in the Big Twelve that would be opposed to UCF joining now), BYU/Gonzaga (for all sports except Football. I think in that scenario BYU would remain a Football Independent), SMU (Used to be a conference member, and I can't think of anyone who would opposed to bringing them back, except maybe SMU themselves) and possibly Boise State.

BYU and Boise State might be interested in joining the Big Twelve to get an automatic path to the bowl playoffs. Gonzaga doesn't even have a football team, so there's zero reason for either the Big Twelve or Gonzaga to be interested in each other. UCF would probably be more interested in the Big Twelve collapsing or not being considered a power conference anymore.

[GeorgiaModerate]

There seem to be two scenarios currently favored by the more credible sports commentators. The most likely involves most or all of the remaining Big 12 members hanging together and adding 2-4 teams from Cincinnati, Memphis, Houston, UCF, BYU, and Boise, in approximately that order of preference. The second involves several of the Big 12 teams bolting for other conferences (WVU to the ACC, Oklahoma State to the PAC-12, etc) and the AAC trying to absorb whatever’s left.

[Santander]

Just add Ohio State and Clemson to the SEC NFL Development League and get it over with, already. Drop any veneer of amateurism and just pay the players wages, too.

[Donerail]

Just add Ohio State and Clemson to the SEC NFL Development League and get it over with, already. Drop any veneer of amateurism and just pay the players wages, too.

OUT: Mizzou, USC (the bad one), Vandy, UK, Arkansas, both Mississippis
IN: Oklahoma, Texas, Miami, FSU, Clemson, UCLA, USC (the good one)

Who (among ESPN executives) says no?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

WVU is not joining the ACC anytime soon unless for some odd reason Notre Dame does not return to being a football independent after COVID is history. Fourteen teams in two seven-member divisions is probably the maximum sensible size for a college football conference. Going beyond that only makes sense if you add a big attraction such as Notre Dame. WVU doesn't bring much financially to any major conference it might join. Now if Notre Dame were to decide it wanted to permanently remain part of ACC football, the ACC would need to add another team, and WVU would be the only Big Twelve member the ACC would be interested in. But if interested in joining the ACC, Cincinnati would be of more interest to the ACC than West Virginia.

[NewYorkExpress]

Just add Ohio State and Clemson to the SEC NFL Development League and get it over with, already. Drop any veneer of amateurism and just pay the players wages, too.

OUT: Mizzou, USC (the bad one), Vandy, UK, Arkansas, both Mississippis
IN: Oklahoma, Texas, Miami, FSU, Clemson, UCLA, USC (the good one)

Who (among ESPN executives) says no?

I think ESPN executives would prefer Kentucky over Miami in the SEC for basketball reasons.

[Santander]

Just add Ohio State and Clemson to the SEC NFL Development League and get it over with, already. Drop any veneer of amateurism and just pay the players wages, too.

OUT: Mizzou, USC (the bad one), Vandy, UK, Arkansas, both Mississippis
IN: Oklahoma, Texas, Miami, FSU, Clemson, UCLA, USC (the good one)

Who (among ESPN executives) says no?

I think ESPN executives would prefer Kentucky over Miami in the SEC for basketball reasons.

"Conference realignment" wouldn't even be part of the vernacular if basketball mattered 1/10th as much as football to broadcasters.

[NewYorkExpress]

Just add Ohio State and Clemson to the SEC NFL Development League and get it over with, already. Drop any veneer of amateurism and just pay the players wages, too.

OUT: Mizzou, USC (the bad one), Vandy, UK, Arkansas, both Mississippis
IN: Oklahoma, Texas, Miami, FSU, Clemson, UCLA, USC (the good one)

Who (among ESPN executives) says no?

I think ESPN executives would prefer Kentucky over Miami in the SEC for basketball reasons.

"Conference realignment" wouldn't even be part of the vernacular if basketball mattered 1/10th as much as football to broadcasters.

Yeah, but this proposal (sending UCLA to the SEC) means they'd probably want Kentucky to stay for those reasons.

I'd add Tennessee to the list of "out" schools instead of Kentucky for that reason.

[Donerail]

UCLA is in because they're hot and sexy and UCLA. Miami is in because they're extremely cool and Miami. Kentucky is Kentucky. Realignment is about three things: football, TV money, and vibes (not necessarily in that order)