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More BCS realignment

143K views 1K replies 144 participants last post by  Medford 
#1 ·
It's being reported all over that the Big Ten is in the process of inviting Rutgers and the University of Maryland into the conference.

The invites could take place as early as Monday.

Speculation from there includes the idea that the ACC would invite UConn to take the place of UM.

Needless to say, that may be all she wrote for the Big East.
 
#4 ·
why leave the A10 when the league would be a better league than the big east? (losing all the bball teams)
 
#5 ·
I think this is going to be the final straw that sends it into the chaos we thought it may be. If this is it for Big East Football you can bet the catholic league is most likely happening. That leaves Temple, Memphis, Cincy and others mixing with the reminants of the A-10 and other leagues. It will be a mess and a joke quite frankly.
 
#9 · (Edited)
The Big East will survive, in the manner that a chicken survives for a while without its head. Right in the middle of TV negotiations, they may lose Rutgers and UConn, taking the Northeast completely out of their footprint (sorry Temple, you don't count, 12 people go to your football games). And everyone should realize by now that Louisville is destined for the Big 12. Cincy may be, too. Bowlsby can say what he wants, they will go to 12. Championship game money is too much to turn down.

Big East football is D-U-N. Done. Conference USA 2.0. And it's been that way for a while. People didn't want to believe it. Believe it. Fin.

Matter of time before the basketball schools leave and take the Big East name with them. it will happen, one way or another.
 
#10 ·
I believe all of this was coming anyway but I just assumed that it would be the B12 to crank it back up again.

Frankly, if you think about it, as soon as it was announced that the Big East was being lumped in with the other non-BCS conferences for bowl participation purposes, it was game, set, match then.

This is likely not ever yet. The B12 most likely isn't finished expanding yet.

It goes without saying that both UL and UConn are more than ready to make the jump. They are desperate to get out of the Big East.
 
#12 ·
I agree with you completely. It still made sense for Temple to make a move to the Big East.

The access to a BCS bowl may be more limited, but it still exists. It would be catastrophic for you if they were to go to the 4 x 16 model, but it appears as though the ACC is fighting to maintain a fifth BCS member.

You guys most likely will end up in what will look like a stronger version of C-USA.
 
#13 ·
I don't get why Maryland, besides their Under Armor CEO, would want to join the Big Ten. Makes no sense on any level. You think their grads would like to trade Duke-UNC for Michigan-Ohio State. Just nonsense. The ACC is now the Big East, the Big East now CUSA. Can't wait for those Rutgers-Illinois football games.
 
#16 ·
The timing intrigues me.

Whether the B1G wanted to send a signal to ND or not, which doesn't seem realistic, given this out-of-the-blue timing, it most certainly torpedoed the BE's ability to get any form of relevant television money. The BE is about to go from above the other four to basically tied with or barely better than them, in terms of finances.

Understanding that any agreement(s) will include adjustment clauses for further realignment activity, how do you price this much instability right now - - advertising schedules have to be mapped out, projected ratings are based on certain assumed markets, etc.

So many have jumped ship. UConn and UL are watching the water level come towards their feet. UL clearly is the most attractive program left in the BE now, at least with respect to its breadwinner sports. They may lose out due to the ACC's academic disposition. In that case, UConn would get the call, but would be a comparatively weak addition, given their newness and comparatively small stadium. Then again, schools like BC and Wake aren't going to make much noise about any of that.

In my opinion, UC and the others are already lost below deck with respect to solving for any form of a BCS affiliation. I can't see UC making a jump to any of the Big5. They can't make it academically. They certainly aren't going to make it with Nippert Stadium. With very few exceptions - I can only think of Pitt and Miami at present (both weak ACC schools at that) - these Big4 titans like to see very big on campus venues that are fully stocked for home games, when it comes to evaluating new conference mates.

Television money for the BE is heading south. Otherwise, between the ACC and most likely the B12, UConn and UL are still hoping that there is room in a couple of the life boats. The others are losing the coveted BCS seal of approval anyway, but will have to put something together where the best among them can still fight for that one premier slot, for as long as the B4(5) keep it available.
 
#19 ·
Worst case we join a strengthed CUSA which is better for football than MAC so the move had to happen. Who knows if the Big East collapses what happens. If the catholic schools split then we would have been in the same position either way. Being with Cincinnati, Memphis and the rest of CUSA or a hybrid league of other conferences isn't a disaster but certainly not what we wanted. If the catholic schools stay then basketball will be in better position, if they can keep a football league even better. Nothing is catastrophic for Temple but there are a few scenerios better than others obviously.
 
#21 ·
I think that's about it. You're not going to get to the kind of BE that you thought would develop: one that becomes clearly positioned between the top 4/5 and the others, including C-USA. But you'll still end up in something that's better than the MAC. From there, who knows. Again, as long as the power players leave one slot open for those that didn't make it inside the castle walls, you'll always have a shot at it.

Either way, this isn't over with today's news. More movement is most certainly coming.
 
#22 ·
I would love that but I can't see it happening. Only way Temple comes back to the A10 for basketball is if the catholic league forms and even then the prospect of joining without Xavier, Dayton, Butler maybe VCU etc would lose it's value. I would guess it's all Big East, Big East basketball/CUSA Football or all CUSA for us.
 
#23 ·
It is in Temple's best interest to have all of their sports in one conference, while establishing relationships with like-minded institutions who play 1-A football. The MAC/A-10 arrangement was be untenable long-term.

I'd love to be in the A-10 for basketball, but playing football in the MAC is awful. That said, neither conference is lucrative enough for a long-term commitment at this point.
 
#38 ·
UMass doesn't have its crap together well enough to get that invitation. We needed to make our FBS move in the mid-2000s to position ourselves to be a factor in realignment today. The western Big East schools will want a western team, the ex-CUSAs will want one of their southern CUSA buddies, the Catholics don't have any affinity for us, and UConn would cut off its own arm to prevent UMass from getting a leg up. We'd have to be a much, much better candidate than any other option out there to even get a phone call from the BE, and we're not.
 
#25 ·
UConn to ACC.

UMass to Big East. New addition must have football and this is UMass' big chance to move their FB up a level.

Fordham to Patriot League.

Creighton and Wichita St to A10, further expanding its footprint into the Central Time Zone, gobbling up two committed basketball schools that don't have football programs, while decimating the MVC at the same time. The new additions allow for TV doubleheaders on weeknights with games starting at 7pm and 9pm eastern (6pm and 8 pm central).

With the CAA, Horizon and MVC left in ruins, A10 is well situated to improve Tv contracts by taking the spots previously filled by those other conferences.
 
#27 ·
#35 ·
The Big 12 has so much television money for football that they would take 2 schools at most. And they are a pretty tough basketball league, so they do not need to expand to help them out on that front.

They have previously said that they are not much interested in expansion, but are not totally closed to the idea. Florida State and Clemson are the 2 schools that they seemed to have any interest in. BYU was discussed but ruled out because they have too many restrictions about playing on Sundays. If the Big 12 expands, they will not go to 14.

East Carolina has hired Chuck Neinas, the former commissioner who saved the Big 12 as a consultant to get them into the Big East. He also was hired by Memphis and got them into the Big East. What the hell the Big 10 sees in Rutgers is beyond me, but if they go, the Big East needs an all sports member. I still think that Tulsa or Tulane best fits the Big East profile, but ECU might have a leg up on everyone.

There is Zero chance that UL or UC get into the Big 12. They do not fit the academic profile of the league, nor do they have much buzz to add anything.

If Clemson and Florida State leave, the ACC as far as football is concerned is going to be pretty bad, not any better than the Big East or CUSA.
 
#36 ·
The Big 12 has so much television money for football that they would take 2 schools at most. And they are a pretty tough basketball league, so they do not need to expand to help them out on that front.

They have previously said that they are not much interested in expansion, but are not totally closed to the idea. Florida State and Clemson are the 2 schools that they seemed to have any interest in. BYU was discussed but ruled out because they have too many restrictions about playing on Sundays. If the Big 12 expands, they will not go to 14.

East Carolina has hired Chuck Neinas, the former commissioner who saved the Big 12 as a consultant to get them into the Big East. He also was hired by Memphis and got them into the Big East. What the hell the Big 10 sees in Rutgers is beyond me, but if they go, the Big East needs an all sports member. I still think that Tulsa or Tulane best fits the Big East profile, but ECU might have a leg up on everyone.

There is Zero chance that UL or UC get into the Big 12. They do not fit the academic profile of the league, nor do they have much buzz to add anything.

If Clemson and Florida State leave, the ACC as far as football is concerned is going to be pretty bad, not any better than the Big East or CUSA.
A very specific point in all this: I have no affiliation with UL, but I really feel badly for them given the investments they've made in their athletic facilities and programs. It just goes to show that it just isn't all about the sports with the Presidents; academics actually still matter in these matters having to do with collegiate affiliations. Imagine that.
 
#37 ·
I would be shocked if the the B12 stuck at 10 schools for very long. If the Big 10 moves to 14 by adding Rutgers & Maryland, its safe to assume at a minimum that the ACC would add a school to get back to 14 in football. That would make the SEC, B10 & ACC all at 14, the P12 at 12 and the B12 at 10. For a conference that was almost dead a little over a year ago, they can't fell all that stable that the SEC, B10 or P12 wouldn't come knocking in an attempt to get to 14 (P12) or 16 teams. They need to make a move for nothing else but to stabilize themselves over the ACC for the long run. FSU makes a lot of sense in that case and they're going to need at least 1 more travel partner for them, ideally 2 more, 1 that matches up well w/ FSU (Clemson) and one that matches up well w/ WVU (Louisville). That would put them at 14 and give them a strong case to expand either West or East if they got go to 16.

File under FWIW, rumore on an Ohio State board that GTech is looking to make a move to get in the B10, and that Carolina & Virginia have been rumered as potential suiters in the "near" term.
 
#40 ·
I live in Maryland and have several friends who are UMD alums, and they are universally against this move. Many say that whatever money they gain will be lost by the loss of rivalries as well as increased travel.

As far as the Big East, it will survive, but in name only once the music stops playing. The ACC will likely take UConn as a replacement, and it's inevitable that Louisville goes elsewhere at some point too.

As far as the BE basketball schools go, it still doesn't make sense for them to split off. It seems obvious that the A-10 is the top non-football conference in the country. And the recent TV contract received isn't even close to what the Big East is going to receive.
 
#42 ·
#43 ·
If I recall, the Big 10 only is interested in major research universities, correct? With that said, the State University of NJ (Rutgers) would fit the bill and its proximity to NYC and Philly helps at first glance, though truly no one in NYC cares about local college football. Notre Dame is probably the most popular team in NYC, as there are a lot of Irish folks here.

How this might shake out for the ACC will be interesting. Just six months ago, they seemed to have won with their additions and the increased exit fee. Now? Not so much, particularly if FSU and Clemson want to leave and GTech and UVa (similar school profiles) are looking around.

Will be interesting to see how Duke and (particularly) Wake Forest end up with all this. Duke basketball is obviously a powerful commodity. Their football team is awful. Wake has a poor football history and recent struggles in hoops don't help.

Will UNC make a move without Duke? What if the SEC offered UNC?
 
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