The ACC should expand with Notre Dame going all in, West Virginia coming on board from the Big 12, and Maryland returning from the Big 10 with Purdue.

The Big 12 should expand by first taking Nebraska and if possible Iowa from the Big 10.

The SEC should move to take the money schools from the Big 10: Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, and Wisconsin and add Indiana for a rival for Kentucky.

Why? The courts are going to make it almost impossible for athletics and academics to remain joined at the hip in conference realignment. Conferences are gong to find it is more profitable for the academic associations to be separate from the academic ones. Academic conferences will one day have nothing to do with academic ones. When this happens the most profitable sports associations for the members of the SEC and Big 10 will be each other. Add to this the fact that in order to remain competitive the Big 10 will need ties to the Southeast & Texas for recruiting purposes and it simply makes sense and money.

I'm guessing such an association will be worth 100 million or more per school. But before that takes place it might be wise for the SEC to make it easy for Arkansas and Missouri to return to the Big 12. If so the SEC could look like this:

North: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin
East: Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vanderbilt
West: Alabama, Louisiana State, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Texas A&M



ACC:
North: Boston College, Maryland, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Syracuse
East: Duke, North Carolina, N.C. State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia
South: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, Wake Forest

Big 12:
North: Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska
South: Arkansas, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Christian
West: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Southern Cal, Texas Tech, Utah

New PAC:
North: Air Force, Army, Illinois, Minnesota, Navy, Northwestern, Rutgers'

West: California, Cal Los Angeles, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, Wash State

If the B1G goes the way of the dodo, I think it happens relatively quickly and in piecemeal fashion. First, I do believe the PAC sticks it out at 12 and doesn’t bring in any B1G schools.

First Round:

XII
The easiest move will be Nebraska back to the XII. The Huskers have been a skeleton of their past since leaving and with new leadership all around, any bad blood is likely gone. Another move I see as being fairly easy is Maryland to the XII. The SEC has their sights on much bigger fish and the ACC top dogs likely want nothing to do with Maryland. That means a neighbor for West Virginia.

SEC
The SEC grabs the big fish next with Michigan and Ohio St. Those two will follow the money and the SEC sees a big paycheck by adding those two.

ACC
Seeing a chance to be somewhat part of the Eastern conference they always desired, Penn St and the ACC reach a deal in which the ACC agrees to take Penn St’s friend: Rutgers.

Count: XII - 12, SEC - 16, ACC - 16
Remaining: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan St, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin

Second Round:

XII
Due to proximity and rivals, Iowa moves to the XII along with close rivals Minnesota and Wisconsin. These 3 see the opportunity of starting fresh together and having a chance they wouldn’t likely have by being in the SEC.

SEC
After discussions with their 2 newest members, the conference invites and accepts Michigan St. With 1 more opening, the SEC adds an historical basketball power with Indiana. At 18, the SEC is done.

ACC
At the consult of Notre Dame, the ACC sits still at 16. They understand there will always be a chance to add later should the XII implode.

Count: XII - 15, SEC - 18, ACC - 16
Remaining: Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue

Third Round:

XII
At the request of their newer members, the XII adds the remaining 3 B1G schools and calls it at 18.

—-

Alignment:

PAC: same

ACC
North: Boston College, Louisville, Miami, Penn St, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
South: Clemson, Duke, Florida St, North Carolina, North Carolina St, Virginia, Wake Forest

XII
East: Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Purdue, West Virginia, Wisconsin
South: Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech
West: Iowa, Iowa St, Kansas, Kansas St, Nebraska, Northwestern

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

(08-16-2020 03:52 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  If the B1G goes the way of the dodo, I think it happens relatively quickly and in piecemeal fashion. First, I do believe the PAC sticks it out at 12 and doesn’t bring in any B1G schools.

First Round:

XII
The easiest move will be Nebraska back to the XII. The Huskers have been a skeleton of their past since leaving and with new leadership all around, any bad blood is likely gone. Another move I see as being fairly easy is Maryland to the XII. The SEC has their sights on much bigger fish and the ACC top dogs likely want nothing to do with Maryland. That means a neighbor for West Virginia.

SEC
The SEC grabs the big fish next with Michigan and Ohio St. Those two will follow the money and the SEC sees a big paycheck by adding those two.

ACC
Seeing a chance to be somewhat part of the Eastern conference they always desired, Penn St and the ACC reach a deal in which the ACC agrees to take Penn St’s friend: Rutgers.

Count: XII - 12, SEC - 16, ACC - 16
Remaining: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan St, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin

Second Round:

XII
Due to proximity and rivals, Iowa moves to the XII along with close rivals Minnesota and Wisconsin. These 3 see the opportunity of starting fresh together and having a chance they wouldn’t likely have by being in the SEC.

SEC
After discussions with their 2 newest members, the conference invites and accepts Michigan St. With 1 more opening, the SEC adds an historical basketball power with Indiana. At 18, the SEC is done.

ACC
At the consult of Notre Dame, the ACC sits still at 16. They understand there will always be a chance to add later should the XII implode.

Count: XII - 15, SEC - 18, ACC - 16
Remaining: Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue

Third Round:

XII
At the request of their newer members, the XII adds the remaining 3 B1G schools and calls it at 18.

—-

Alignment:

PAC: same

ACC
North: Boston College, Louisville, Miami, Penn St, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
South: Clemson, Duke, Florida St, North Carolina, North Carolina St, Virginia, Wake Forest

XII
East: Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Purdue, West Virginia, Wisconsin
South: Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech
West: Iowa, Iowa St, Kansas, Kansas St, Nebraska, Northwestern

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

You are one light in the ACC where I do think Maryland would be welcomed back and actually a preferred travel partner for Penn State. So add Maryland to the ACC South or Virginia Tech, or Louisville and it works. Unless of course you intended to Add Notre Dame and simply forgot them.

Then pick up B.Y.U. for the Big 12 and you are done. If Maryland returns to the ACC in full then N.D. can remain a partial.

I like the 4 you picked out for the SEC.

(08-16-2020 04:20 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(08-16-2020 03:52 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  If the B1G goes the way of the dodo, I think it happens relatively quickly and in piecemeal fashion. First, I do believe the PAC sticks it out at 12 and doesn’t bring in any B1G schools.

First Round:

XII
The easiest move will be Nebraska back to the XII. The Huskers have been a skeleton of their past since leaving and with new leadership all around, any bad blood is likely gone. Another move I see as being fairly easy is Maryland to the XII. The SEC has their sights on much bigger fish and the ACC top dogs likely want nothing to do with Maryland. That means a neighbor for West Virginia.

SEC
The SEC grabs the big fish next with Michigan and Ohio St. Those two will follow the money and the SEC sees a big paycheck by adding those two.

ACC
Seeing a chance to be somewhat part of the Eastern conference they always desired, Penn St and the ACC reach a deal in which the ACC agrees to take Penn St’s friend: Rutgers.

Count: XII - 12, SEC - 16, ACC - 16
Remaining: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan St, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin

Second Round:

XII
Due to proximity and rivals, Iowa moves to the XII along with close rivals Minnesota and Wisconsin. These 3 see the opportunity of starting fresh together and having a chance they wouldn’t likely have by being in the SEC.

SEC
After discussions with their 2 newest members, the conference invites and accepts Michigan St. With 1 more opening, the SEC adds an historical basketball power with Indiana. At 18, the SEC is done.

ACC
At the consult of Notre Dame, the ACC sits still at 16. They understand there will always be a chance to add later should the XII implode.

Count: XII - 15, SEC - 18, ACC - 16
Remaining: Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue

Third Round:

XII
At the request of their newer members, the XII adds the remaining 3 B1G schools and calls it at 18.

—-

Alignment:

PAC: same

ACC
North: Boston College, Louisville, Miami, Penn St, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
South: Clemson, Duke, Florida St, North Carolina, North Carolina St, Virginia, Wake Forest

XII
East: Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Purdue, West Virginia, Wisconsin
South: Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech
West: Iowa, Iowa St, Kansas, Kansas St, Nebraska, Northwestern

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

You are one light in the ACC where I do think Maryland would be welcomed back and actually a preferred travel partner for Penn State. So add Maryland to the ACC South or Virginia Tech, or Louisville and it works. Unless of course you intended to Add Notre Dame and simply forgot them.

Then pick up B.Y.U. for the Big 12 and you are done. If Maryland returns to the ACC in full then N.D. can remain a partial.

I like the 4 you picked out for the SEC.

I figured out I missed Georgia Tech! Throw them into the South.

Like many other realignment scenarios, the status of Notre Dame is the wildcard. If they manage to maintain their semi-independent status through all this, and should Mizzou and Arky decide to stay, then it's possible that both the ACC and SEC have to go above 16.

If Mizzou stays then adding Illinois as a rival for them makes sense. Mizzou/Illinois and Indiana/Kentucky as annuals would draw interest in the region. The Big XII would just draw in the Quad of Hate and then look at a private school in the Deep South like Tulane to help open more recruiting territory.

XII

Nebraska, Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas, Kansas State
Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas, TCU, Baylor, Tulane

SEC

Missouri, Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Illinois
Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
Texas A&M, LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Mississippi State
Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina

ACC

Northwestern, Purdue, Pitt, Syracuse, Louisville
Boston College, Penn State, Rutgers, Maryland
Virginia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Duke, North Carolina State
Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida State, Miami


That's 19 for the ACC, as part of a "leave the light open" move to entice ND to finally commit. Rules would likely be changed to remove requiring divisions, so games like Nebraska-Oklahoma can be played annually.

I wonder how a 3 x 20 would work with this?

Boston College, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Rutgers
Louisville, Maryland, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Purdue
Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia
Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami, N.C. State
*Wake Forest

Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Wisconsin
Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri
Auburn, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee
Alabama, Louisiana State, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Texas A&M
*Vanderbilt

Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Christian, Texas Tech
Colorado, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska
Arizona, Arizona State, Brigham Young, California Los Angeles, Southern Cal, Utah
California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Washington, Washington State

This cuts the total overhead by 2/5ths and reduces the existing overhead by splitting it between more schools. It groups schools well within regions and keeps most old rivalries together.

You could play 10 conference games and have 1 game with each of the other two conferences which could be permanent rivalries or rotations.

You have an 8 team playoff taking each conferences #1 and #2 schools and two at large.

While obviously the money schools would be the way to go, culturally speaking, I'd say:

The SEC invites: Nebraska and Indiana

Both are contiguous, Indiana is an AAU, and both right now would be expanding from the middle of the pack in terms of football. Indiana also brings the basketball history.

This is significant because then the SEC can add: Oklahoma and Kansas from the Big 12 to go to 18.

All of a sudden, OK and Nebraska are conference rivals again. The SEC has 4 of the old Big 8.

West: Texas A&M, OK, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas
Central: Alabama, Auburn, Miss, Miss St, LSU, Vanderbilt
East: Indiana, KY, TN, USC, Florida, Georgia

The money schools are the easy picks here. I think the question is how many and what sort of divisional alignment would be necessary.

I don't see Arkansas or Missouri wanting to leave. For Missouri, the faction that didn't want to be in the SEC is the same faction that wanted to be in the Big Ten. I think if a portion of the B1G joins up then that's only going to make our situation more attractive for them. Plus, they'd have to go hat in hand back to Texas for permission and I don't see anyone being interested in that...especially because they'd likely make more money with us.

For Arkansas, we now have a generation of fans that have grown up with the SEC. Admittedly, they don't have a ton of bitter rivals or anything, but especially with the addition of Texas A&M, I don't think they would have serious interest elsewhere. Some of their old SWC rivals aren't even in the P5. I think the only one they might really care about playing is Texas. While the other Big 12 schools are close geographically, they've never shared a conference.

If we made some additions then Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan are the obvious ones. Michigan State makes sense. I think Indiana makes sense too, as a rival for Kentucky and the geography works. Speaking of geography, I think the 6th addition is a little more tricky.

Wisconsin is the best program on the board, but it would create a large gap to get to them. Nebraska fits well culturally, but they're on the fringes. Iowa is somewhere in between those 2. Maryland wouldn't really fit and I have no interest in Rutgers. I'm going to go ahead and agree with Transic that Illinois makes a lot of sense.

Geographically, there's no gap. Champaign, Illinois isn't actually that far from Indiana, Kentucky, or Missouri. Any other Big Ten program outside of Purdue would pose a greater challenge travel wise. Also, it's a pretty populous state. If Illinois could ever get to a place of decent competition then they'd have something.

(08-17-2020 04:28 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  The money schools are the easy picks here. I think the question is how many and what sort of divisional alignment would be necessary.

I don't see Arkansas or Missouri wanting to leave. For Missouri, the faction that didn't want to be in the SEC is the same faction that wanted to be in the Big Ten. I think if a portion of the B1G joins up then that's only going to make our situation more attractive for them. Plus, they'd have to go hat in hand back to Texas for permission and I don't see anyone being interested in that...especially because they'd likely make more money with us.

For Arkansas, we now have a generation of fans that have grown up with the SEC. Admittedly, they don't have a ton of bitter rivals or anything, but especially with the addition of Texas A&M, I don't think they would have serious interest elsewhere. Some of their old SWC rivals aren't even in the P5. I think the only one they might really care about playing is Texas. While the other Big 12 schools are close geographically, they've never shared a conference.

If we made some additions then Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan are the obvious ones. Michigan State makes sense. I think Indiana makes sense too, as a rival for Kentucky and the geography works. Speaking of geography, I think the 6th addition is a little more tricky.

Wisconsin is the best program on the board, but it would create a large gap to get to them. Nebraska fits well culturally, but they're on the fringes. Iowa is somewhere in between those 2. Maryland wouldn't really fit and I have no interest in Rutgers. I'm going to go ahead and agree with Transic that Illinois makes a lot of sense.

Geographically, there's no gap. Champaign, Illinois isn't actually that far from Indiana, Kentucky, or Missouri. Any other Big Ten program outside of Purdue would pose a greater challenge travel wise. Also, it's a pretty populous state. If Illinois could ever get to a place of decent competition then they'd have something.

You must not have read my last alignment.

(08-17-2020 04:31 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(08-17-2020 04:28 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  The money schools are the easy picks here. I think the question is how many and what sort of divisional alignment would be necessary.

I don't see Arkansas or Missouri wanting to leave. For Missouri, the faction that didn't want to be in the SEC is the same faction that wanted to be in the Big Ten. I think if a portion of the B1G joins up then that's only going to make our situation more attractive for them. Plus, they'd have to go hat in hand back to Texas for permission and I don't see anyone being interested in that...especially because they'd likely make more money with us.

For Arkansas, we now have a generation of fans that have grown up with the SEC. Admittedly, they don't have a ton of bitter rivals or anything, but especially with the addition of Texas A&M, I don't think they would have serious interest elsewhere. Some of their old SWC rivals aren't even in the P5. I think the only one they might really care about playing is Texas. While the other Big 12 schools are close geographically, they've never shared a conference.

If we made some additions then Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan are the obvious ones. Michigan State makes sense. I think Indiana makes sense too, as a rival for Kentucky and the geography works. Speaking of geography, I think the 6th addition is a little more tricky.

Wisconsin is the best program on the board, but it would create a large gap to get to them. Nebraska fits well culturally, but they're on the fringes. Iowa is somewhere in between those 2. Maryland wouldn't really fit and I have no interest in Rutgers. I'm going to go ahead and agree with Transic that Illinois makes a lot of sense.

Geographically, there's no gap. Champaign, Illinois isn't actually that far from Indiana, Kentucky, or Missouri. Any other Big Ten program outside of Purdue would pose a greater challenge travel wise. Also, it's a pretty populous state. If Illinois could ever get to a place of decent competition then they'd have something.

You must not have read my last alignment.

I did miss that. I'll have to go back and look more closely.

(08-17-2020 04:52 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  

(08-17-2020 04:31 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(08-17-2020 04:28 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  The money schools are the easy picks here. I think the question is how many and what sort of divisional alignment would be necessary.

I don't see Arkansas or Missouri wanting to leave. For Missouri, the faction that didn't want to be in the SEC is the same faction that wanted to be in the Big Ten. I think if a portion of the B1G joins up then that's only going to make our situation more attractive for them. Plus, they'd have to go hat in hand back to Texas for permission and I don't see anyone being interested in that...especially because they'd likely make more money with us.

For Arkansas, we now have a generation of fans that have grown up with the SEC. Admittedly, they don't have a ton of bitter rivals or anything, but especially with the addition of Texas A&M, I don't think they would have serious interest elsewhere. Some of their old SWC rivals aren't even in the P5. I think the only one they might really care about playing is Texas. While the other Big 12 schools are close geographically, they've never shared a conference.

If we made some additions then Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan are the obvious ones. Michigan State makes sense. I think Indiana makes sense too, as a rival for Kentucky and the geography works. Speaking of geography, I think the 6th addition is a little more tricky.

Wisconsin is the best program on the board, but it would create a large gap to get to them. Nebraska fits well culturally, but they're on the fringes. Iowa is somewhere in between those 2. Maryland wouldn't really fit and I have no interest in Rutgers. I'm going to go ahead and agree with Transic that Illinois makes a lot of sense.

Geographically, there's no gap. Champaign, Illinois isn't actually that far from Indiana, Kentucky, or Missouri. Any other Big Ten program outside of Purdue would pose a greater challenge travel wise. Also, it's a pretty populous state. If Illinois could ever get to a place of decent competition then they'd have something.

You must not have read my last alignment.

I did miss that. I'll have to go back and look more closely.

I went back and read your post JR and I’ll add that and the post I made in the B1G cancellation thread about the big ten schools trying to salvage a season.

I think for this year, if legally possible, add the four Big Ten schools actively trying to play fall ball if they determine they can’t get a schedule approved or put together. As far as permanent realignment after that season, I’m sure a couple of those schools might consider leaving the Big Ten depending on how this play out. As far as Arkansas and Mizzou returning to the Big 12, not gonna happen.

I could see Ohio State, Nebraska, Iowa and Penn State playing a revised SEC schedule this season. Who would stick around for future seasons? Ohio State seems obvious while Iowa Nebraska and Penn State would probably explore other more natural conferences.

Also, I wonder how much money a per team payout would be in this scenario?