Big 10 Report: Conference Realignment

[Mr. Laz]

A source in St. Louis familiar with the situation told NewsCenter 16 Thursday afternoon that Missouri will leave the Big XII and soon join the Big 10. Other schools expected to follow the Tigers are Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers and Nebraska.

Many have speculated that such an expansion would include Notre Dame but ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick told me today that the Irish prefer to stay independent in football and in the Big East for other sports. Swarbrick said maintaining football Independence is such a part of what Notre Dame is.

He went on to say the Big East is a great partner for the University in other sports.

"We do have to monitor what is going on," Swarbrick said. "There will be significant shifts. "Hopefully we can navigate them by keeping our football independent and keeping our Big East affiliation because that is what we care about."

The move of Syracuse, Pitt and Rutgers to the Big Ten from the Big East could categorically change the landscape of the Big East itself. Thus, what Swarbrick is referring to when stating the University must continue to monitor what is going on.

The interview with Swarbrick was done before the late afternoon announcement.

http://www.wndu.com/sports/headlines/92447574.html

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

That's what Iowa State is for.

Used to be for. Aren't laying in football anymore. Maybe this year in BBall... but not the next year. Got a starter transfer from Michigan St. and a transfer who got kicked off Minnesota that will be a first round NBA Draft pick according to Jordans, Wades, and Howards former trainer... not to mention a couple good recruits they got this year. Fred has already made a huge impact, in just a few months on the job.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by HerculesRockefell

It's a nice scenario, but there's a big problem: As long as Texas runs the conference and there is an unequal revenue distribution, the Big XII-2 is not long for this world.

KU, KSU, Iowa St, Mizzou, and Baylor obviously did whatever they had to do to keep the conference together because they had no other BCS conference to go to, but nothing they did helped make the conference viable in the long-term.

Continually adding teams to the conference would only further perpetuate the haves and the have nots.

The PAC 10, if you didn't know, also already operates on an uneven revenue distribution system, so I don't really know why that is such a big hangup. The format would provide huge TV contracts that all schools would ultimately benefit from. As we have seen, schools who may not have a sustainable single product could band together to form a more comprehensive package. Every conference has "have's and have not's". Northwestern getting 20 million from the Big 10 is unlikely to change its fortunes. Your objection sounds more like sour grapes to me. I don't believe Texas has ever been the #1 revenue earner since the conference's inception. The difference usually isn't more than 3 or 4 million dollars. I think this aspect is a bit overblown.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by RustShack

Used to be for. Aren't laying in football anymore. Maybe this year in BBall... but not the next year. Got a starter transfer from Michigan St. and a transfer who got kicked off Minnesota that will be a first round NBA Draft pick according to Jordans, Wades, and Howards former trainer... not to mention a couple good recruits they got this year. Fred has already made a huge impact, in just a few months on the job.

So you think ISU is gonna have a good football team? What about the Iowa vs ISU game in Iowa City? What is your prediction of the shellacking?

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

It would have 16 teams to the SEC's 12, that's why it would petition for the extra at large. Trying to determine the strength of one conference to another beyond a yearly timetable is a fool's errand. It had nothing to do with it in any event.

Four extra teams aren't worthy of an extra at-large bid.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by BWillie007

So you think ISU is gonna have a good football team? What about the Iowa vs ISU game in Iowa City? What is your prediction of the shellacking?

Good football team, yes. Record, probably not. One of the most talented teams ISU has had(not saying much) and looks like the best coaching staff they have had(mainly because of their OC and DC, but the HC looks like he could be the real deal too).. but they have the hardest schedule in the nation. I think their defense will be able to hold the Hawkeyes a lot better this year, and the 14 quarter streak without a TD will end. Win maybe not, but it will be within a score either way.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by RustShack

Good football team, yes. Record, probably not. One of the most talented teams ISU has had(not saying much) and looks like the best coaching staff they have had(mainly because of their OC and DC, but the HC looks like he could be the real deal too).. but they have the hardest schedule in the nation. I think their defense will be able to hold the Hawkeyes a lot better this year, and the 14 quarter streak without a TD will end. Win maybe not, but it will be within a score either way.

27-9 Hawkeyes.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by RustShack

but they have the hardest schedule in the nation.

Arguably, yes. 4 preseason top-10 teams. One could make an argument for Tennessee, though. They play (essentially) 3 top-10 preseason teams, 2 of them ranked higher than any team Iowa State plays, and a total of 5 top-25 preseason teams.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by BWillie007

27-9 Hawkeyes.

Yeah... no way they score that much this year.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

Four extra teams aren't worthy of an extra at-large bid.

Maybe not any four. Notre Dame already has a special case for being BCS eligible and USC has been the dominant team out of the PAC. Are you really trying to tell me if all four of those teams (with UT and OU) were BCS eligible the BCS wouldn't want them? Yeah, you keep sticking your head in that SEC sand.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

Maybe not any four. Notre Dame already has a special case for being BCS eligible and USC has been the dominant team out of the PAC. Are you really trying to tell me if all four of those teams (with UT and OU) were BCS eligible the BCS wouldn't want them? Yeah, you keep sticking your head in that SEC sand.

Sorry, but Alabama, Florida, LSU, and Georgia are every bit as strong as USC, UT, OU, and ND. Lumping those top 4 with 12 other teams doesn't deserve two at-large bids.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

Sorry, but Alabama, Florida, LSU, and Georgia are every bit as strong as USC, UT, OU, and ND. Lumping those top 4 with 12 other teams doesn't deserve two at-large bids.

Close toss up. I think on any given year USC and UT can be better than AL and FLA. Remember AL is just 2 seasons removed from a 6 loss year. They've got a ways to go before they become a USC type dynasty.

LSU and OU can either really good or really bad.

Georgia and Notre Dame are kinda in the same range I'll agree.

My power rankings for the last few years are this:

Florida
Texas
USC
Ohio State
Alabama
Oklahoma

If Alabama wins it again this year they go to #1. Saban does have that thing rollin

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

Close toss up. I think on any given year USC and UT can be better than AL and FLA. Remember AL is just 2 seasons removed from a 6 loss year. They've got a ways to go before they become a USC type dynasty.

LSU and OU can either really good or really bad.

Georgia and Notre Dame are kinda in the same range I'll agree.

My power rankings for the last few years are this:

Florida
Texas
USC
Ohio State
Alabama
Oklahoma

If Alabama wins it again this year they go to #1. Saban does have that thing rollin

I agree that it's a close toss-up. Which is why an additional at-large bid for his proposed 16-team conference is not warranted.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by BWillie007

So you think ISU is gonna have a good football team? What about the Iowa vs ISU game in Iowa City? What is your prediction of the shellacking?

Shut yo mouth! ISU has our frigging number every year no matter how good we are supposed to be and how shitty they are.
With Wegher so freaked out by knocking up his girlfriend that he can't practice or come to class the curse of Iowa being ranked top 10 preseason has already started.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

Four extra teams aren't worthy of an extra at-large bid.

Agreed. Not those 4 teams, not that conference anyway.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

I agree that it's a close toss-up. Which is why an additional at-large bid for his proposed 16-team conference is not warranted.

Why are you getting so bent out of shape about a long shot hypothetical? You should know college football isn't about how any one group of teams is at any particular time. College Football is about politics and ratings and there is no way on God's Green Turf that Georgia and LSU have the same kind of political clout and national appeal that Notre Dame and USC do. If you had Notre Dame vs a military academy and Georgia vs a military academy, I will guarantee you the Notre Dame game will pull in a higher rating. Same thing for USC and LSU. To pretend its close is to ignore a national appeal versus a regional one. Florida and Alabama have it, LSU and Georgia don't. In fact, those two schools are dropping faster with each passing year as anyone who has mild interest in the SEC could tell you. They are fine football schools that bring a lot of respect to the SEC as a whole, but they are not national schools. The closest one not on a national scale in the hypothetical is OU, but even their appeal is broader the Georgia and LSU. I'm not talking about how good any one team is "right now". Networks don't think that way. They think over a long term, which schools will be bring me constantly good ratings. If the SEC went to 16 teams, I'm sure they would get an extra at large as well. But, under the hypothetical, I have little doubt the merits would even be seriously questioned.