Conference Realignment Guide

[RedSoxFox7]

Quote: Originally Posted by subdistinction

Just something to add to this guide, I believe UMass is leaving the MAC and as of right now will be an Independent school after the 2015 season. The MAC divisions would look like this, "In 2016, the MAC will be a 12-team conference consisting of Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami (Ohio) and Ohio in the East; and Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo and Western Michigan in the West."

UMass has no idea what they'll be doing in 2016 and beyond. They were in talks with the Sun Belt a few weeks ago, but they broke off without UMass becoming a member.

Part of the problem is UMass was unwilling to become a full member of the MAC, and definitely won't do it for the Sun Belt. The only way UMass moves the basketball program out of the A10 is if they're upgrading conferences. That means either the American or the ACC, and it's fairly obvious there's zero chance of them getting into the ACC in the next decade.

The American though, they might be able to swing that. UMass isn't much worse than Memphis was its last few years in C-USA or much worse than USF, Temple, and Tulsa were last year.

If the basketball program continues to improve as it has the last few years, and the football program shows any signs of life, there's a decent chance they end up there eventually. That'd also probably require the American either losing a team (say, UCF and/or Cincy to the Big XII), or gaining a team (say, Army if joining a conference works well for Navy).

[Wake]

Is there a way to put certain games into certain dates? Once I start re-aligning conferences, rivalry game dates go all out of whack. Most rivalry games are the last games played of the regular season, but shifting the conferences puts them in some different week, but its always the same different week every time, like Northwestern and Illinois' rivalry always goes to one week instead of it being the last game like it should.

[subdistinction]

Quote: Originally Posted by RedSoxFox7

UMass has no idea what they'll be doing in 2016 and beyond. They were in talks with the Sun Belt a few weeks ago, but they broke off without UMass becoming a member. Part of the problem is UMass was unwilling to become a full member of the MAC, and definitely won't do it for the Sun Belt. The only way UMass moves the basketball program out of the A10 is if they're upgrading conferences. That means either the American or the ACC, and it's fairly obvious there's zero chance of them getting into the ACC in the next decade. The American though, they might be able to swing that. UMass isn't much worse than Memphis was its last few years in C-USA or much worse than USF, Temple, and Tulsa were last year. If the basketball program continues to improve as it has the last few years, and the football program shows any signs of life, there's a decent chance they end up there eventually. That'd also probably require the American either losing a team (say, UCF and/or Cincy to the Big XII), or gaining a team (say, Army if joining a conference works well for Navy).

I can definitely see SMU and/or Cincinnati leaving for the Big 12, possibly even Memphis if they ever see some life in their football program. SMU has already made it known they want to re-join the Big 12 (well sort of re-join, they were in the SWC if I'm not mistaken) and tried to re-join after A&M and Missouri left for the SEC.

[RedSoxFox7]

Quote: Originally Posted by subdistinction

I can definitely see SMU and/or Cincinnati leaving for the Big 12, possibly even Memphis if they ever see some life in their football program. SMU has already made it known they want to re-join the Big 12 (well sort of re-join, they were in the SWC if I'm not mistaken) and tried to re-join after A&M and Missouri left for the SEC.

I don't think SMU stands a chance. Like you said they already rejected SMU a few years ago, and not a lot has changed since then. They'll never offer new recruiting or TV grounds, they haven't gotten a whole lot better in football, and 2013 is the first good basketball season they've had in at least a decade. They've got a long way to go in both sports before they're attractive to the Big XII, especially since they're not offering new TV or recruiting regions.

Memphis is a little more interesting. Their basketball program could definitely hang, and they actually open up new recruiting/TV markets that SMU doesn't offer, but they've got a LONG way to go as far as football goes. C-USA doormat isn't going to translate well to a P5 conference, not even against Kansas. If the football team can start winning though, they become a pretty serious candidate.

Cincy should be a no-brainer if the Big XII decides to expand. They've got the chops to compete in basketball and football, they offer a huge new TV/recruiting market, and they even offer a geographic path to WVU.

I tend to agree with this evaluation for Big XII expansion, though I don't really buy Tulane being as high up the list as they are, and expanding as far west as SDSU seems unlikely even though they hit all the other marks: http://frankthetank.me/2013/10/30/th...-its-all-over/

It was written before UCF went and won a BCS bowl, so if they can keep up the way they've been trending, they could be an attractive choice. Their basketball program isn't terribly good, but it wouldn't be any worse than TCU.

[Robo COP]

Thanks to MLcardinalfan

http://www.operationsports.com/forum...announced.html

Quote: Originally Posted by MLcardinalfan

The AAC divisions begining in 2015 will look like this: West: Houston, Memphis, NAVY, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa East: Cincinnati, UConn, UCF, East Carolina, South Florida, Temple http://espn.go.com/college-football/...team-divisions

[Von Dozier]

Bumping this as it's still a great resource

[krildog]

Here's a quick summary of all the real life changes through 2018:

2014

• East Carolina to the AAC
• Idaho to the Sun Belt
• Louisville to the ACC (Atlantic)
• Maryland to the Big 10 (East)
• New Mexico State to the Sun Belt
• Old Dominion to C-USA (East)
• Rutgers to the Big 10 (East)
• Tulane to the AAC
• Tulsa to the AAC
• Western Kentucky to C-USA (East)

Move Southern Miss from C-USA East to West for divisional balance

Realign Big 10 to East and West Divisions:
East: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, Maryland
West: Purdue, Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa

2015

• UAB to Independent (Dropping FB IRL)
• Navy to the AAC

AAC East: Cincy, UConn, ECU, USF, Temple, UCF
AAC West: Houston, Memphis, Navy, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa

AAC Championship: Best record hosts

2016

• UMass to Independent

2017
No changes as of now.

2018
No changes as of now, but UMass is expected to join a conference after being independent the previous 2 seasons. You could send them to the AAC (possibly with BYU to make it 14), Sun Belt, or C-USA. Or keeping them Independent is also an option.

[kj121]

I would keep UAB in CUSA, so that they take the spot of Charlotte.