I was going based on draft picks. Not current players. Because current players is only like 1/2 of the 2021 draft and even less the further you go back.
The bottom 8 or so of the top 32 and the top 8 out or so are pretty close.
The biggest factor that separated them is simply end of season rankings and conference finishes the last 25 years.
Last 9 in.
Nebraska,
Utah,
MSU
Louisville,
Ksu
Boise
OkSU
So Carolina
Stanford
TCU has multiple championships and 6 top 10 finishes.
Boise has been the only consistent group of 5 team in the last 25 years.
I would argue if they were in the Pac12 during that stretch they would be near the top in the standings every year and way more revenue
I think one issue could be the huge amounts of money that flow from those mid level schools into the system. Mid level power conference programs that might not make the top league are still huge cash cows, and they won’t go quietly.
I figured it was closer than that, we are still talking big money. Do you think there would be room in the market for another junior division? Or would you predict that the teams stuck in the non32 group would eventually just wither into some sort of fcs+?
Note, I am not attacking the idea, I just wonder what might be in store for the teams left behind.
I know it all needs to change, but I struggle with the ‘how’ a lot. Those 32 teams are (with some debate at the end) the cream of the crop. They are the cream of the crop because they beat up on all the other schools not in that list. If they all start bashing each other’s heads in, a lot of the luster comes off IMO. Michigan plays three tough games a year when they are good. You switch to a 32 conference team they could easily finish .500 every year. Will fans stay loyal? Will recruiting drop? Will kids from Florida and the South want to go all the way up North to Ohio State and Michigan in this scenario? How will the basketball schools who trade their revenue for football revenue react? The UCLAs, Kentuckys, Indiana, Virginia’s, Duke’s and NCs of the world? Maybe the premier league is a good indication of what would happen. I don’t know. In one way it would be exciting to see great games every week. In another, its a great unknown. You could see a realignment of who the cream of the crop is within that 32. As formerly great programs sink to mediocrity.
@snags as a Spartan fan I could see MSU either on or off the list. Dbend makes a solid argument for MSU.
@DBend144 this is a well presented an interesting topic. But is this suggesting realignment solely due to football? No concern for basketball, academic relationships, or other? I don’t actually have any issue with the way you presented but many top BB schools have been left off (understandably justified)
I actually think relegation over financial penalty or vacating wins would be a solid way to deter teams from cheating. I doubt UMich would have cheated if the penalty was the shame of being out of the top bracket and the loss of revenue that went with it.
And doubt its true. Things can change. Why bother shuffling teams in and out? What is the real downside of keeping them in?
I’m not trying to be argumentative (or naive), but I don’t see the need to be exclusive. I’m probably missing something, but even if I am, Wouldn’t it be better if teams opted out?
The premise, based on prior threads is focused on football and revenue, iirc.
I simply don’t see universities going down this route, at least, to the 32 team proposal seen here. I think you will see a change along this line, I just think it will be more than 32 teams.
Because of marketing. And money. The TV market controls everything.
The smaller schools will still be featured on ESPN2, ESPNU, FS1, CBSCN, CW, TNT etc.
But the league will be on the big networks. Like they already are.
And the league will have more good games. No body wants to watch Msu vs Central. Or Alabama vs FAU.
And this is JUST for football. Every other sport will continue for in the existing conferences.
And the only thing that could make those smaller schools competitive is putting heavy restrictions on NIL, and transferring
Which those larger 32 schools would never allow.
More times than not, change in sports weakens it. College football is joke now. So is Major League Baseball.
Sports for the most part need to be left alone. I’m still loyal to the NFL but I shouldn’t be lol. The rule changes year after year are ridiculous. Don’t even get me started on replay
Fyi
I know a little about west coast football
Wash state has had at least 3 top ten rankings depending which polls used.
2019
2003
1998 when they lost to michigan in rose bowl
Wondering how accurate the rest of the chart is. UCLA may have also finished in top 10 multiple times over the years
I see the NCAA going to a 32 type league in the near future
Money is the key of course and the blue bloods want it all
Having said that, i miss the rose bowl on jan 1st when big 10 vs pac 10 always put on a show in the grandaddy of all bowls
Alas, those days are gone
