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Why Realignment Drops the Ball in College Football
Money Trumps Tradition in Changing Landscape
As if the movement in the transfer portal didn’t provide enough entertainment in the summer, the changing landscape in the world of conference realignment has really shaken up the college football universe. It has certainly dominated the college football news cycle.
At this time next year, the Power 5 conferences will become the Power 4 with the Pac-12 ceasing to exist.
Oregon, Southern California, UCLA, and Washington are headed to the Big Ten in 2024. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah are headed to the Big 12. It will be interesting to see how long it is before the college football spreads consider the newcomers as conference contenders.
Those moves leave Cal, Oregon State, Stanford, and Washington without a conference after this season is over.
More moves could be coming as the SEC and Big Ten are in the midst of a power struggle that could leave the rest of the country behind while the ACC and Big 12 are left to scramble in an attempt to remain relevant.
There are rumblings that the Big Ten might be luring away Clemson and Florida State. As it is, the college football odds has nine of the top 12 in the national championship odds set to be a part of the Big Ten or the SEC in 2024.
The ability of teams outside the Power-5 conference being able to get huge paydays by scheduling one of the powerhouse programs could also be impacted.
So are all of these moves good for college football? In a word: “No.”
Here’s a look at the downside of the impending destruction of the Pac-12 and the emergence of super conferences.
The Big Winner
Colorado has to be considered the program that makes out the best.
The Buffaloes have been somewhat of an afterthought in the Pac-12.
The 27 team national championships have come in skiing and cross country, and those sports don’t exactly move the needle when it comes to getting the attention of those who bet online.
Colorado picked the perfect time to hire Hall of Fame defensive back Deion Sanders as the head football coach as he has brought an excitement level to Boulder not seen in quite some time.
Sanders did not come to Colorado empty-handed as 50 transfers are joining him. Will that be enough for the Buffaloes to be more of a threat to compete for a conference title when it comes to the college football odds?
The Big Loser
Stanford has won more NCAA team titles than any other university and right now they are a program in a state of flux.
The 134 team titles and 546 individual titles mean very little in a world where football is king.
This is also one of the top academic institutions in the world and, once again, when it comes to conference realignment, that is quite irrelevant.
Will Stanford join the other Pac-12 teams not aligned with the other Power-5 conferences in the Mountain West? Will the American Athletic Conference come calling?
Stanford is listed by the college football odds at +100000 in national championship odds in 2023. What will things look like playing a Mountain West schedule in 2024?
Kiss Some Rivalries Goodbye
Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy has already said that future matchups with Oklahoma are unlikely once the Sooners head to the SEC.
12 days left till College Football is back. Have some Mike Gundy highlights to celebrate pic.twitter.com/uvxG22wadM
— Willy Foosball (@WillyFoosball) August 14, 2023
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What will happen with the Washington-Washington State rivalry? If Florida State heads to the Big Ten, will that bring an end to the Miami-Florida State football clashes that once served as the top rivalry in the sport?
With larger conferences, it is quite possible that there will be more conference games, and that could limit the options of keeping rivalries alive through non-conference matchups.
College football wouldn’t have the popularity that it currently enjoys without rivalries bringing out the best in both teams. Some of those rivalries – the Oklahoma-Nebraska games immediately come to mind – are a thing of the past and more are sure to follow.
What About the Students?
Sure, there are players who view college football as an avenue into the NFL. However, the percentage of athletes who turn pro is incredibly small.
The travel times of conferences that no longer are set up regionally could make for marathon road trips and that means more time away from school.
It is easy to focus merely on football and with weekend games, the impact on the student-athlete might not be too overwhelming. However, what about the basketball, soccer, baseball, volleyball, and softball athletes?
The student part of the student-athlete seems to be the last thing being considered with all the money being thrown around.
Rivals in Name Only
In a perfect world, each team would face the other teams in their conference on an annual basis. That is simply not possible these days, especially in football.
How many years will pass before teams from the same conference will actually meet on the football field?
The ACC has 14 teams with Notre Dame continuing its agreement to have five contests against ACC teams.
There will be 16 teams in the Big 12 (insert your new math joke here). The plan is for there to be nine conference games so teams will square off with just over half of their conference foes.
The number of teams in the Big Ten is at 18 – with the possibility of it going to 20 if Clemson and Florida State join. Once again, there will be a nine-game conference schedule.
With Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC in 2024, that pushes the membership to 16, and, barring any changes, there will be only eight conference games.
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