The Official Conference Realignment Rumors Thread

[CrimsonTribe]

As expected, it would seem Missouri would be the SEC's 14th. I suspected they would want them over WV. I would still think WVU would be one of the choices though if they go to 16.

Source: Mizzou has SEC offer, but SEC willing to wait

Good stuff. Another link with some analysis from SB Nation's SEC blog.

http://www.teamspeedkills.com/2011/9...ce-realignment

That might be why the report hints at a mutual understanding that Mizzou would head to the SEC if and when the Big 12 imploded. I wouldn't be surprised if this is not an "offer" in the strictest sense of the word, but a nod-nod, wink-wink sort of deal. Missouri knows that the SEC will accept it if the Big 12 falls apart, and the SEC knows that Missouri will apply if the Big 12 falls apart, but neither has has happened yet.

That would also explain the outright rejection of West Virginia, at least for now. The SEC thinks it has a 14th team lined up, at least if the Big 12 dies, as everyone pretty much expects it to.

[Sanfran327]

I wouldn't go that far. Everything I've read is that they actually leave money on the table by choosing to remain independent. Their NBC deal is only for about $15 million/yr. They could get over $20 million if they joined the Big Ten. But they value their independence over money. As much as I despise Notre Dame, I have to tip my hat to them for some of the principle's they stand by....namely with regards to not bending on admissions for student athletes, particularly football players. They'll never win another national championship with that approach, and I think their fans need to acknowledge that, but if that's what's important to the university then good for them.

You hit the nail on the head. Maybe profitable wasn't the right word in my previous post. I kind of thought about that afterwards. Maybe instead, I should have said that ND is the most identifiable program in college football. As for the rest of your post, you're 1000% correct: their approach is going to make their program suffer, and not Brian Kelly, Charlie Wiess, or anyone else is going to turn that around in this age of college football. ND fans better get used to it.

That's the most traditional program in the land. That tradition is where they hang their hat. No way are they going to change that now. I'd be disappointed if they did.

[FanSince88]

That's just a silly wish, not a reasonable expectation. ND will be just fine wherever they wind up.

Thanks for having a sense of humor Greg. Of course, that is just a silly wish on my part, not based on reality.

ND will probably end up in the Big Ten. But if they do, they may very well go the route of Penn State and wind up being also-rans or overshadowed by other programs. PSU has been on a pretty pronounced decline since going Big 10, albeit with a few spikes here and there.

They may also not be able to preserve some of their rivalries like the USC and Navy games. Plus they'll have to play the likes of Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, and Northwestern -- have fun selling tickets to those games.

Even as a Pitt fan, I must say that I feel a little bad for WVU. The ACC rejected them because of academics, and the SEC rejected because of money/markets. Tough break, but as long as the NCAA keeps pretending to care about the books, WVU might have a rough go of it.

[PrivateO]

As expected, it would seem Missouri would be the SEC's 14th. I suspected they would want them over WV. I would still think WVU would be one of the choices though if they go to 16.

Source: Mizzou has SEC offer, but SEC willing to wait

Mizzou would kill for a Big Ten invite. Too bad them (and the ACC) are waiting to hear if Notre Dame will finally cave.

It wouldn't surprise me if the SEC gets Mizzou as #14, then takes WVU and Louisville as #15 and #16. Who knows, seeing that is appears they want Mizzou, maybe they'll complete the rivalry and bring in Kansas.

[FanSince88]

The irony about ND is that the Big East, at least in the short term, would have been the conference most accommodating to ND's "traditions" of playing OOC rivals. With less teams, ND would have had more OOC games in the Big East to keep playing USC, Navy, Boston College, and others. Now, if they end up in a 14 or 16 team Big 10, they probably won't have those chances to be a "national" power anymore. They'll end up being a regional midwest team, and lose the national exposure.

[Birds of B'more]

Mizzou would kill for a Big Ten invite. Too bad them (and the ACC) are waiting to hear if Notre Dame will finally cave.

It wouldn't surprise me if the SEC gets Mizzou as #14, then takes WVU and Louisville as #15 and #16. Who knows, seeing that is appears they want Mizzou, maybe they'll complete the rivalry and bring in Kansas.

Like I've said before, I think ND will hold out to the very end, until it's pretty much inevitable that they have to join a BCS conference or be left out. That said, I can actually think of several reasons why they might prefer the ACC over the Big Ten.....which might explain why the ACC is holding off with regard to UConn and Rutgers, each of whom are apparently lobbying to join.

[Birds of B'more]

Mizzou would kill for a Big Ten invite. Too bad them (and the ACC) are waiting to hear if Notre Dame will finally cave.

It wouldn't surprise me if the SEC gets Mizzou as #14, then takes WVU and Louisville as #15 and #16. Who knows, seeing that is appears they want Mizzou, maybe they'll complete the rivalry and bring in Kansas.

The only thing about Louisville is that it would violate the alleged "gentlemen's agreement" the SEC has to not expand into an existing member's state. If they hold true to that, I think TCU makes good sense, to further establish a Texas presence. But Louisville makes sense for the SEC too if they add WV.

[PrivateO]

Like I've said before, I think ND will hold out to the very end, until it's pretty much inevitable that they have to join a BCS conference or be left out. That said, I can actually think of several reasons why they might prefer the ACC over the Big Ten.....which might explain why the ACC is holding off with regard to UConn and Rutgers, each of whom are apparently lobbying to join.

Totally agree with you on ND waiting it out. They have all of the leverage right now. Also agree that the ACC is waiting to invite UConn/Rutgers to hear back from the Irish.

The only thing about Louisville is that it would violate the alleged "gentlemen's agreement" the SEC has to not expand into an existing member's state. If they hold true to that, I think TCU makes good sense, to further establish a Texas presence. But Louisville makes sense for the SEC too if they add WV.

Agreed. That's the one caveat in the idea that I've heard floated around on other message boards.

In regards to Mizzou:

ClayTravisBGID Clay Travis
SEC wants to wait for Big 12 to implode before pursuing Missouri. Not happy with leak.

ClayTravisBGID Clay Travis
@Matt_HayesSN Yep, Missouri spoke out of turn. With legal issues, SEC likely furious.

EDIT: one more link for this post regarding OU and the Big XII

The University of Oklahoma is considering remaining in the Big 12, but only in a “reformed” version of the conference that includes hard and fast rules for Texas' Longhorn Network and removal of Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe, a high-ranking Big 12 source told The Oklahoman on Tuesday.
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OU president David Boren said Monday the Sooners would decide soon between applying for Pac-12 membership or staying in the Big 12, and the source outlined the parameters for remaining in the Big 12.

“It's going to take major, major reforms” for OU, and thus Oklahoma State, to consider remaining in the Big 12, the source said. “We'd have to have an interim commissioner.”

Source blames Beebe for losing Nebraska, Texas A&M, and Colorado in a span of 15 months.
http://newsok.com/breaking-removal-o...=breaking_news

[Birds of B'more]

Even if Texas gives in and Beebe resigns in shame, I still give that conference 5 years tops. Good luck getting anyone decent to join to replace Texas A&M, who it appears are still leaving no matter what. I'm sure they can find another doormat school who will let Texas push them around just for the money (SMU, Houston, Rice), but I bet even BYU would rather take the risk of being an independent than joining that motley crew.

[Floater]

Notre Dame and Uconn for me would be nice. I'd rather go get two football schools and not try and turn into the Big East of old with basketball powerhouses, look at them now.

[Sanfran327]

Even if Texas gives in and Beebe resigns in shame, I still give that conference 5 years tops. Good luck getting anyone decent to join to replace Texas A&M, who it appears are still leaving no matter what. I'm sure they can find another doormat school who will let Texas push them around just for the money (SMU, Houston, Rice), but I bet even BYU would rather take the risk of being an independent than joining that motley crew.

TCU and Boise State would be nice replacements. Not sure how realistic that is, but it could save the Big XII.

[PrivateO]

TCU and Boise State would be nice replacements. Not sure how realistic that is, but it could save the Big XII.

Who knows, maybe WVU, UL, and UC venture west.

[waroriole]

Good stuff. Another link with some analysis from SB Nation's SEC blog.

http://www.teamspeedkills.com/2011/9...ce-realignment

I don't get the SEC interest in Mizzou. I would think that Va Tech is the logical choice. They don't impede on anyone's market, and they give the conference close proximity to DC. I don't see why the $20M price tag is prohibitive.

[Birds of B'more]

I don't get the SEC interest in Mizzou. I would think that Va Tech is the logical choice. They don't impede on anyone's market, and they give the conference close proximity to DC. I don't see why the $20M price tag is prohibitive.

I'm certain that the bean-counters at VPI see why. When you hear about the overall money in some of these TV deals, yeah, $20 million might not sound like much. But even with their new TV deal, the individual ACC schools are getting about $13 million/yr each. So take away an entire year of TV revenues, add another $7 million you have to come up with, and factor in the fact that as a new member of the SEC they may not get a full share of conference revenues for a year or two....and that is a whole lot of money. I won't say that a $20 million exit fee makes the ACC's membership ironclad, but I'd say it comes damn close.

[PrivateO]

Some new links:

@PeteThamelNYT Pete Thamel
East Carolina (again) applied to the Big East today. They didn't want it a secret, as "50 people were copied on the e-mail. "

No official invitation was extended by the league, but both parties had extensive discussions about Navy joining the league in football only and it very well could have happened in the next couple of weeks, college football industry sources told CBSSports.com.

Besides Navy, the Big East also was targeting Air Force and league sources felt confident both schools would have been Big East members, perhaps within the next year – that is until Pitt and Syracuse announced they were leaving for the ACC.

However, with the Big East’s future now in limbo, it’s uncertain if Navy and/or Air Force will remain interested in joining either a Big East without Pitt and Syracuse or a merger of leftover teams from the Big East and Big 12 conferences. That is, in fact, if the Big 12 loses Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech to the Pac-12.

http://brett-mcmurphy.blogs.cbssport...32522/32135950