(02-13-2018 12:33 PM)TerryD Wrote:  

(02-13-2018 10:19 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  Not necessarily superconferences but...

Notre Dame goes a little further into ACC football by agreeing to join a division and play only 7 ACC games. Notre Dame may schedule the other ACC teams in OOC games. The divisions are realigned. In turn, the ACC gives Notre Dame full access to the ACC championship game based upon conference game win percentage. The ACC finalizes up to 16.

The Oklahoma schools jump to the SEC. Texas heads west because Texas' ego gets in the way and the PAC is willing to let Texas maintain the LHN. The B1G does nothing. The XII expands from the AAC. The AAC disbands as the remnant merges with some MWC schools.

PAC
North: Washington, Washington St, Oregon, Oregon St, California, Stanford, Utah
South: USC, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona St, Colorado, Texas, Texas Tech

B1G
West: Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue
East: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan St, Ohio St, Penn St, Maryland, Rutgers

SEC
West: Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, Arkansas, Texas A&M, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi St
East: Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina

ACC
Atlantic: Notre Dame, Boston College, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Miami
Coastal: Florida St, Georgia Tech, Clemson, North Carolina, North Carolina St, Duke, Wake Forest, Virginia

XIV
West: Houston, Baylor, TCU, Kansas, Kansas St, Iowa St, Navy (football only)
East: Memphis, Cincinnati, Temple, Connecticut, East Carolina, Central Florida, South Florida

AWC (American West Conference)
West: San Diego St, Fresno St, UNLV, Boise St, BYU, Wyoming, Colorado St
East: Air Force, New Mexico, Tulane, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, Army (football only)

ND does not want this and the ACC will not agree to this.

Other than that......

It would be an interesting scenario if the Superconferences each split into 3 divisions in order to incorporate conference semifinal tournaments. The CFP becomes a Champs Only affair for the P4.

In that scenario, I wonder whether you could create room for a still semi-independent Notre Dame with the existing 4-6 game ACC schedule?

Notre Dame could be eligible for the ACC tournament (and thus, ultimately the CFP) by winning its division (based on divisional record) - and not eligible for the ACC tournament wild card bid. The ACC divisions would rotate somewhat to accommodate Notre Dame's future ACC opponents. With the divisional rotations, you might actually create more opportunities for certain ACC teams to play each other more often than the status quo.

Something like this:

ACC
2021:
NORTH: Notre Dame, at Florida St., North Carolina, at Virginia, Georgia Tech
ATLANTIC: Clemson, NC State, Wake Forest, Boston College, Louisville
COASTAL: Virginia Tech, Miami, Pittsburgh, Duke, Syracuse
(The Irish also play at Virginia Tech in '21)
*If desired, Florida St. plays Atlantic schools in its cross-division games and UNC, UVA, and GT play mostly Coastal schools in their cross-division games.

2022:
NORTH: Notre Dame, Boston College, Clemson, at North Carolina, at Syracuse
ATLANTIC: Florida St., Georgia Tech, NC State, Wake Forest, Louisville
COASTAL: Duke, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Miami, Pittsburgh
(Only the 4 divisional games scheduled in '22)
*If desired, North Carolina and Georgia Tech play Coastal schools in their cross-division games and BC, Cuse, and Clemson play mostly Atlantic schools in their cross-division games.

2023:
NORTH: Notre Dame, at Duke, at NC State, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest
ATLANTIC: Clemson, Florida St., Boston College, Syracuse, Louisville
COASTAL: Miami, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Virginia
(The Irish also play at Clemson and at Louisville in '23)

2024:
NORTH: Notre Dame, at Georgia Tech, Virginia, Florida St., Miami
ATLANTIC: Clemson, Boston College, NC State, Wake Forest, Louisville
COASTAL: North Carolina, Duke, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Syracuse
(Only the 4 divisional games in '24)

2025:
NORTH: Notre Dame, at Boston College, at Miami, NC State, Syracuse
ATLANTIC: Clemson, Florida St., Louisville, Wake Forest, Pitt
COASTAL: North Carolina, Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Virginia
(The Irish also play at Pitt in '25)

So, despite playing in Notre Dame's division twice in five years, North Carolina would still play a mostly Coastal schedule and Florida St. would still play a mostly Atlantic schedule each year.