2022 conference realignment (7/6 rumors: Big 12 to add 4-6 Pac-12 teams?)

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/34173688/source-usc-ucla-considering-move-pac-12-big-ten

Here we go again with the conference merry-go-round!

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

#RIP Pac 12

[NewYorkExpress]

There's no way Rutgers or Maryland votes to approve this. Why would they agree to constant cross-country travel like this?

[OSR stands with Israel]

absolutely Bs

[GeorgiaModerate]

There's no way Rutgers or Maryland votes to approve this. Why would they agree to constant cross-country travel like this?

$$$$

[Хahar 🤔]

garbage

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I am going to become the Joker

###

Who would leave the Conference of Champions to play in a truck stop conference?

West Lafayette? East Lansing? Not even real Lafayette and Lansing?

College Park? State College? Please, how about a college that is part of civilization and plays in a real city, caring about the community around them.

Twin Cities? Because one isn't big enough to have their own team?

Northwestern will always be living in the shadow of Washington and Washington State. I've spent a lot of time in the Northwest, and I've never met a Northwestern fan.

I'd give the others a chance if they weren't surrounded by 5 miles of cornstalks. Now I know what it's like to sit behind me at a concert.

[pikachu]

As an East Coast UCLA alum absolutely hate it, and I’m done with college sports the moment we’re in the B1G.

[Pink Panther]

What is the purpose of this move(apart from money)?

[Dereich]

What is the purpose of this move(apart from money)?

What makes you think there would be any motivating factors beyond money?

[Pink Panther]

What is the purpose of this move(apart from money)?

What makes you think there would be any motivating factors beyond money?

I'm just saying this makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, and that this completely destroys the PAC12 rivalries for no other reason than money.

[GeorgiaModerate]

What is the purpose of this move(apart from money)?

Well, here's an amusing alternative explanation:

https://twitter.com/NateSilver538/status/1542577035415101440

[100% pro-life no matter what]

I see the SEC and Big "10" each adding four more to become 20 team superconferences.  Whether one more conference consolidates or whether the top level of college football is just those two remains to be seen.

Big Ten: Notre Dame, Stanford, Kansas, one more Pac-12 School (either Oregon or Cal)
SEC: Clemson, Florida State, two more ACC schools

[7,052,770]

We're about to see a Power 2 with the SEC and Big 10 having 20-24 teams each. I would expect at least Oregon and Washington to follow to the Big 10, probably Colorado, Stanford, and at least 1 Arizona school as well.

The SEC could take the best ACC programs (some could look at Big 10 too) and maybe Oklahoma State.

[7,052,770]

Further thoughts - I bet the Big 12 is regretting adding four non-power schools (Cincinnati, UCF, Houston, BYU) when some Pac-12 schools might be interested very soon.

If the ACC can somehow prevent itself from being raided by the Big 10 and SEC, maybe we see a Power Three instead, especially if the ACC is willing to add West Virginia, UCF, and Cincinnati itself (plus maybe like Houston and Baylor?). It would the clear third conference, but it would be "power."

[MasterJedi]

Fully expect the Big 10 to get Stanford, Washington, Oregon and Notre Dame at the least.

[Dereich]

The ACC is tough to break since it’s (terrible) media contract guarantees all revenue from its current schools stays with the conference until 2036. Whoever took an ACC program would be committing itself to a fiscal deadweight until then.

[7,052,770]

The ACC is tough to break since it’s (terrible) media contract guarantees all revenue from its current schools stays with the conference until 2036. Whoever took an ACC program would be committing itself to a fiscal deadweight until then.

There's always a way out of everything. I believe it takes 10 (?) votes to change the ACC financial rules, so the Big 10 and SEC could offer slots to 5 teams each.

I don't know that they will or they should, but something like this seems possible:
Big 10 - Virginia, North Carolina, Duke, Syracuse, Georgia Tech (would the SEC agree to let the Big 10 into Atlanta? Maybe Miami instead)
SEC - Florida State, Clemson, Virginia Tech, NC State, Miami (or Georgia Tech)

You could also see Pitt going to either, Louisville to the SEC, and obviously either would crawl over broken glass to take Notre Dame.

[Donerail]

There is also a strategic element to it — now that the SEC knows the Big Ten is actively expanding by poaching teams from P5 conferences, you might need to lock down recruiting territory. Would not be ideal to have FSU or Miami as financial dead weight for years, but better than letting the Big Ten establish a recruiting foothold in Florida. Same logic applies to Clemson and Carolina — those are marquee brands on the table, and if you're not willing to take the financial hit, you have to wonder if the other guy might.

There's no way Rutgers or Maryland votes to approve this. Why would they agree to constant cross-country travel like this?

There are ways to deal with the cross-country travel through scheduling, especially if (hypothetically speaking) you were to add Oregon, Washington and Stanford(?) at the same time.

[NewYorkExpress]

There is also a strategic element to it — now that the SEC knows the Big Ten is actively expanding by poaching teams from P5 conferences, you might need to lock down recruiting territory. Would not be ideal to have FSU or Miami as financial dead weight for years, but better than letting the Big Ten establish a recruiting foothold in Florida. Same logic applies to Clemson and Carolina — those are marquee brands on the table, and if you're not willing to take the financial hit, you have to wonder if the other guy might.

There's no way Rutgers or Maryland votes to approve this. Why would they agree to constant cross-country travel like this?

There are ways to deal with the cross-country travel through scheduling, especially if (hypothetically speaking) you were to add Oregon, Washington and Stanford(?) at the same time.

Gonzaga's also plausible, at least if football isn't up for conversation.

[GeorgiaModerate]

The Big Ten unanimously votes to accept USC and UCLA.

[GeorgiaModerate]

There is also a strategic element to it — now that the SEC knows the Big Ten is actively expanding by poaching teams from P5 conferences, you might need to lock down recruiting territory. Would not be ideal to have FSU or Miami as financial dead weight for years, but better than letting the Big Ten establish a recruiting foothold in Florida. Same logic applies to Clemson and Carolina — those are marquee brands on the table, and if you're not willing to take the financial hit, you have to wonder if the other guy might.

There's no way Rutgers or Maryland votes to approve this. Why would they agree to constant cross-country travel like this?

There are ways to deal with the cross-country travel through scheduling, especially if (hypothetically speaking) you were to add Oregon, Washington and Stanford(?) at the same time.

Gonzaga's also plausible, at least if football isn't up for conversation.

Football is the primary driver (i.e. money maker) in all of this.  Gonzaga has zero chance to get into a power conference.

[7,052,770]

If the Big 10 decides to make more Pac-12 teams, these are the tiers I think they would be on:

TIER ONE - I think these schools are probably Big 10 bound.
1. Stanford - Academic powerhouse, good football program large market.
2. Washington - See above, but a little lesser on all 3.
3. Oregon - Great football program and passionate fanbase. Also the "cool" factor

TIER TWO - Decent chance they go to the Big 10, or at least the Big 12.
4. Colorado - Great market and academics, and a bridge to the Western schools.

TIER THREE - A possibility they end up in the Big 10, and worse case they ought to have a Big 12 life raft if necessary.
5. California - Great on every measurable, except they don't have any fans who would care
6. Arizona - Close to a wash between them and the Sun Devils, but Arizona is AAU
7. Arizona State - However, Phoenix is the more desirable market
8. Utah - Nothing special on the measurables, but I think it's at least possible the Big 10 is interested.

TIER FOUR - Probably headed to the Mountain West unless all of the Tier 1/2 teams stay.
9. Washington State - At least they are the most popular team in half of a state.
10. Oregon State - Sorry Beavers.

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

Holy sh**t, this plus Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC we are pretty much down to two super conferences.

Also, is it possible Kansas and K-State bolt from the rump Big 12 to the PAC?

It won’t make up the loses, but the PAC still has a bunch of flagship schools and would probably still be a major conference, if decidedly a tier below the new super B1G and SEC.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Holy sh**t, this plus Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC we are pretty much down to two super conferences.

Also, is it possible Kansas and K-State bolt from the rump Big 12 to the PAC?

It won’t make up the loses, but the PAC still has a bunch of flagship schools and would probably still be a major conference, if decidedly a tier below the new super B1G and SEC.

No, in fact, I think it's way more likely that the Big 12 takes a few Pac-12 teams (rumors are the two Arizona schools, Colorado, and Utah) in an effort to become the #3 conference.  Things don't look good for the Pac-12 at the moment.