Bigger is Better: College Football Conference Expansion

Whether you are talking about the size of your house, TV, or muscles (or another body part for that matter) bigger is always better. With so much money now involved in college spots, the expansion of the BCS conferences is something that may start occurring as early as 2011. Teams are going to start joining BCS conferences (Example: Boise State) or swapping conferences (Example: Arkansas). Heck some conferences might get eliminated all together (Example: Big East).

I’m going to give you a preview on how the conference expansion may go down (or at least how I’d like to see it go down).

Big East

The Big East is more likely to be extinct in the next few years than it is to be alive and kicking. The conference really lacks a National Title contender and a national powerhouse is not likely to come about within a few short years. We all saw the way Florida took unbeaten Cincinnati to the woodshed in the Sugar Bowl. These teams really struggle keeping up with the likes of Florida, Alabama, and Texas in the recruiting side of things. Joining a more prestigious conference would help immensely. With the Big Ten and the ACC biting at the bit, you can kiss the Big East conference (at least for football) good-bye. If the conference were to be eliminated, conference commissioners and leaders would need to decide how to handle the basketball side of things. Do you keep the Big East basketball conference together (which is single handedly the best conference ever) or do you eliminate the entire conference all together. I would love to see the conference broken up for football, but kept together for basketball. Is that possible? Yes. Is it going to be a smooth and easy transition? Probably not. One thing is for certain; Big Least football will be no more.

Pac-10

The Pac-10 conference up until this year was completely against expansion, and for good reason. This is the most prestigious academic conference of the BCS (even with the Arizona school’s average SAT score being a 700) and every major sports market is already accounted for. Finding a team with high academic standards in a new market has been a tough task. With already four California schools, it is highly unlikely teams like Fresno State or San Diego State would be added and with Mormon-hating officials the conference will not add teams like BYU (they can’t play sports on Sunday nor do they consume alcohol!). If the other BCS conferences decide to expand, the Pac-10 will not have a choice but to do so themselves. With already haven spoken with Colorado in previous years, look for the Buffalos to leave the Big 12 (I hope they don’t break up over text message) and to join the Pac-10. It’s a perfect fit. The conference will be able to add the Denver market, adding what is most important: money. Adding the Buffs will make 11 teams, so another team would have to be targeted. This is the tricky part. As mentioned, no California school would be added and a team like BYU or Utah is very unlikely. When it is all said and done, I believe Boise State will be the final piece to the puzzle. They are becoming a football powerhouse and will be able to add depth to the conference. The Broncos are very average in other sports (they don’t even have a baseball team), but with America’s pastime now being football – that can be overlooked. Within the next few years Colorado and Boise State will be a part of the Pac-10 conference.

Big 12

With Colorado leaving for the Pac-10 and rumors of conferences targeting Texas in the near future, the Big 12 will have to make some moves. With now only 11 teams, they would look to expand to 12 or 14 teams. Looking ahead to the Big Ten and ACC adding Big East teams, I expect the Big 12 to expand to 14 teams. The million dollar question is: what three? The most obvious one is TCU. Like Boise State, the Horned Frogs are becoming an absolute powerhouse, proving that they can compete with the best teams in the nation. The Big 12 wouldn’t even hesitate to add this team. The other two teams might not be so obvious. A wildcard could be Arkansas. I know the Razorbacks are a part of the best conference in football, but the Big 12 could make an offer they couldn’t resist. Arkansas could compete at a higher level in all sports and could rejoin with the SWAC teams of the old days. (Besides doesn’t Arkansas and the Big 12 just fit?) The third and final team added will be Iowa. Look for the Hawkeyes to cheat on the Big Ten and head elsewhere. Iowa is located close to many of the Big 12 schools and they already have something in common with Nebraska (corn). Adding TCU, Arkansas, and Iowa would be enough to keep Texas around and thus keeping the conference intact.

SEC

I was once told that in the south, the world comes to a stop during football season. Everything (work, wife, kids, etc.) takes a back seat to football. Trust me, I’ve been there and experienced it. So you think the SEC is just going to let the Big 12 take Arkansas away and not do anything about it? This conference has more to offer than any other conference. With the Big 12 expanding to 14 teams, the SEC would want to do the same. So let’s just all stop and think for a second. What three teams located in the south, could the SEC add to make a huge statement? If you answered Clemson, Miami, and Florida State then you are exactly right. With the addition of these teams the SEC would add more depth and tradition (if that is even possible). Can you imagine the electricity game in and game out? It would be insane. Don’t you dare for a second sleep on the SEC expanding, because if the Big 12 and Big Ten try to make statements – you better believe the SEC is going to.

ACC

Once the ACC is done drinking their sorrows away for losing three excellent programs to their older and better looking sister, the SEC, they themselves would need to make some moves. Let’s play the guessing game again. Think of a team out there that doesn’t belong to a football conference and has great tradition. If you guessed Navy, you’re wrong. The correct answer is Notre Dame. Now at first you may think this is a bit of a stretch because of the benefits the Irish receive for not belonging to a conference. But let’s be honest for second, winning six or seven games a year isn’t going to cut it anymore. Notre Dame needs to join a conference because it provides strength and stability. The ACC flirted with the Irish about five years ago and I expect sparks to fly again in the near future. A statement would need to be made after losing Clemson, Miami, and Florida State. Notre Dame would be a solid start. Because the Big 12 and SEC expanded to 14 teams, the ACC would probably feel obligated to do the same. Look for them to go north and dismantle the Big East. West Virginia and Louisville are two obvious decisions. These two teams have arguably competed at higher levels over the past 10 years than the teams that could ditch the ACC for the SEC. This would leave one spot remaining. Does the ACC try and snatch South Florida or Central Florida, to replace the holes left in the Sunshine state? That is a very possible option. However, I think they will look elsewhere. You’ll see in a bit that Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Cincinnati will join the Big Ten, so that leaves Connecticut. Adding the Huskies would provide Boston College an in-conference rival, giving the close distance between the schools. With the addition of Norte Dame, Louisville, West Virginia, and Connecticut the ACC would have a ton of depth, with the chance of a few teams becoming traditional powers.

Big Ten

Since the Big Ten is by far the slowest, most un-athletic BCS conference, it is only fitting that they will add four slow and un-athletic teams. Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Cincinnati would be solid options. Location is prime for all of these schools and it would make the Big Ten a lot like the ACC. A lot of solid seven or eight win teams, with a few powers at the top. Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan (once they fire Rich Rod) will be able to continue to lead the conference and Pitt and Cincinnati would add great depth at the top end of the conference. This is ultimately what the conference wants. Another bonus is that Joe Pa would no longer be able to avoid the Pitt Panthers. It may be safe to say that the Big Ten would be worst conference after the expansion period, but then again, some things never change.

Whether you like it or not, there will be changes made in the near future. Its fun to sit back and think about what teams will end up where. If you have any thoughts or input about what teams will stay and what teams will leave and where they will go, don’t hesitate to comment.