College football is about to undergo a massive change and realignment.
It should be interesting.
As an Oklahoma State fan/alum, we’re screwed.
But Matt Damon’s in a movie named after you guys
Kansas is now inquiring about joining the big 10.
I think adding Baylor would make more sense, dip into that Texas market.
So if we start seeing these superconferences with so many teams that you can easily play 12 games against a reasonably diverse slate without leaving the conference… Would the elite superconference teams have much incentive to bother with non-conference games?
Right now, the best reason for Ohio State and Clemson to play each other in the regular season is to secure a signature win for the playoff committee. Neither team is in a particularly strong conference, while Alabama or Georgia can punch their ticket with an 11-1 record in a very tough conference. If Ohio State or Clemson find themselves in an expanded conference with enough elite teams to build an impressive resume, does it make sense to leave the familiarity of the conference to face a team that you aren’t as prepared to face? The top SEC teams are basically there already. They could scrap their entire non-conference schedule and still get at least 1 team into the playoff every year.
Playoff maneuvering aside, having more marquee games with all of the revenue staying within the conference must be tempting. Texas and Oklahoma will make a mint in the SEC. It means a tougher schedule, but it also eliminates the risk of a 1 loss Texas/Oklahoma getting passed up for the playoff in favor of a 1 loss team from a tougher conference. An Oklahoma team with 1 loss against Alabama or Georgia is probably getting the last playoff spot over an Ohio State team with 1 loss against Penn State or Michigan (it could happen, I swear!)
I’m just thinking out loud. We’ll have to see if more of the big ticket teams decide to reposition themselves, especially as the impact of players getting endorsements kicks in.