The Rest of College Football

[Hannibal]

Anyone else watch the OU-FSU game? I'm pretty sure some of our players would be killed in action if we faced them. Good grief, that was a completely different level of play from what we've seen of Big Ten teams this year. Like scary difference.

That's what I was thinking watching that game and a few others so far this year.

[Hannibal]

If we don't get Texas or ND and the SEC, ACC,and Pac12 all expand to 16, we are not going to look like much of a winner in all this.

Eh. Sounds to me like the only place Texas will go is a conference that will bend over and spread their ass cheeks for them. I'd much rather have 12 than 14 or 16.

[iam416]

I found this to be a really interesting take on expansion and, in particular, the B10's position:

http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/the-geography-of-college-football-fans-and-realignment-chaos/?src=twrhp

[whodean]

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That Atlanta number is low.

[iam416]

I got the sense the whole thing was a very rough approximation. That said, I think the conclusions are probably right. For example, I'm not sure what the exact order of the top 4 teams by number of fans is, but I think they have the top 4 teams.

[entropy]

I also think the conclusions are directionally correct. Seems about what we'd expect/think. I do think UNL has more fans that Iowa and is a little low personally.. but again, directionally, it seems right.

[iam416]

Alaskans for Nebraska!

Heh. The point that I think is indisputable is that the B10 doesn't have to add anyone. And only two schools make any sense whatsoever.

[whodean]

Yep, and a 14-16 team conference has additional scheduling and travel problems our cozy 12 team Big10 doesn't have to worry with, now that we've got the Conf. Championship game lined up.

[entropy]

I say ND + 1 or bust.

[WM Wolverine]

Yup, the 'mediocre' additions of Pitt, Syracuse or others (Missouri, Rutgers, West Virginia, Connecticut, Utah/Colorado, Oklahoma/Oklahoma State) makes a lot more sense for someone like the ACC or Pac 12 than the B10...

Texas A&M is the #6 fanbase according to this source, they look like a coup with this analysis. I agree they are generally undervalued as their stock is down currently with about a decade of underachieving. With some success (hard in the SEC), they could be back to being a top 10-12 program...

This analysis has some flaws, it only looks at the major TV markets. It woud undervalue states with a lot of population in minor tv markets.

[whodean]

This analysis has some flaws, it only looks at the major TV markets. It woud undervalue states with a lot of population in minor tv markets.

The way they value the Alabama teams says otherwise.

[entropy]

in 1997, I bet UNL was in the top 10. There are fans who follow success, not teams. That could explain bama and Auburn right now.. and I don't doubt they are followed by non-traditional tiger and tide fans

[WM Wolverine]

Agree. The census it uses is a sign-up internet poll that is pretty cumbersome, I guess so people don't sign up twice or a thousand times.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Interesting .....

There's a premise in the author's conclusions about the B12, SEC, PAC12, ACC and B1G that the primary driving force for conference reallignment is TV viewership and by extension the value of broadcast rights/future TV contracts.

I think that premise is pretty accurate but there are other factors which are very difficult to value in the calculus. For example, if the BCS and their TV rights continue and they drive a play-off, how does that affect a play-off with varying conference memberships from potentially ten to fourteen teams.

The situation on the ground is incredibly fluid. The B1G will act if it looks like the SEC and PAC? conferences are moving to 16 members (i.e, the BIGE and/or the B12 one, the other or both die with their respective schools being absorbed into other conferences). I think this is unlikely .... its too radical and it would force ND screaming all the way into the B1G (not good).

The next stage of expansion is probably going to keep both the BIGE and B12 in tact (Texas and OU stay) and settle at 10 members each, the SEC goes to 13 (with the addition of TAMU and a headache in scheduling) the B1G stays at 12 and ND stays independent in football and plays its other sports in the surviving BIGE.

[Optimus Prime]

ND has nowhere to go BUT to the B1G, history, pedigree, financials & of course GEOGRAPHY will determine their fate.

Revenue-generating Football & Basketball make lesbian boxing and other circus oddities possible at most major schools, fact. ND will never carry the cornucopia of sport they current offer without a predictable and lucrative football stream.