Second round of conference expansion is beginning.

[ZachTheZip]

The "mathematically nice" scenario, as I like to call it, has eight conferences of 16 teams each for 128 teams. Each conference champion gets an auto-bid to a 16-team playoff, along with the top 8 remaining schools.It works because you get a perfectly-sized playoff and you only need to bring in four more of the top FCS schools to get to that point instead of a radical overhaul with new tiers and lots of exclusion based on market sizes. If every conference gets an auto-bid it helps to even out the recruiting differences the BCS system creates. The playoff also gives an opportunity for a revenue system like March Madness has, which helps even out the money. Of course, TV deals will still create inequalities, but you can have true Cinderellas and a much more compelling season and post-season overall.

[GP1]

GP1, I respect your opinion on this, but I don't think you realize that conferences aren't really just about athletics. WVU has no chance of the Big Ten, and a miniscule chance at the ACC. Those 2 conferences take academics just as seriously as athletics. Academics as a whole institution, not how smart the players are.for instance, the Big Ten isn't going to accept anyone that isn't an AAU member, which WVU is not.

They won't care when it comes to athletics. Again, NC State, Illinois, Clemson, Iowa, Michigan State, Maryland (WVU and Maryland played yesterday and nobody seemed to care about schooling)...I could go on. I think it would be a shame if WVU was left out of the mega conferences.

[MaxZIP]

The OVC caled today and told Icoach that Akron would need to win more games to earn an invite. I think they are bluffing and we have a shot based on the performance of soccer and basketball teams.EDIT:The OVC does not have soccer. We need to win more football games...darn it.

[Zipmeister]

GP1, I respect your opinion on this, but I don't think you realize that conferences aren't really just about athletics. WVU has no chance of the Big Ten, and a miniscule chance at the ACC. Those 2 conferences take academics just as seriously as athletics. Academics as a whole institution, not how smart the players are.for instance, the Big Ten isn't going to accept anyone that isn't an AAU member, which WVU is not.

They won't care when it comes to athletics. Again, NC State, Illinois, Clemson, Iowa, Michigan State, Maryland (WVU and Maryland played yesterday and nobody seemed to care about schooling)...I could go on. I think it would be a shame if WVU was left out of the mega conferences.

I'm beginning to suspect you are related to Zach.

[akzipper]

This is the worst possible time for Akron to be at rock bottom for football. With all of this movement, we going to get thrown under the bus and end up in FCS playing teams like VMI all year. It doesn't matter if soccer wins 10 national championships, a conference like the BigEast will never let us in with this football team. Even if they could be mediocre like Houston or UCF we'd have a chance. We have the facilities, enrollment, and location to make it, but the conferences don't care unless you win. I see 4 super-conferences with everyone else dropping down to FCS. It's sad but true that we won't see small schools becoming the next Boise, TCU, etc. Right now is the time the conferences will be determined, and I don't see any way teams will move up or down. I think the ONLY advantage we have is that I like to think our administration wants to move up in college athletics.Dream scenario? fire Ianello. Sorry but he hasn't shown anything. Hire a guy like Tressel. As much as I hate OSU this would be the only thing that could help a program at rock bottom. Second, build a new arena. Show a bigger conference that you are committed to building and able to spend money to improve. Make a run this year in the tourney and you might get conference's attention. Look at UConn, Cincy, and Louisville, schools that had good basketball teams that carried their entire athletics programs into bigger conferences. I know none of this will ever happen, but we can dream right?

[zippy5]

GP1, I respect your opinion on this, but I don't think you realize that conferences aren't really just about athletics. WVU has no chance of the Big Ten, and a miniscule chance at the ACC. Those 2 conferences take academics just as seriously as athletics. Academics as a whole institution, not how smart the players are.for instance, the Big Ten isn't going to accept anyone that isn't an AAU member, which WVU is not.

They won't care when it comes to athletics. Again, NC State, Illinois, Clemson, Iowa, Michigan State, Maryland (WVU and Maryland played yesterday and nobody seemed to care about schooling)...I could go on. I think it would be a shame if WVU was left out of the mega conferences.

they won't be left out. they'll join the SEC, whose academic standards aren't very high. in fact, it sounds as if WVU submitted their papers to the SEC today, per sources in Pittsburgh.

[Zipmeister]

GP1, I respect your opinion on this, but I don't think you realize that conferences aren't really just about athletics. WVU has no chance of the Big Ten, and a miniscule chance at the ACC. Those 2 conferences take academics just as seriously as athletics. Academics as a whole institution, not how smart the players are.for instance, the Big Ten isn't going to accept anyone that isn't an AAU member, which WVU is not.

They won't care when it comes to athletics. Again, NC State, Illinois, Clemson, Iowa, Michigan State, Maryland (WVU and Maryland played yesterday and nobody seemed to care about schooling)...I could go on. I think it would be a shame if WVU was left out of the mega conferences.

they won't be left out. they'll join the SEC, whose academic standards aren't very high. in fact, it sounds as if WVU submitted their papers to the SEC today, per sources in Pittsburgh.

Now that would make some sense.

[Spin]

All the major conferences (Big Ten, PAC-X, ACC, and SEC) are going to 16 teams.The Big Ten needs to pick up four schools to make it to 16...I expect those four to be Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Northwestern is still an odd fit for the conference and if they ever decide to leave, WVU could fill their spot.After the addition of Pitt and Syracuse, the ACC still needs two schools...USF and UConn are likely choices.From the Big East, Cincy, Louisville, TCU, and Rutgers remain and will likely have the same fate...a new conference forms that also includes the remnants from the Big 12 (Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State, Baylor...an odd fit, and Iowa State)...still two schools shy of 16...Memphis and Houston.The SEC needs four schools...this is tough without plundering the ACC...Vanderbilt is an odd fit similar to Northwestern and Baylor...I have no idea how this one plays out...IMO, the SEC is the key to where all the dominoes fall. Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas are a good fit here too.The PAC-X currently has twelve members and needs four...it takes Boise St., BYU, UNM, and Nevada-Reno or Idaho...this is more about conquering geography than finding finding academically similar schools...there really aren't any west of Colorado and east of California, Oregon, and Washington.The remaining schools fold into 3-4 new mid-major conferences and we're pretty much back to where we started. Temple remains on the fence between major and mid-major, and some D-IAA schools move up (e.g. Villanova). Hence, there are as many second-tier schools as there are first tier and Akron still hasn't really advanced its standing at all. As GP1 says, there is a great opportunity for the second-tier schools to form their own division and stop being punching bags for the first-tier schools.Rutgers, Temple, Akron, Toledo, Miami, Ohio, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Middle Tennessee, Can't ( I hate to say it, but the rivalry is good for us), WMU, and CMU could make for a nice 12-member conference with nearly every school having a natural rival. If VCU only had football! If going for 14, include Buffalo and Bowling Green...Ball State and Eastern Michigan should be excluded at all cost though. Where we would get two more for a 16 member conference, I don't know.

Where do you have Notre Dame?

[ZachTheZip]

Notre Dame sticks with the Big East basketball schools, when that conference splits and the football schools scatter. They might be forced to throw in their football program with the Big Ten.

[UAZipster0305]

All the major conferences (Big Ten, PAC-X, ACC, and SEC) are going to 16 teams.The Big Ten needs to pick up four schools to make it to 16...I expect those four to be Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Northwestern is still an odd fit for the conference and if they ever decide to leave, WVU could fill their spot.After the addition of Pitt and Syracuse, the ACC still needs two schools...USF and UConn are likely choices.From the Big East, Cincy, Louisville, TCU, and Rutgers remain and will likely have the same fate...a new conference forms that also includes the remnants from the Big 12 (Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State, Baylor...an odd fit, and Iowa State)...still two schools shy of 16...Memphis and Houston.The SEC needs four schools...this is tough without plundering the ACC...Vanderbilt is an odd fit similar to Northwestern and Baylor...I have no idea how this one plays out...IMO, the SEC is the key to where all the dominoes fall. Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas are a good fit here too.The PAC-X currently has twelve members and needs four...it takes Boise St., BYU, UNM, and Nevada-Reno or Idaho...this is more about conquering geography than finding academically similar schools...there really aren't any west of Colorado and east of California, Oregon, and Washington.The remaining schools fold into 3-4 new mid-major conferences and we're pretty much back to where we started. Temple remains on the fence between major and mid-major, and some D-IAA schools move up (e.g. Villanova). Hence, there are as many second-tier schools as there are first tier and Akron still hasn't really advanced its standing at all. As GP1 says, there is a great opportunity for the second-tier schools to form their own division and stop being punching bags for the first-tier schools.Rutgers, Temple, Akron, Toledo, Miami, Ohio, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Middle Tennessee, Can't ( I hate to say it, but the rivalry is good for us), WMU, and CMU could make for a nice 12-member conference with nearly every school having a natural rival. If VCU only had football! If going for 14, include Buffalo and Bowling Green...Ball State and Eastern Michigan should be excluded at all cost though. Where we would get two more for a 16 member conference, I don't know.

Where do you have Notre Dame?

Very good question. ND is another school like Temple and Rutgers that could be left without a good fit conference when the music stops. ZtZ, there is no way the Big Ten takes ND as a football only affiliate. Though, ND might make a good pairing with Northwestern as a full member of the Big Ten.In prior posts, I neglected to include ND with other D1-A private schools that don't currently fit in with their current conferences and should form their own...ND, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Baylor, Rice, Stanford (not a geographic fit)...a good nucleus but not enough for a full conference.I'd like to add that with the Big East falling apart and C-USA maybe being reshaped as a continued mid-major, I don't foresee any MAC teams advancing their overall standing to a 'BCS' conference. Geographically and academically, UT had a respectable sniff of the Big East and if we had our stuff together in football, we might too...but with the Big East blowing up, any move a MAC school might make would be lateral. C-USA is the absolute pinnacle of advancement for any MAC school, which would provide a little bit better bowl scenario in football and maybe a multi-bid league in basketball with greatly increased travel costs and opponents that are less locally familiar.

[UAZipster0305]

The "mathematically nice" scenario, as I like to call it, has eight conferences of 16 teams each for 128 teams. Each conference champion gets an auto-bid to a 16-team playoff, along with the top 8 remaining schools.It works because you get a perfectly-sized playoff and you only need to bring in four more of the top FCS schools to get to that point instead of a radical overhaul with new tiers and lots of exclusion based on market sizes. If every conference gets an auto-bid it helps to even out the recruiting differences the BCS system creates. The playoff also gives an opportunity for a revenue system like March Madness has, which helps even out the money. Of course, TV deals will still create inequalities, but you can have true Cinderellas and a much more compelling season and post-season overall.

I love this idea, ZtZ. But it won't happen because the current power schools won't want to broaden the pot that all the money goes into...it would dilute each school's share. And, this makes for a more fair playing field. The current system allows the power schools to exploit the others. See our need to schedule OSU in football and OSU's 8 home football games as examples. (No offense here, BuckZip, and no reason to start another verbal war...just an example.)A realistic solution needs to benefit all schools, not just those in power now or the underlings.

[K92]

I would be very surprised to see Oklahoma and Oklahoma State part ways in any realignment scenario. I think they are a package deal and will go PAC with UT and TTU.

[Zipmeister]

Notre Dame sticks with the Big East basketball schools, when that conference splits and the football schools scatter. They might be forced to throw in their football program with the Big Ten.

This post may be good enough for the Zach post of the week award, but it's not even close for the Zach post of the year award.

[mes102]

I feel like history is repeating itself. First, we hire a Notre Dame coach in Faust, completely torn it down and said "We're going to bring big time football to Akron." Conferences were moving around, and he kept us from moving since the football program was so bad. Basketball coach left since he felt Akron didn't care about basketball(which at the time, Faust got whatever he wanted basically). Now, we hire another Notre Dame coach, completely tearing it down and how this is the "New Generation of Akron Football." Some generation...Anyways, this is a crazy conference realignment time, and once again, we're going to be left behind because of the football program is horrific right now. At least we know Dambrot and Porter don't want to leave, so the .part of a highly talented coach leaving is not at risk(maybe the women's basketball coach?).It's going to be rough. Too bad Ianello can't make a stupid mistake and then we can fire him for that. He's a smart guy and a great WR coach, just a terrible head coach.

[Doug Snyder]

I feel like history is repeating itself. First, we hire a Notre Dame coach in Faust, completely torn it down and said "We're going to bring big time football to Akron." Conferences were moving around, and he kept us from moving since the football program was so bad. Basketball coach left since he felt Akron didn't care about basketball(which at the time, Faust got whatever he wanted basically). Now, we hire another Notre Dame coach, completely tearing it down and how this is the "New Generation of Akron Football." Some generation...Anyways, this is a crazy conference realignment time, and once again, we're going to be left behind because of the football program is horrific right now. At least we know Dambrot and Porter don't want to leave, so the .part of a highly talented coach leaving is not at risk(maybe the women's basketball coach?).It's going to be rough. Too bad Ianello can't make a stupid mistake and then we can fire him for that. He's a smart guy and a great WR coach, just a terrible head coach.

Huggins left because going to Div1 in football forces us out of the OVC ... a conference with an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament. Huggins did not have problems with the football team....just its impact on the basketball team and its ability to get into the NCAA tournament. You are right though that the decision to go to Div1 ultimately drove Huggins away. If we could have joined a NCAA bid conference after leaving the OVC he would have stayed....but he would have eventually leave because he wanted the chance to compete at the highest level.

[mes102]

I feel like history is repeating itself. First, we hire a Notre Dame coach in Faust, completely torn it down and said "We're going to bring big time football to Akron." Conferences were moving around, and he kept us from moving since the football program was so bad. Basketball coach left since he felt Akron didn't care about basketball(which at the time, Faust got whatever he wanted basically). Now, we hire another Notre Dame coach, completely tearing it down and how this is the "New Generation of Akron Football." Some generation...Anyways, this is a crazy conference realignment time, and once again, we're going to be left behind because of the football program is horrific right now. At least we know Dambrot and Porter don't want to leave, so the .part of a highly talented coach leaving is not at risk(maybe the women's basketball coach?).It's going to be rough. Too bad Ianello can't make a stupid mistake and then we can fire him for that. He's a smart guy and a great WR coach, just a terrible head coach.

Huggins left because going to Div1 in football forces us out of the OVC ... a conference with an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament. Huggins did not have problems with the football team....just its impact on the basketball team and its ability to get into the NCAA tournament. You are right though that the decision to go to Div1 ultimately drove Huggins away. If we could have joined a NCAA bid conference after leaving the OVC he would have stayed....but he would have eventually leave because he wanted the chance to compete at the highest level.

I agree about Huggins eventually leaving, but I believe Faust had something to do with it. My grandfather worked at UA's physical plant until 1999, and he's told me plenty of stories about Faust, Huggins, and even the guy that ran the memorabilia shop inside the JAR. He even mentioned to me about the equipment manager at the time did equipment for all sports, and Faust wanted him gone. He left and only did equipment for the football team at Ball State. He's told me other stories as well. Just don't have the time to tell them all...

[Spin]

Just announced UPitt and Syracuse are joining the ACC. UConn and Rutgers may be next.With Texas, Oklahoma, and OSU headed for the Pac Whatever, the Big East and Big 12 are rumored to be talking merger. Notre Dame headed for the ACC if they have to give up their football independance?Mountain West merging with C-USA in football only?

[Lee Adams]

All the major conferences (Big Ten, PAC-X, ACC, and SEC) are going to 16 teams.The Big Ten needs to pick up four schools to make it to 16...I expect those four to be Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Northwestern is still an odd fit for the conference and if they ever decide to leave, WVU could fill their spot.After the addition of Pitt and Syracuse, the ACC still needs two schools...USF and UConn are likely choices.From the Big East, Cincy, Louisville, TCU, and Rutgers remain and will likely have the same fate...a new conference forms that also includes the remnants from the Big 12 (Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State, Baylor...an odd fit, and Iowa State)...still two schools shy of 16...Memphis and Houston.The SEC needs four schools...this is tough without plundering the ACC...Vanderbilt is an odd fit similar to Northwestern and Baylor...I have no idea how this one plays out...IMO, the SEC is the key to where all the dominoes fall. Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas are a good fit here too.The PAC-X currently has twelve members and needs four...it takes Boise St., BYU, UNM, and Nevada-Reno or Idaho...this is more about conquering geography than finding academically similar schools...there really aren't any west of Colorado and east of California, Oregon, and Washington.The remaining schools fold into 3-4 new mid-major conferences and we're pretty much back to where we started. Temple remains on the fence between major and mid-major, and some D-IAA schools move up (e.g. Villanova). Hence, there are as many second-tier schools as there are first tier and Akron still hasn't really advanced its standing at all. As GP1 says, there is a great opportunity for the second-tier schools to form their own division and stop being punching bags for the first-tier schools.Rutgers, Temple, Akron, Toledo, Miami, Ohio, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Middle Tennessee, Can't ( I hate to say it, but the rivalry is good for us), WMU, and CMU could make for a nice 12-member conference with nearly every school having a natural rival. If VCU only had football! If going for 14, include Buffalo and Bowling Green...Ball State and Eastern Michigan should be excluded at all cost though. Where we would get two more for a 16 member conference, I don't know.

Where do you have Notre Dame?

Very good question. ND is another school like Temple and Rutgers that could be left without a good fit conference when the music stops. ZtZ, there is no way the Big Ten takes ND as a football only affiliate. Though, ND might make a good pairing with Northwestern as a full member of the Big Ten.In prior posts, I neglected to include ND with other D1-A private schools that don't currently fit in with their current conferences and should form their own...ND, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Baylor, Rice, Stanford (not a geographic fit)...a good nucleus but not enough for a full conference.I'd like to add that with the Big East falling apart and C-USA maybe being reshaped as a continued mid-major, I don't foresee any MAC teams advancing their overall standing to a 'BCS' conference. Geographically and academically, UT had a respectable sniff of the Big East and if we had our stuff together in football, we might too...but with the Big East blowing up, any move a MAC school might make would be lateral. C-USA is the absolute pinnacle of advancement for any MAC school, which would provide a little bit better bowl scenario in football and maybe a multi-bid league in basketball with greatly increased travel costs and opponents that are less locally familiar.

Are you sayng Stanford doesn't fit with the PAC-(name your number)?

[Blue & Gold]

Notre Dame headed for the ACC if they have to give up their football independance?

This is an interesting thought. I'm just wondering why do you think ND would sooner join the ACC than the Big 10?

[Lee Adams]

Since this realignment thing is all about money,TV,fan base BIG bowl games,I am trying to figure why the MAJORITY of teams in the MAC would be attractive to any conference particularly where football is concerned. Temple is understandable. In a big market,recently successful. Northern Illinois? Near Chicago market recently successful. The directional Michigans? Even near the Detroit market Michigan and Michigan State are the big dogs. Not attractive. Toledo? Near Detroit,successful program,fairly strong fan base. Maybe. Miami,OU out in the middle of nowhere,no big market attraction.Akron,Can't State? No recent success,no great fan base and they get little attention in the Cleveland TV market. And, the MAC is allowing a 1-AA football prgram in as football only. That doesn't upgrade the conference.There are going to be lots of teams like this in other conferences too. Sunbelt,C-USA,WAC etc. Is it realistic to continue to try to compete with the BCS and the top non-BCS schools anymore in football? Maybe the football program could latch on to another bigger conference on the coattails of the basketball program. Thats still seems to be stretch. Might be time for some of these schools to start looking at a level just below BCS and just above 1-AA.Just a thought.

[MDZip]

This is going to be the major upheaval that everyone expected was coming. When they write the story should it be "The Pitt and the Pendulum"?

[zippy5]

Notre Dame headed for the ACC if they have to give up their football independance?

This is an interesting thought. I'm just wondering why do you think ND would sooner join the ACC than the Big 10?

Longtime rivals in Pitt, & BC, better recruiting base in the ACC, their largest concentration of alumni are on the east coast, so it would be catering to them. Heard some chatter of PSU & ND possibly talking of both coming, although I highly doubt it. PSU is a better geographical fit for the ACC, and JoePa would get the Eastern League he dreamed of.

[zippy5]

From Brett McMurphy, via Twitter:"Multiple Big East sources said they have been told by WVU officials that WVU rejected by ACC & SEC"but yeah, academics don't matter. As a Pitt fan...this hurts to say...I'd like to see WVU make it somewhere. The Backyard Brawl is huge, and ever since JoePa quit scheduling Pitt, they've been Pitt's #1 rival. This bodes well for the BE, as they were 100% toast w/o WVU. I'm guessing we'll see a conference of WVU, Cinci, Louisville, Memphis, UCF, and the Big 12 leftovers as the 5th "BCS" conference.

[GP1]

From Brett McMurphy, via Twitter:"Multiple Big East sources said they have been told by WVU officials that WVU rejected by ACC & SEC"

I'm OK with the conference shake-ups, but this is terrible for college football. WVU is one of the great places in America to go watch a college football game. Great stadium and great fans. They have a huge home field advantage in Morgantown. I hear that UCONN and Rutgers are maybe going to the ACC (ESPN had a report about it).

[zippy5]

Mizzou has an offer from the SEC supposedly but is waiting for the Big XII to implode. It's about to get pretty crazy in the next week or so.http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/20/31553...-offer-but.html