My Thoughts on College Football Expansion/Realignment

It appears that the end of college football as we know it is upon us. It seems only fitting that I blog once again about my thoughts on the subject. I don't blog much and it may seem like that this is all I think about considering my last blog was about college football as well. Things have change a lot in the last 10 months though. Things have changed a lot the last 2 days. With Nebraska, Colorado, and Boise St. on the move and Texas and the Texettes (thank you Ben Baggely of 1320 Kfan here in Salt Lake City) soon to follow, things are going to be very different in college football. How different? Can you say 5 super conferences with 16 teams each? That's what I think will happen and will have a better idea on Tuesday when Texas makes their anouncement. Someone more influential than me, however, thinks the same thing. In an article by ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski which can be found here http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=5272309 former SEC commissioner Beano Cook who was responsible for the SEC expanding to 12 teams says that "I always felt that the Big 12 was a little bit of a fragile conference due to the concessions made to Texas and that nature," said Kramer. "But did I see this on the horizon, did I see this change? No. But I always felt if the Big Ten went to 12 or more, the Pac-10 would immediately do something."
That "something" is likely a 16-team league that would destroy the Big 12. The Pac-10 also could add Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. The Big 12 leftovers -- Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State (assuming Kramer is right about Missouri and the Big Ten) -- would be adopted by the Mountain West." So what is my humble opinion on these changes? This what I think will happen: There will be 5, 16 team super conferences in college football that will look like this: The Pac-16: USC, UCLA, Stanford, Cal, Oregon, Oregon St., Washington, Washington St., Arizona, Arizona St., Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, Colorado. The Big 16: Michigan, Ohio St., Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan St., Purdue, Minnesota, Northwestern, Penn St., Pitt, Syracuse, Rutgers, Notre Dame. The ACC: Boston College, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina St, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, Louisville, UCONN, South Florida, West Virginia, East Carolina, Memphis, Navy. The SEC: Florida, Florida St., Miami, Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Clemson, Ole Miss, Mississippi St., Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, LSU, Tennessee, Vanderbuilt. Finally The Mountain 16: BYU, Utah, Boise St., Fresno St., San Diego St., UNLV, Colorado St., Air Force, Iowa St., Missouri, Kansas, Kansas St., Baylor, TCU, Houston, Nevada. That is what I think the super conferences should look like. 5 champions with automatic bids to the BCS, 2 of which would play each other for the championship. Then you can pick 5 more to fill out the BCS bowl games. It's closer to a "playoff" than what exists now. For those teams outside of these 80 teams however, you basically lose all relavance (that means you New Mexico and Wyoming). I for one am excited by this possibility because it means BYU and Utah would have an automatic bid to the BCS and would have the chance of playing in a league championship each year. I hope this is what the mountain west is working towards, and judging by more reports that have come out today, it looks like they are. It all depends on what happens Tuesday. Texas' decision will alter the landscape of college football; or could all stay the same. If that happens, Utah probably goes to the Pac-10 to form the Pac-12 and BYU better do everything they can to get into the "new" Big 12. My vote goes to the 5 mega conferences though. I think it would be good for college football, and more "fair" than it is right now.