The Rest of College Football

[Jeff Buchanan]

Once the Pac Ten, Big Ten, SEC and maybe if the Big Twelve survives - and I think they will, while the ACC is on life support now and won't survive long term - there will be between 70-80 teams in those four Division I conferences. Remaining Division I conferences will reorganize. There will, by default, be two Division I tiers. Maybe some merging of Division II and I teams outside the Big 4.

Hard to predict but I don't think any of the Big 4 have any interest at all in revenue sharing ..... at least not right now. Depends on how the chips fall for Fox/B10, SEC/ESPN (or whoever). But this is a power struggle involving market share issue and broadcast rights for sure with a huge amount of money at stake.

I also don't think that Delaney, or Slive give a rat's patoot about Louisiana Tech and the rest. They can do what ever they want. The notion of a seat at the table for these smaller players is going to die ...... along with not just a few struggling football programs.

[Tony G]

The systematic structure I advocated would have had to have evolved as the sport grew. We are way too far down the highway for that to happen.

[entropy]

it is interesting to me how the BIG looks to survive when a few yrs ago, it appearred it would not.

I used to think we'd end up with 5 conferences... PAC, BIG, SEC, BIG12 and TBD... TBD will be more national and allowed to exist/tag along because of lawsuits and politics.

that said.. if everyone goes to 20... 4 will probably be the magic number

[entropy]

http://www.eersauthority.com/big-10-and-sec-race-to-add-acc-schools/

Big 10 and SEC Race to Add ACC Schools
18 Jan, 2013


Multiple sources within the Big 10 contend the University of Virginia is set to receive an invitation to join the conference early next week. UVA is expected to ratify the move from the ACC to the Big 10 shortly after receiving the invitation.

UVA would become the 15th member of the Big 10.

None of the Big 10 sources would divulge the identity of the Big 10’s target for #16 but they did confirm that Georgia Tech and UNC are the leading candidates.

Media contacts working close to Georgia Tech believe the Yellow Jackets are the Big 10’s choice for #16 while several sources within the Big 10 believe the conference would prefer UNC over GT.

Sources close to the SEC allege UNC is also engaged in serious discussions to join the SEC along with Duke.

The same sources indicate that the SEC is prepared to be the catalyst of the next round of conference realignment and move quickly to secure either UNC and Duke or Virginia Tech and NC State.

Sources at WVU say the Big 12 is set to discuss expansion at the end of the month and it is likely they will invite as many as 6 ACC teams after the Big 10 and SEC move.

So what does this mean?

If the Big 10 and SEC sources are correct we can assume UNC is highly prized commodity – at least a big enough prize to force the SEC to break their pattern of benign poaching and make a preemptive move on UNC before the Big 10 has a chance to snatch up the Tar Heels.

As for the Big 10 my sources tell me on paper UNC looks like a perfect fit but Georgia Tech has enormous support from both Illinois and Purdue. So much support that Delany has been forced to rethink his choice of UNC.

The Big 12 has previously agreed to add FSU and either Miami or Clemson (it’s different depending on who you talk to at WVU or in the Big 12). My sources at WVU explain that Miami is the more valuable choice due to its larger television market and fertile recruiting grounds but they are quick to explain Clemson is a close second.

What’s clear is that the Big 12 will have the opportunity to add 6 quality schools that will drastically improve their footprint and increase their available television inventory.

If the Big 12 is lucky and the Big 10 and SEC hit 16 and hold the conference could see FSU, Miami, Clemson, Virginia Tech and NC State as members.

The folks at WVU are giddy at the prospect of being in the same division as old friends FSU, Clemson, Miami and our best “frenemy” Virginia Tech.

The worst scenario for the Big 12 is still an improvement. At the very least Bowlsby will decide to add FSU, Miami and Clemson and he’ll have some options to round out the conference at either 14 or 16 with Louisville, Cincinnati, Pitt, BYU or even UCONN.

Why would ACC schools move before the UMD lawsuit with the ACC is settled? A mass defection of 10 schools would kill the ACC as a viable conference and their may be no one left to pay the exit fee to after realignment is finished.

The other popular opinion is that it won’t matter. They know UMD will pay far less than the $52 million and they’re willing to move on to greener pastures confident that the ACC’s share of playoff money and eventually even the ACC’s TV money will be redistributed to the remaining big 4 and more than make up for whatever exit fee they may be forced to pay.

Keep in mind I don’t have direct knowledge of the discussion. I rely on friends at WVU and contacts within the ACC, Big 10 and SEC for this information and it can change quickly.

[entropy]

From Deadspin ...

Football Recruit Who Said His Notre Dame Visit “Went Great” Never Actually Visited Campus


Georgia high school running back Stanley Williams committed to UGA two summers ago, but he may be having second thoughts. As his star has risen, he's received interest from a number of big-time programs, including, he says, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Oregon, and Notre Dame. The junior is planning to weigh all his options, and that includes making plenty of campus visits this offseason.

Williams was scheduled to travel to Notre Dame this past weekend, and take in Saturday night's ND-Rutgers basketball game. Yesterday, he told Blue and Gold Illustrated all about his trip.

"The visit went great," Williams said. "It was great to experience something new and different, and we had a great time at the game. I had been looking forward to it for a while, and it was great to just get out there and see a new place. I plan on getting up there a couple more times in the future."

One little problem. Williams never actually went to Notre Dame.

A pair of Notre Dame writers flagged the quote, saying his scheduled campus visit didn't happen. 247Sports's Rusty Mansell reached out to Williams to ask if he had gone to Notre Dame, and Williams replied, "No sir."

So what happened? This isn't a Mitch Albom situation where a writer filed a story before it took place (or didn't take place)—Williams actually gave those quotes. He also spoke of talking with Notre Dame tight ends coach Scott Booker, and says Booker promised him an offer would be forthcoming. The most logical guess, which itself isn't particularly logical, is that Williams hoped to increase his standing with other universities by claiming an offer from a team fresh off a BCS Title Game appearance. It was only a matter of time before the robust recruiting community caught him out, and it took less than a day.

"After taking the visit there," Williams said, "they are definitely high up there on my list." The sentiment probably isn't mutual any longer.

[lineygoblue]

I think he DID visit ND.

Probably was escorted around campus by Mantei T'eo ...

... sorry .. couldn't resist ...

[Jeff Buchanan]

Well, it's pretty well documented that high schoolers cheat massively on exams. Why wouldn't these same aged athletes play these kinds of games to boost their value falsely. Sickens me ......... Glad he got outed and hope it keeps happening to the knuckleheads that pull this kind of stuff.

[DennisT]

Mitch Albom wrote up the visit report.

[Dr. Strangelove]

The guy who contributes expansion news to that Eersauthority blog has been repeatedly wrong about many things. For whatever reason, many of the most outlandish theories and bad info have come from the West Virginia online community. I read a lot of that stuff but with an extremely skeptical eye.

[Dr. Strangelove]

On another note I would regard BC as an awful addition unless it was a guaranteed way, guaranteed, of convincing Notre Dame to join.

[iam416]

Correct. ND and UNC=grand slam. They could add Kent, Akron and Central with those two.

[Dr. Strangelove]

BC institutionally is unlike every school in the B1G, including Northwestern. They have a half-hearted, lukewarm fanbase and both major sports programs are in the tank. If Delaney tries to ask for instate rates for the BTN in Boston, he will get laughed out of Comcast's office.

Nice team to add for hockey. That's about it.

[entropy]

The NCAA is expected to notify Missouri coach Frank Haith of allegations of "unethical conduct and failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance" stemming from his time as coach at Miami, according to a report by CBSSports.com.

Haith
Haith

Haith faces the unethical conduct charge because the NCAA believes that payments to his assistants that Haith said were for basketball camps ended up paying Miami booster Nevin Shapiro, CBS reported, citing an anonymous source. Shapiro's mother told the NCAA she received the payment.

The "failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance" charge stems from airline travel his staff gave to two players' families, as well as allowing contact between Shapiro and players during recruiting trips, according the the report.

The NCAA could release the notice of allegations as early as next week, CBS reported.

Haith told ESPN.com in a text message that he has not received any notification from the NCAA on impending punishments.

"We are in constant contact (with) the NCAA but we have not yet received a notice of allegations," Haith wrote.

Following an NCAA notice of allegations, Haith would have 90 days to respond, then would meet with the NCAA Committee on Infractions. There would then be up to six months for the NCAA to decide on any punishments.

If Haith did receive a show cause or any stiff penalty from the NCAA, his employment status would be up to Missouri, not the NCAA, which does not have the power to fire coaches.

CBS reported that the NCAA could not find proof that Haith or his staff paid $10,000 to former player DeQuan Jones' family.

Shapiro made allegations of rules and recruiting violations at Miami to Yahoo! Sports in 2011. He has said he provided extra benefits to more than 70 of Miami's athletes from 2002-2010.

He is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for orchestrating a nearly $1 billion Ponzi scheme.

Haith left Miami for the Missouri job before the 2011-12 season. He has a 43-9 record with the Tigers.

ESPN.com college basketball senior reporter Andy Katz and reporter Dana O'Neil contributed to this report.

[Wild Hoss]

The power conferences are doing that, just not as systematically as you propose. We've heard athletic directors and presidents talk about only 65-75 universities 'adding' to the pot.

The conference commissioners (helped by the major TV players) are picking apart the lesser conferences, which in turn will pick apart a lesser conference. When were done, I see the top four-to-five power conferences (B10, SEC, Pac 12+, Big XII, maybe ACC) separating themselves (in football) into a new division, leaving behind the Sun Belt, WAC (RIP), C-USA, Big East & MWC.

The "Haves" are coalescing...its a process that's been underway since 1994 IMO, when the first moves toward the formation of the Big 12 began. Some "Have Nots" get grandfathered into the new club (ILL, NW, Vanderbilt etc) but there may come a day when those old ties aren't enough to retain a seat at the table.

Its a lurching, inefficent, sometimes inexplicable process...but what else would we expect from college football? In the long run, what we may see is a re-establishment of D1A status, with the "floor" of average attendance being raised, either by rule or via de facto economic pressures. In the end, schools drawing 30K for games with budgets of $40M or less really don't belong with those drawing 90K+ and budgets of $80M. Many of these FBS schools are equals with the likes of Michigan and Nebraska on paper only. This is a farce that needs to end.

[Tony G]

Surely you aren't suggesting they play a full schedule of tough teams??? They need the B1G cupcakes to get over the bowl threshold