CSNbbs

I previously had a thread about a 14-team Pacific Southwest Conference (a merger of the better brands of the Pac-12 and Big 12 to increase revenue, playoff access, and brand visibility). I believe that either the status quo stays put in 2025 regarding realignment (with the playoff expanding) or a Pacific Southwest Conference emerges (with the playoff expanding).

My 12-team PSW is the following:
West: Washington, Oregon, UCLA, USC, Cal, Stanford
East: Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma

IF this happens, the 8-team playoff emerges, and no other moves are made in the new P4 (comprising 55 schools, including Notre Dame), what are the realignment waves down below?


Here are the rules:
No conference has more than 12 members
No FCS call-ups


Here is my stab at it:

Pac-12: Utah, Arizona State, Oregon State, Washington State, BYU, Boise State, San Diego State, Air Force, Colorado State, New Mexico, UNLV, Hawaii (football-only)

Big 12: Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Iowa State, West Virginia, Houston, Cincinnati, Memphis, SMU, UCF, USF

MW: Nevada, San Jose State, Fresno State, Wyoming, Utah State, UTEP, Rice, NMSU, North Texas, UTSA

American: ECU, Tulsa, Tulane, FIU, FAU, UAB, Texas State, Appalachian State, LaTech, Southern Miss, Marshall, ODU

MAC: Buffalo, Kent State, Miami (OH), Ohio, Akron, Bowling Green,
Ball State, Western Michigan, Toledo, CMU, EMU, NIU

C-USA: WKU, Charlotte, MTSU, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Troy, Louisiana, South Alabama, Arkanasas State

Independents: UConn, UMass, Temple, Liberty, Army, Navy, UL Monroe

Side notes:
1. Gonzaga stays in the WCC with St. Mary's.
2. Temple and Wichita State go to the A-10 for Olympic sports

What do you think? How would you rearrange the deck chairs below the new P4 I created using just the two rules?

Still not sure Sun Belt teams would jump. Not for CUSA and maybe not for a depleted American. At that point you have 3 “southern” “G5” conferences overlapping. Gotta think geography is going to play a part eventually.

Honestly, if the best of the Big 12 and PAC 12 formed a new conference, I see the remnants of the two leagues merging as well and here’s why:

From a PR standpoint, it looks better to be with other members of the establishment than to elevate schools who weren’t.

Muskie: would the leftovers just join the MWC

(03-25-2021 10:24 AM)shizzle787 Wrote: [ -> ]My 12-team PSW is the following:
West: Washington, Oregon, UCLA, USC, Cal, Stanford
East: Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma

In such an improbable scenario, here's what I see as a likely trickle-down effect on the G conferences (now G7):

American
East: Louisiana Tech, Memphis, Southern Miss, Tulane, UAB
West: North Texas, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, UTSA

Big 12
East: Central Florida, Cincinnati, Iowa State, South Florida, West Virginia
West: Baylor, Houston, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU
Non-FB: Wichita State

CUSA
North: East Carolina, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky
South: Appalachian State, Charlotte, FAU, FIU, Georgia Southern

MAC
[no change]

MWC
Fresno State, Hawaii* (BW), Nevada, New Mexico, New Mexico State, San Jose State, Utah State, UTEP, Wyoming

PAC (Pacific Athletic Conference)
East: Air Force, Arizona State, BYU, Colorado State, Utah
West: Boise State, Oregon State, San Diego State, UNLV, Washington State
Non-FB: Gonzaga

Sun Belt
East: Chattanooga, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Jacksonville State, Troy
West: Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, South Alabama, Texas State
Non-FB: Little Rock, Texas-Arlington

Also, the indies:

FBS Ind
Army* (Patriot), Connecticut* (BE), Liberty* (A-Sun), Massachusetts* (A-10), Navy* (Patriot), Notre Dame* (ACC), Temple* (A-10)

* = FB only (primary conference)

I called up a couple FCS schools to fill out the Sun Belt, which violates your no-FCS rule, but I don't think the SBC would realistically sit at 8 FB schools.