Pac-12 Not expanding
Pac-12 has decided not to expand to 16 teams. According to SportsCenter interview with Andy Katz, no link.
Edit: Courtesy of Blue in South Bend who courtesied the vanquished links of same-time poster Jaggs:
Andy_Staples Andy Staples
September 21st, 2011 at 6:05 PM ^
Like MaizeandBlueWahoo was saying, I think the ACC was the big winner. Locking down most of the larger schools on the East Coast is a plus, but even bigger was being able to stabilize the ACC so that the B1G or SEC wouldn't pick off teams.
Before Syracuse and Pitt went to the ACC, there was talk of FSU/Miami/Clemson/GaTech being SEC targets, and speculation that Maryland/UVa/wild-ass dreams of UNC+Duke heading to the B1G.
I don't think anyone realistically envisions any ACC school dishing out a $20 mil buyout for the B1G or SEC now.
Kudos to the ACC comish.
B1G should stay put unless they can get ND + Texas. Only two that will expand revenue. All others individually (usual AAU suspects of Rutgers, Mizzou, KU, Maryland, UVa, UPitt etc) are an unenthusastic 'meh' in terms of athletics they bring, fanbase and/or revenue contributions.
Pitt is probably the best fit by far....
September 21st, 2011 at 9:44 PM ^
It's still going to happen eventually...and if I was the czar of the NCAA...here's how it'd go down:
#1) Naturally, the Big 10 gets first choice of free agent Big 12, Big East and other schools. First round draft choice, Texas. The most powerful college football program in the land (in terms of $value$). Fits in very well academically as well. Put them in OSU's division! Second round draft choice, Notre Dame. Probably still a top 5 or 10 program (in terms of $value$). Very nice academically. About freaking time. We'll take them in our division. Third and fourth round draft choices, UConn and Rutgers. Make ESPN country Big10 country. Nice academically as well. Makes us more of a...well...sophisticated conference, as opposed to continuing on into the great plains. We get exactly what we want.
#2) Fine, SEC can pick second. They'll probably just take the best of what's left in the Big 12 - Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Missouri. Makes them even more powerful on the playing field. That's all they care about anyways. Moving on.
#3) Pac-10 gets third choice. Unfortunately, all they can do to get to 16 is take the left-over left-overs of the Big 12. Say hello to Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech and Baylor, probably.
#4) Time for the ACC to add one. And it's the best remaining Big East team on the board - South Florida and WVU or TCU (they'll probably go WVU).
*****!?!?!?!?!?*****
Now you get to the rest of the leagues. How about this for an idea. We've already got 4 major 16 team conferences. Why not make 4 mid-major 14 team conferences. 8 team playoff featuring all of the conference champions?? Seems kind of sweet in an NCAA Bball tourney kind of way.
#1) Combine the WAC and Mountain West Conferences. That leaves you with 1 16-team conference, so a couple of cuts will need to be made. I won't bother speculating who gets cut, because I know nothing about it.
#2) Conference USA is the next best mid-major. Give them all of the BCS rejects - Iowa State, West Virginia/TCU, Louisville, Cincinnatti, Navy and Army. That gives you an 18 team conference. 4 teams will need to be cut. Don't know/care who.
#3/#4) Take the 6 cuts from the WAC/MW and Conf USA. Spread them amongst the MAC and Sun Belt. Bam. You've got 4 16-team major leagues and 4 14-team mid major leagues.
...How's this look for a playoff structure?
#1 SEC Champ v. #8 Sun Belt Champ
#4 ACC Champ vs. #5 WAC/MW Champ
#2 Big 10 Champ v. #7 MAC Champ
#3 Pac 10 Champ v. #6 Conf USA Champ
September 22nd, 2011 at 3:21 PM ^
Word on the street is that ACC expansion is either ND and they add UConn, or nothing further.
Sucks to be you Rutgers.