Although the Big 12 didn’t expand earlier this week, the possibility of expansion is still alive for the future. Given the fact that the Big 12 was looking at teams like USF, UCONN, and BYU, and considering the “out of place” programs that already exist (West Virginia in the Big 12, Rutgers in the Big Ten and, yes, Missouri in the SEC), it begs the question “Does location even matter?”
Let’s pretend for a second that it doesn’t. Let’s say that for one year, each of the “Power Five” conferences is allowed to restructure their divisions with the only goal being to create the best division for its college football programs as it can. Since location doesn’t matter, we will call the new divisions “A” and “B”. Notice I said the conferences are restructuring what they already have. So for this year, there are no expansions, no teams moving from conference to conference, each conference will work with what it currently has.
Here is how I think the “Power Five” conferences should look:
(Note: In this hypothetical scenario, the Big 12 has two divisions and a championship game because why don’t they have a championship game yet?)
ACC
How it looks now:
Atlantic Coastal
Clemson North Carolina
Louisville Pittsburgh
Florida State Virginia Tech
Wake Forest Virginia
NC State Miami
Syracuse Georgia Tech
Boston College Duke
What’s wrong with this:
As is the case with most of the conferences I’ll be talking about, one division clearly dominates the other when it comes to top teams. The Atlantic Division has three teams in the top 15, while the only ranked team the Coastal Division is No. 22 North Carolina. Also why are Florida State and Miami in different divisions? Why are the four Tobacco Road schools split up?
How the ACC should look:
Division A Division B
Florida State Clemson
Louisville North Carolina
Syracuse Duke
Virginia Tech Georgia Tech
Virginia Wake Forest
Miami NC State
Pittsburgh Boston College
What I like about this structure:
The clear best four teams in the conference are split in each division, limiting the chance for a blowout in the conference championship game. You have some nice rivalries in each division with Florida State/Miami, Virginia/Virginia Tech, and Syracuse/Pittsburgh in Division A, and the Tobacco Road schools all together in Division B.
BIG 12
How it looks now: No divisions
What’s wrong with this:
NO CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME! Just ask Baylor or TCU how that affects a Big 12 team’s chances of getting into the College Football Playoff. If the CFP is going to stay at four teams, the Big 12 will need a championship game. I know it will come with expansion, but what’s the fun in waiting for that?
How the Big 12 should look:
Division A Division B
Oklahoma Baylor
Texas TCU
Oklahoma State West Virginia
Texas Tech Kansas State
Iowa State Kansas
What I like about this structure:
Oklahoma’s rivalries with Texas and Oklahoma State are preserved without Division A looking overly powerful compared to Division B. Each division has something you’d like. If you’re a fan of traditional powerhouses, you’ll love Division A. If you’ve fallen in love with the Baylor’s and TCU’s of the country, Division B is for you.
BIG TEN
How it looks now:
East West
Michigan Nebraska
Ohio State Iowa
Penn State Northwestern
Maryland Minnesota
Indiana Wisconsin
Michigan State Purdue
Rutgers Illinois
What’s wrong with this:
Like the ACC, one division is a lot stronger than the other. It’s very difficult to consider the Big Ten a balanced conference when arguably the three most prestigious programs in the conference are all in the same division.
How the Big Ten should look:
Division A Division B
Michigan Ohio State
Wisconsin Michigan State
Minnesota Illinois
Iowa Rutgers
Nebraska Purdue
Maryland Indiana
Northwestern Penn State
What I like about this structure:
For the first couple of conferences, I tried to place rivals in the same division, so that those teams would have an extra spot in their schedule to rotate between schools from the other division. But I’m going to have to make an exception for this one because HOW AMAZING WOULD A MICHIGAN/OHIO STATE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BE? Each team will be the focus point of each division, with Wisconsin and Michigan State split up to challenge each team in their respective positions.
PAC 12
How it looks now:
North South
Washington Utah
Washington State Colorado
Stanford USC
Cal Arizona State
Oregon State UCLA
Oregon Arizona
What’s wrong with this:
Honestly, the PAC 12 is really solid as is. The one thing I would do is find a way to get Cal to the other division so they can be with USC and UCLA.
How the PAC 12 should look:
Division A Division B
Washington Utah
Washington State Cal
Stanford USC
Colorado Arizona State
Oregon State UCLA
Oregon Arizona
What I like about this structure:
Colorado doesn’t really have any strong conference rivalries, so moving them for Cal would be just fine in getting Cal, UCLA, and USC in the same division.
SEC
How it looks now:
East West
Florida Alabama
Tennessee Texas A&M
Kentucky Auburn
Georgia LSU
Vanderbilt Arkansas
South Carolina Ole Miss
Missouri Mississippi State
What’s wrong with this:
The SEC is perhaps the most popular case of unequal division strength. The SEC West is considered by many to be the best single division in college football. The SEC East… is not. Some years, the East is lucky enough to have one team be good enough to give whoever makes it out of the West a game in the SEC Championship. Other times, you have a situation like the 2014 SEC Championship Game… or the 2011 SEC Championship Game… or the 2010 SEC Championship Game (Note: Over the course of the SEC West’s 7-game SEC Championship Game winning streak, only one of those games have been decided by less than two touchdowns). Suffice to say, some restructuring could do the SEC good.
How the SEC should look:
Division A Division B
Alabama Florida
Auburn Tennessee
LSU Ole Miss
Vanderbilt Mississippi State
South Carolina Georgia
Texas A&M Arkansas
Kentucky Missouri
Why I like this structure:
There’s only so much you can do to change up this conference while keeping Alabama, Auburn, and LSU in the same division (and there’s no way I’m splitting them up). This structure relies on Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia to return to their former traditional glory to keep up with those three schools. The rest of the changes are just concerned with evening up the depth of each division. Also, the Battle for the Golden Egg would be a nice rivalry to separate from the Auburn/Alabama/LSU rivalries.
Categories:
Restructuring The Power Five Conferences
October 22, 2016
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