(07-31-2017 02:21 PM)JRsec Wrote:  That's what I meant by elevating the AAC, or as you suggest a new conference formed from the best of the three and B.Y.U.. If their champ is viable in a year when another of the P conferences might have a 3 loss champ then it serves the purposes well, especially as a legal buffer since you will have elevated virtually all of the schools which might have a case for having been excluded: Connecticut, South Florida, Central Florida, Houston, E.C.U., B.Y.U., and possibly Cincinnati (if they aren't ACC bound). The only reason I suggested the AAC is because it is fully ESPN held and when those brands like Baylor, Kansas State, Texas Tech, and T.C.U. move to the new conference it can't be a rebuilt Big 12 if ESPN is looking for sole ownership of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas product. A rebuilt Big 12 would contractually be 50% FOX owned (unless we wait until 2024). B.Y.U. is already under ESPN contract, and a new one at that.

So we are really not disagreeing on this. It would be like what we have now, only more concentrated at the top, and more inclusive in the new conference.

Remember too that Wichita has partially joined the AAC and Tulsa is already in it. So by directing the Big 12 remnant there ESPN gains full control of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas as states and markets (should Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas the schools wind up in ESPN hands.

My only contention would be that I think the playoff will expand to 8 and that all 5 champions may be guaranteed a spot. The committee can then choose 3 wildcards.

The expansion of the playoff is one of the few ways the networks have to create more value.

Let's say that only 4 leave the Big 12 and 6 are left behind to rebuild...

If we assume Cincinnati goes to the ACC then we could reason that the Big 12 adds these 6 or something similar: BYU, Boise State, Houston, UConn, UCF, and USF. The quality of that league isn't immense, but it's probably more marketable than the current AAC. For the remainder of the AAC, unless they go OTT, I think they would end up with ESPN anyway. There's really nowhere else to go. At one point, FOX did invest in the CUSA, but they gave it up. CBS still owns the majority of the MWC, I believe, but I'm guessing part of the reason for that is there's only so many time slots ESPN can offer.

You'd probably still have 5 leagues on the lower rung and any deficiencies in the markets tapped could be filled with additions from the top FCS programs. So you've got a large amount of content for the P5 and a larger playoff to top it off. You've got the same deal with the G5 although I think their playoff could range from 12-16 and completely supplant their bowl structure.