Do we have a lifeboat this time?

[hoopsfan22]

Absolutely, and I have regamed the final puzzle pieces.

I now believe ND will be going to the B1G. I believe both the SEC and B1G will go to 20 schools (anything past that won’t make sense financially). The SEC adds UNC, Clemson, Florida State, and Miami. The B1G adds ND, Stanford, Oregon, and Washington.

The ACC replies by adding us, Cincy, WVU, and UCF.

The remaining 16 schools between the Pac-12 and Big 12 merge.

Boom.

I think the B1G wants UNC and UVA. They've coveted those schools for a while, but never had a practical way of prying them out of the ACC. If the ACC starts getting picked apart, no chance the B1G turns down the opportunity to grab them even if they are already at 20 teams.

 

[ZooCougar]

Absolutely, and I have regamed the final puzzle pieces.

I now believe ND will be going to the B1G. I believe both the SEC and B1G will go to 20 schools (anything past that won’t make sense financially). The SEC adds UNC, Clemson, Florida State, and Miami. The B1G adds ND, Stanford, Oregon, and Washington.

The ACC replies by adding us, Cincy, WVU, and UCF.

The remaining 16 schools between the Pac-12 and Big 12 merge.

Boom.

I think they each go to 24 teams. The G2 will be 48 teams. That just feels like the right number. And they won’t have to play anyone else.

 

[shizzle787]

I think the B1G wants UNC and UVA. They've coveted those schools for a while, but never had a practical way of prying them out of the ACC. If the ACC starts getting picked apart, no chance the B1G turns down the opportunity to grab them even if they are already at 20 teams.

ESPN owns the SEC and ACC. Easier to move those puzzle pieces.

 

[History Geek]

Wait. Did you just say that most of us knew it was a miss after Holy Cross? Are you for real?

Ok. Maybe I was late to the party on that. I am a glass half full kind of guy. Going into 2021 I knew the time for allowing sucking was over. After Fresno I said that was horrible but lets see how they look against FCS Holy Cross. After that train wreck I gave up on Randy. I grant many told me, “Its about time.”

 

[bobbyinaz]

The problem with all these crazy scenarios is that nobody is making a move until they know for sure that there is no seat for them at the SEC/B1G table.

If the ACC GOR holds then none of those schools are available until 2036. Why would anyone make a move to a conference where you would be required to sign a GOR to get in knowing that come 2036 all hell could break loose?

 

[Stinger92860]

Based on what I’ve read, so far, our future is no different than it was 1 week ago. I don’t see us in a P2 league. I’m not sure we can get into a P3 version of what’s next. If its 60-68 teams in the next level, we have a chance. If it’s 40-48 I‘m much less confIdent. What pi$$es me off is that we are better than 24-48. We need Mora to knock it out of the park, but that may not be enough.

 

[NH Husky]

ACC needs to show they have some balki. Grab the best of B12 (and us) now or the die a slow painful death.

 

[ScottVib]

Cincy is going to the B12 already with UCF, BYU, and Houston. Those may be the very last invites ever to the big boy club. Unfortunately their status will only last for as long as it takes for the B1G and $EC to start picking off whatever they want from the P5 carcass.

I'm skeptical that they'll want to remain in the Big XII as it is constituted after things shake out. The legacy Big XII schools, frankly are likely frustrated they acted so quickly on expansion now with the opportunities from the remnant schools in the Pac-12. I suspect that while the money may not be that much better, they'll take the opportunity to partner with the Pac-12 schools under that umbrella and shake the less desirable schools within the Big XII.

I think the remnant Big XII will look a lot like the AAC circa 2018... which would present a reason that WVU and Cincy would want to leave there for a rump ACC that looked more like the Big East circa 2009

 

[Sea Goat]

I thought we, very recently, changed conference!! We are not even a P5 candidate in MBB-- when was the last time we advanced beyond the first game? Yet, we keep saying that these P5 conf are going to see our worth and swoop in. One person here went as far as linking us with CLEMSON as a possible pair for the B10. Interesting equation.

We have been diminished in the last few years, but anymore more so than Syracuse, BC or Rutgers? Obviously those schools weren't added to the ACC or Big 10 because of any athletic prowess. All I hope for is some shake -up as all on the outside looking in do!

 

[HuskyDogArt]

I thought we, very recently, changed conference!! We are not even a P5 candidate in MBB-- when was the last time we advanced beyond the first game? Yet, we keep saying that these P5 conf are going to see our worth and swoop in. One person here went as far as linking us with CLEMSON as a possible pair for the B10. Interesting equation.

I said Clemson because what I heard and read is that the ACC might be raided by the B1G. The B12 now would like to add USF to capture the Tampa Orlando area (the fastest growing part of Florida) and the ACC is looking at USF to block it.

I am glad we bailed on the AAC as I believe if USF leaves it would be a league of unimportant schools. Tulsa, Tulane ho him...

 

[drayenob]

 

[UConnJim]

Cincy is going to the B12 already with UCF, BYU, and Houston. Those may be the very last invites ever to the big boy club. Unfortunately their status will only last for as long as it takes for the B1G and $EC to start picking off whatever they want from the P5 carcass.

The “Big Boy Club” just changed from the P5 to the P2 and it will become more clear with the next moves to the P2. How many relevant football schools are outside the P2 right now? Maybe 5 or 6 and that will change soon. If you are in the ACC, PAC 12, or Big 12 right now, you are either looking to join the P2, hoping a new conference can become a P3, or you are resigned to playing in a conference that is next level down.

 

[Jimdish255]

Absolutely, and I have regamed the final puzzle pieces.

I now believe ND will be going to the B1G. I believe both the SEC and B1G will go to 20 schools (anything past that won’t make sense financially). The SEC adds UNC, Clemson, Florida State, and Miami. The B1G adds ND, Stanford, Oregon, and Washington.

The ACC replies by adding us, Cincy, WVU, and UCF.

The remaining 16 schools between the Pac-12 and Big 12 merge.

Boom.

This could happen, but it's not happening overnight. We need to have a 5 year plan moving forward to position ourselves. That starts with winning football and some more Final Fours in hoops for men and women. I don't see just 2 major conferences that shut out the others for some time, if ever. NIL still has a say in where kids sign up, as well as coaching, winning, location, and yes academics. Fans are caught up in the moment as usual. But most of these moves take time, a lot of work and a lot of legal preparation to complete. Don't expect it all overnight.

 

[Rufus]

The difference between the Big Ten and Big 12 is that the geographical distance involves bigger programs in the Big Ten. Outside of Texas and Oklahoma, WVU played teams no one cares about nationally. The Big Ten will have for more national interest games with their expansion.

 

[2UCONN04]

I doubt that UConn will have any chair at the table after the last few realignment periods yielded us squat....

 

[superjohn]

This will be felt around the country as the buzz wears off. Longterm this is all really bad for college sports and people will start to tune out.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

This will be felt around the country as the buzz wears off. Longterm this is all really bad for college sports and people will start to tune out.

Of all the Big East teams to take a jab at, of course the guy picked UConn, lol.

 

[Billy Jack]

I think that what could very well shake out from all of the football realignment is a brand new basketball centric conference built from the best basketball schools from among the leftovers. This would be the best case scenario for UConn. Here’s a list of past national champions who could be the core members of such a new conference:

Duke
Kansas
Louisville
UConn
Syracuse
Baylor

 

[Jimdish255]

I think that what could very well shake out from all of the football realignment is a brand new basketball centric conference built from the best basketball schools from among the leftovers. This would be the best case scenario for UConn. Here’s a list of past national champions who could be the core members of such a new conference:

Duke
Kansas
Louisville
UConn
Syracuse
Baylor

If this happens put me on the clock

 

[ZooCougar]

Why the HaHa, Zoo?

Miss hit.

 

[CTBballfan243]

I think that what could very well shake out from all of the football realignment is a brand new basketball centric conference built from the best basketball schools from among the leftovers. This would be the best case scenario for UConn. Here’s a list of past national champions who could be the core members of such a new conference:

Duke
Kansas
Louisville
UConn
Syracuse
Baylor

Duke and Kansas will have spots at the big boys table. Those brands will not get left behind.

 

[CTBballfan243]

What I'm hoping for is DB on the phone to the B1G and see if we and Clemson could be invited... I think the BIG12 and the ACC will be the ones getting raided.

I think our lifeboat is our basketball teams, yes I know this is about FB, but any P5 conference would love our BB teams.

Just my thoughts, someone here thinks that USF might join the BIG 12, so they (B12) can get the Tampa Orlando market. The guy said ACC might pick up USF to keep Florida...

Interesting times we are in...

The P5 love our basketball teams so much?? So that’s why we’re in the BE and on the outside looking in.

 

[Billy Jack]

Duke and Kansas will have spots at the big boys table. Those brands will not get left behind.

The big boys table includes only the B1G and the SEC at this point. According to the Wall Street Journal, Kansas isn’t even in the top dozen football revenue producers among schools not already in those 2 conferences. Duke is so far behind Kansas that they’re not even in the conversation.

This current realignment is all about dollars - football dollars, in particular. Kansas and Duke don’t have football brands.

 

[businesslawyer]

Duke and Kansas will have spots at the big boys table. Those brands will not get left behind.

It's possible. But if you think Duke trustees are comfortable at the moment, you're very wrong.

 

[RSTuthill]

UConn just needs to win football games. The rest will take care of itself. Who knows how this will all shake out? But without some W's, UConn has nothing of value to bring to the table.

 

[CL82]

So, it kind of bothers me that our best case scenario, hitting the jackpot as it were, is our moving to a conference because it needs to backfill since it’s most valuable properties eft it for somewhere more lucrative. There is no reasonable path for us to sit at the big boy table, but maybe we get to sit with the middle school kids.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

We need some combination of UNC, ND, FSU, and Clemson to find a way out of the ACC. But even then, we could left out.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

So, it kind of bothers me that our best case scenario, hitting the jackpot as it were, is our moving to a conference because it needs to backfill since it’s most valuable properties eft it for somewhere more lucrative. There is no reasonable path for us to sit at the big boy table, but maybe we get to sit with the middle school kids.

Think of it as a rebuild -- given the awful history of Coach PP and Diaco and Edsall II. If UConn gets a spot in the ACC, we can continue to improve in men's BB and FB, -- go to bowl games and get back to Final Four -- and work on improving research volume, we may qualify for AAU in about a decade. Then, maybe we get an invite to B10. Right now, there are just too many teams that offer the B10 much more than UConn.

 

[CL82]

Think of it as a rebuild -- given the awful history of Coach PP and Diaco and Edsall II. If UConn gets a spot in the ACC, we can continue to improve in men's BB and FB, -- go to bowl games and get back to Final Four -- and work on improving research volume, we may qualify for AAU in about a decade. Then, maybe we get an invite to B10. Right now, there are just too many teams that offer the B10 much more than UConn.

I don’t see the math working there.

 

[CTBballfan243]

The next dominoes to fall probably won’t occur until the early 2030’s when the ACC’s GOR will be easier for teams to buy their way out of. This should give UConn about 8-10 years to improve football enough to have a shot at spot in the ACC once more teams are poached for the SEC/B1G.