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

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I believe that's exactly what we're heading towards. If so, MU has a home and I don't really care where it is. Let's just pick it and move forward.

Yeah, quoting myself because I didn't quite get myself right earlier.

I actually think it will be 4 divisions of 4 (large footprints will need to be tighly subdivided to keep costs down) with a 'mini-playoff' each super conference. From there you'll get the 'plus 1' format that determines the national championship.

That way you'll still have a bunch of games that can generate an assload of revenue.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by kstater

And impossible to obtain due to the ginormous anti-trust lawsuit that would be filed from teams not in the 64.

Just as DIV 1 is under no obligation to allow just any FBS school admission to Div. 1, this 64 team block could likely create a rubrick that separates the top 64 from the rest of the chaff and make it legal.

Northeast Missouri State isn't presently in the running for the Div1 National Championship, nor would the NCAA be required to let them into Div1 to compete for it even if they applied (several schools have had applications for Div. 1 status that were rejected). Why couldn't they further subdivide schools?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I believe that's exactly what we're heading towards. If so, MU has a home and I don't really care where it is. Let's just pick it and move forward.

MU will have a home.

And if the superconferences don't happen this year, and that increases the liklihood of Mizzou's home being either the PAC or the BiG, I'm all for riding out the Big 12 a few more years rather than panicking about a need to GET INTO THE SEC RIGHT NOW (as some Missouri fans have).

The TV deals in place are going to be honored, so the money is still going to be good. Missouri will still be in an AQ league, it will still have the money and access to keep building up its football program, and it will have a much better chance to win some conference titles than if it jumped SEC right now.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Just as DIV 1 is under no obligation to allow just any FBS school admission to Div. 1, this 64 team block could likely create a rubrick that separates the top 64 from the rest of the chaff and make it legal.

Northeast Missouri State isn't presently in the running for the Div1 National Championship, nor would the NCAA be required to let them into Div1 to compete for it even if they applied (several schools have had applications for Div. 1 status that were rejected). Why couldn't they further subdivide schools?

Exactly. That's exactly what will happen.

Probably will move to a new divisional setup. And that's IF the new conferences even choose to remain part of the NCAA. Likely, they would tell the NCAA to eff off and do their own thing at that point.

[kstater]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

MU will have a home.

And if the superconferences don't happen this year, and that increases the liklihood of Mizzou's home being either the PAC or the BiG, I'm all for riding out the Big 12 a few more years rather than panicking about a need to GET INTO THE SEC RIGHT NOW (as some Missouri fans have).

The TV deals in place are going to be honored, so the money is still going to be good. Missouri will still be in an AQ league, it will still have the money and access to keep building up its football program, and it will have a much better chance to win some conference titles than if it jumped SEC right now.

Current D1 schools have have a chance currently to win the title(and the money that comes with it). Freezing out teams not in a mega conference would certainly open that door.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I'm anti- SEC move unless the PAC-XX or BiG are not legitimate options. The Big East would be a good short-term move, but ultimately would not work (and that conference is going to die, anyway).

I think a PAC that looked something like this is Missouri's best option:

East:
Texas
OU
Missouri
Arizona State
Arizona
Utah
oSu
kansas

West:
USC
UCLA
Cal
Stanford
Wash.
Wazzou
Oregon
Or. State

Money would be huge, you'd still have a big regional base and still be well-hooked into Texas. And it would be a hell of a lot easier to be competitive in that conference than the SEC, though still challenging.

I think Missouri football - unless they make a real dedication to improving the program, pumping a lot more money in, and changing the culture in the AD - would eventually with to an Ole Miss-esque existence in the SEC. It's possible Missouri football would take a step up in the SEC... but it would be an uphill climb (climbing over Ole Miss and Miss. State isn't that hard, but Georgia, Tenn, South Carolina, Arkansas, aTm... different story).

And call me an old married man, but I don't give a flying f*** about the girls in the SEC. Winning games and having a chance to be relevant nationally is a hell of a lot cooler.

This post makes CU cry. They thought they got away from Cousin Eddie only to look outside on Christmas morning and see his RV parked out front.

[Bewbies]

Originally Posted by vailpass

This post makes CU cry. They thought they got away from Cousin Eddie only to look outside on Christmas morning and see his RV parked out front.

I like your avatar, that's a pretty cool pic!

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by vailpass

This post makes CU cry. They thought they got away from Cousin Eddie only to look outside on Christmas morning and see his RV parked out front.

LOLZ.

[rageeumr]

Even though logic tells me that the B12 staying together (long term) is by far the best thing for Mizzou, I keep finding myself hoping that they jump ship.

[Stewie]

I looked up the largest universities by enrollment and eliminated the non-D1 football schools. It's not a perfect list because there are some big schools that don't fall in the category. Some on the list might not be D1, but it's a start.

If we go to a four league 16-team "Super Conference" idea, here's the list of the top 64 plus a couple more:

D1 Football School Size	University
1	Arizona State University
2	Ohio State University
3	University of Central Florida
4	University of Minnesota
5	The University of Texas at Austin
6	University of Florida
7	Texas A&M University
8	Michigan State University
9	University of Washington
10	Pennsylvania State University
11	University of Illinois at Urbana
12	Indiana University
13	University of Michigan
14	University of Wisconsin
15	Purdue University
16	Florida State University
17	University of Arizona
18	University of California Los Angeles
19	Rutgers University
20	University of Maryland
21	University of Houston (UH)
22	Temple University
23	University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
24	University of North Texas (UNT, North Texas)
25	University of Georgia (UGA)
26	University of Southern California (USC)
27	Brigham Young University (BYU)
28	North Carolina State University at Raleigh (NC State University)
29	University of Colorado at Boulder (CU Boulder)
30	San Diego State University (SDSU)
31	Boston University (BU, Boston U)
32	University of California
33	University of Missouri
34	University of Cincinnati (UC)
36	Texas Tech University
37	Mt San Antonio College
38	The University of Tennessee
39	University of Kansas
40	University of Iowa (Iowa, UI)
41	University of North Carolina
42	West Virginia University
43	The University of Alabama
44	Louisiana State University
45	University of South Carolina
46	University of Pittsburgh
47	Iowa State University (ISU)
48	University of Kentucky (UK)
49	Washington State University (WSU)
50	University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
51	University of Connecticut
52	Auburn University
53	University of Virginia
54	University of Nebraska
55	Kansas State University
56	Oklahoma State University
57	University of Oregon
58	Fresno State
59	Ball State University
60	University of Louisville
61	University of Arkansas
62	Syracuse University
63	Clemson University
64	Boise State University
65	New Mexico State University
66	Stanford University

[Frazod]

Interesting list. Missouri's third in enrollment behind only Texas and aTm.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by frazod

Interesting list. Missouri's third in enrollment behind only Texas and aTm.

Huh? You mean in the current Big 12?

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by frazod

Interesting list. Missouri's third in enrollment behind only Texas and aTm.

I should have added the enrollment numbers. The really big schools only take up about the top 10 or 15. After that there's a logjam in the 25-35K range. Some schools only have a difference of <100 students from the school above them or below them.

I think it would be interesting to break down the schools into quadrents (NE, SE, NW, SW) and see who lands where. The emphasis would be on rivalries and reducing travel expenses.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Stewie

I should have added the enrollment numbers. The really big schools only take up about the top 10 or 15. After that there's a logjam in the 25-35K range. Some schools only have a difference of <100 students from the school above them or below them.

I think it would be interesting to break down the schools into quadrents (NE, SE, NW, SW) and see who lands where. The emphasis would be on rivalries and reducing travel expenses.

It's also important to focus on enrollment at a main campus as opposed to counting those enrolled at satellite branches.

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

It's also important to focus on enrollment at a main campus as opposed to counting those enrolled at satellite branches.

The satellite branches don't change things much as far as the listing I posted.

If the University of Phoenix had a football team they'd rule!!! Their enrollment is 307,000+. Quality, right there.