It would take some new rules regarding semi-finals in the Conference Championship scheme, but the B1G, SEC, and PAC could make a power move to secure more revenue from themselves by using a 3-division scheduling and championship model for expansion.

It's 2020 - Delaney grabs UNC, Virginia, Duke, and Georgia Tech to grow the B1G to 18 teams. The conference is divided into East, West, and South divisions as follows:

WEST: Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern
EAST: Michigan, Michigan St., Indiana, Purdue, Ohio St., Penn St.
SOUTH: Rutgers, Maryland, UNC, Virginia, Duke, Georgia Tech

5-2-2 schedule format with Conference Championship of Division winners plus a Wild Card.

The PAC throws out all the stops and is able to invade the Big 12 (now at 12 members, with BYU and Cincy added in 2017) - adding an East division:

NORTH: Cal, Stanford, Oregon, OSU, Washington, WSU
SOUTH: UCLA, USC, Arizona, ASU, Utah, Colorado
EAST: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa St., Texas Tech, BYU

Same 5-2-2 schedule and conference championship format.

SEC follows suit, but grows to 21 schools through a new 7-team East division:

WEST: Texas A&M, Missouri, Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Miss St., Vanderbilt
SOUTH: Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida
EAST: NOTRE DAME, Florida St., Clemson, Virginia Tech, NC State, Pitt, Syracuse

The SEC opts for a 6-1-1+1 schedule, with Florida-FSU and SC-Clemson as locked rivalries.

The Big 12 is left with 6 (remember Cincy was added in 2017) and the ACC has 4. They merge and add four others to a new-look Big 15...or Big 3 (divisions):

WEST: TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma St., Kansas St., Houston
CENTRAL: Louisville, WVU, Cincinnati, USF, Memphis
EAST: Boston College, Wake, Miami, UCF, UConn

4-2-2 schedule.

The MWC merges with the AAC leftovers and adopts the American name and a 6-team East division by picking up SMU, Tulane, Tulsa, Navy, ECU, and Temple.

WEST: SDSU, Fresno, SJSU, Hawaii, UNLV, Nevada
MOUNTAIN: Boise St., Utah St., Wyoming, CSU, Air Force, New Mexico
EAST: SMU, Tulsa, Tulane, Navy, ECU, Temple

The result is: 3 Super-Power conferences of 18 to 21 teams, the tweener Big 15, and the 18-team American. Once the dust settles, the CFP renewal includes an expansion to 6- teams and berth for each of the 3 Super-Power Champs and NY7 contracted bowls with each of the above 5 conferences, with the Las Vegas Bowl added as a Contract Bowl - in a new 60K-seat stadium on the Strip.

(08-31-2015 06:59 PM)YNot Wrote:  The PAC throws out all the stops and is able to invade the Big 12 (now at 12 members, with BYU and Cincy added in 2017) - adding an East division:

NORTH: Cal, Stanford, Oregon, OSU, Washington, WSU
SOUTH: UCLA, USC, Arizona, ASU, Utah, Colorado
EAST: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa St., Texas Tech, BYU

Same 5-2-2 schedule and conference championship format.

This would kill the yearly matchups between the NorCal and SoCal schools. That alone would prevent this alignment.

Yawn. BYU isn't going to the PAC.

The B12 would be better served dumping USF and grabbing NIU for the Chicago market in these "mega conference" scenarios

They already have UCF, why double down on the same market when you can expand footprint and tap into a MUCH more lucrative media market while grabbing a winning program?

(08-31-2015 07:53 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  The B12 would be better served dumping USF and grabbing NIU for the Chicago market in these "mega conference" scenarios

They already have UCF, why double down on the same market when you can expand footprint and tap into a MUCH more lucrative media market while grabbing a winning program?

A) NIU doesn't have the Chicago market. Period. It's a pro sports market first (Just like Boston and Philly) with a Big Ten team and ND close by. The more you say it, the more Delusional you sound.

B) UCF is in the Orlando Market, USF is in Tampa. Different markets.

(08-31-2015 09:13 PM)utpotts Wrote:  

(08-31-2015 07:53 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  The B12 would be better served dumping USF and grabbing NIU for the Chicago market in these "mega conference" scenarios

They already have UCF, why double down on the same market when you can expand footprint and tap into a MUCH more lucrative media market while grabbing a winning program?

A) NIU doesn't have the Chicago market. Period. It's a pro sports market first (Just like Boston and Philly) with a Big Ten team and ND close by. The more you say it, the more Delusional you sound.

B) UCF is in the Orlando Market, USF is in Tampa. Different markets.

Being in the Chicago Media Market (which NIU is) grants them access to said market... you (and many others) misinterpret what is meant when someone says "brings that market". Of course they dont own it, no college does. But they do provide access to it through proximity and that's what counts. Ex:Rutgers

I don't see it.

At 18 you're essentially forming two seperate conferences with a scheduling and bowl game agreement.

(08-31-2015 09:15 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(08-31-2015 09:13 PM)utpotts Wrote:  

(08-31-2015 07:53 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  The B12 would be better served dumping USF and grabbing NIU for the Chicago market in these "mega conference" scenarios

They already have UCF, why double down on the same market when you can expand footprint and tap into a MUCH more lucrative media market while grabbing a winning program?

A) NIU doesn't have the Chicago market. Period. It's a pro sports market first (Just like Boston and Philly) with a Big Ten team and ND close by. The more you say it, the more Delusional you sound.

B) UCF is in the Orlando Market, USF is in Tampa. Different markets.

Being in the Chicago Media Market (which NIU is) grants them access to said market... you (and many others) misinterpret what is meant when someone says "brings that market". Of course they dont own it, no college does. But they do provide access to it through proximity and that's what counts. Ex:Rutgers

So basically what you are saying is that they should be in just by default? Not on the merits of what the team has done and your outstanding attendance?

BTW...... Rutgers is an AAU school, with 60,000 plus students. That kinda fits into the Big Ten model.

(08-31-2015 07:53 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  The B12 would be better served dumping USF and grabbing NIU for the Chicago market in these "mega conference" scenarios

They already have UCF, why double down on the same market when you can expand footprint and tap into a MUCH more lucrative media market while grabbing a winning program?

Please stop being unrealistic. NIU needs to be looking at the AAC if it wants to move up to the next level.

USF is a level ahead of NIU. Nobody but possibly Rice could make a jump from a low level conference like MAC, C-USA, Sun Belt into a power conference. The natural progression is to the MW or AAC and then on to a power conference.

I love that you dream big but claiming the Chicago market? Sorry, low level conference schools don't' bring any markets. They just don't . TV ratings and attendance confirms this.

Florida>Illinois as far as college football is concerned. Bigger AD budget, enrollment, donations, ticket sales, academics, recruiting, overall AD, etc.. NIU does not compare well to AAC teams in general.

(08-31-2015 07:40 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Yawn. BYU isn't going to the PAC.

I'd like to see them in a 16 team Big 12 with a Bible school division of BYU, TCU, SMU, and Baylor.

(08-31-2015 09:56 PM)Okielite Wrote:  

(08-31-2015 07:53 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  The B12 would be better served dumping USF and grabbing NIU for the Chicago market in these "mega conference" scenarios

They already have UCF, why double down on the same market when you can expand footprint and tap into a MUCH more lucrative media market while grabbing a winning program?

Please stop being unrealistic. NIU needs to be looking at the AAC if it wants to move up to the next level.

USF is a level ahead of NIU. Nobody but possibly Rice could make a jump from a low level conference like MAC, C-USA, Sun Belt into a power conference. The natural progression is to the MW or AAC and then on to a power conference.

I love that you dream big but claiming the Chicago market? Sorry, low level conference schools don't' bring any markets. They just don't . TV ratings and attendance confirms this.

Florida>Illinois as far as college football is concerned. Bigger AD budget, enrollment, donations, ticket sales, academics, recruiting, overall AD, etc.. NIU does not compare well to AAC teams in general.

This is assuming the year is 2020 (if i read the topic correctly), a lot can happen in 5 year's time.

(08-31-2015 07:33 PM)GiveEmTheAxe Wrote:  

(08-31-2015 06:59 PM)YNot Wrote:  The PAC throws out all the stops and is able to invade the Big 12 (now at 12 members, with BYU and Cincy added in 2017) - adding an East division:

NORTH: Cal, Stanford, Oregon, OSU, Washington, WSU
SOUTH: UCLA, USC, Arizona, ASU, Utah, Colorado
EAST: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa St., Texas Tech, BYU

Same 5-2-2 schedule and conference championship format.

This would kill the yearly matchups between the NorCal and SoCal schools. That alone would prevent this alignment.

It does keep the current divisions which might be appealing to some schools like Colorado, Utah, Arizona ASU, etc.. who probably don't' want to be in a division with any of the new schools.

Also gives you a really fun way to have a conference semifinal with 3 division champs and the highest rated wildcard.

My guess is that a 5-6 team package of Big 12 teams with Rice possibly in the mix might be the best option for the PAC even if they can't get Texas. When you look at all the other alternatives (UNLV, Boise, New Mexico, Hawaii) it makes some sense. Guess it essentially just depends how important getting into the central time zone is. There is no doubt that adding those schools would add a bunch of rabid fan bases which would gladly pay for PACN.

If 6 Big 12 teams go to the PAC it is pretty easy to see UT taking Baylor, TCU, WVU, and 1 more to the ACC. By far the easiest way to dissolve the Big 12 with no lawsuits and quite frankly improve the PAC and ACC to the point where it would truly be P-4.

(08-31-2015 10:12 PM)Okielite Wrote:  

(08-31-2015 07:33 PM)GiveEmTheAxe Wrote:  This would kill the yearly matchups between the NorCal and SoCal schools. That alone would prevent this alignment.

It does keep the current divisions which might be appealing to some schools like Colorado, Utah, Arizona ASU, etc.. who probably don't' want to be in a division with any of the new schools.

Also gives you a really fun way to have a conference semifinal with 3 division champs and the highest rated wildcard.

My guess is that a 5-6 team package of Big 12 teams with Rice possibly in the mix might be the best option for the PAC even if they can't get Texas. When you look at all the other alternatives (UNLV, Boise, New Mexico, Hawaii) it makes some sense. Guess it essentially just depends how important getting into the central time zone is. There is no doubt that adding those schools would add a bunch of rabid fan bases which would gladly pay for PACN.

If 6 Big 12 teams go to the PAC it is pretty easy to see UT taking Baylor, TCU, WVU, and 1 more to the ACC. By far the easiest way to dissolve the Big 12 with no lawsuits and quite frankly improve the PAC and ACC to the point where it would truly be P-4.

OK, move Utah and Colorado to the North and Cal and Stanford to the South. Also, replaced BYU with Rice in the East. This gets the annual Cali-school matchups and gets the North teams into California in most years and in Texas every other year. It also adds four new AAU members.

NORTH: Oregon, OSU, Washington, WSU, Utah, Colorado
SOUTH: UCLA, USC, Arizona, ASU, Cal, Stanford
EAST: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa St., Texas Tech, Rice

(09-01-2015 11:27 AM)YNot Wrote:  OK, move Utah and Colorado to the North and Cal and Stanford to the South. Also, replaced BYU with Rice in the East. This gets the annual Cali-school matchups and gets the North teams into California in most years and in Texas every other year. It also adds four new AAU members.

NORTH: Oregon, OSU, Washington, WSU, Utah, Colorado
SOUTH: UCLA, USC, Arizona, ASU, Cal, Stanford
EAST: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa St., Texas Tech, Rice

Instead of 15 teams, the Big 12 goes to 18 - adding BYU, Boise St., and Colorado St.:

WEST: BYU, Boise St., CSU, Oklahoma St., Kansas St., Houston
CENTRAL: TCU, Baylor, Louisville, WVU, Cincinnati, Memphis
EAST: Boston College, Wake, Miami, UCF, USF, UConn

5-2-2 schedule.

The AAC/MWC merger loses Boise St. and CSU and backfills with UTEP and UTSA.

WEST: SDSU, Fresno, SJSU, Hawaii, UNLV, Nevada
MOUNTAIN: Utah St., Wyoming, Air Force, New Mexico, UTEP, UTSA
EAST: SMU, Tulsa, Tulane, Navy, ECU, Temple