Carrasco, LaPorta Power Clippers to 8-0 Win Over Rochester
June 10, 2010Minicamp Report: Dawson Present, RFAs Missing
June 10, 2010Two huge stories that broke yesterday will have different, but significant impact on the College football scene. I’ll start with the last one. Late last night the story came out that the NCAA is sanctioning USC with a 2 year ban on bowl games and a loss of 20 scholarships. Consider that a little welcome present from Pete Carroll to Lane Kiffin. Now as a Buckeye fan I can’t help but snicker a bit as Colin Cowherd’s favorite program gets rocked. USC will still be a good team. These sanctions won’t knock them down to mediocrity, but it does knock them out of relevancy for a couple seasons.
When the Trojans are again eligible for the Rose Bowl or other year end game they may just find the road to get there is a bit trickier, as the Pac 10 may be including some stiffer competition with the reported demise of the Big 12.
The first chunk of NCAA news from yesterday was the defection of Nebraska from the Big 12 to the Big Ten (which would actually be 12 teams strong if Nebraska does make that move). The addition of the Huskers to the conference would mean 4 of the top 10 winningest programs in college football history would call the Big Ten home. Nebraska has 827 wins compared to Ohio State’s 819. (Michigan leads all of the NCAA with 877.
The inclusion of Nebraska would force the Big Ten to include a championship game. This is something I’ve been opposed to previously, mostly because of the tradition of the Ohio State/Michigan game. Whether it is the recent domination by the Buckeyes in the game or simply understanding that this is going to have to happen eventually I’m changing my tune.
The Big Ten may not be finished by simply adding Nebraska though. There are still those that believe Notre Dame is still a target and a very real possibility, and if ND comes into the fold a 14th team at least would have to follow.
Today, ESPN is reporting that Colorado is leaving the Big 12 for the Pac-10. The Texas teams would probably follow the migration to the west as a group. That would leave Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State Kansas State and Kansas as possibilities to be snagged by other conferences. I could get into a 16 team conference that adds Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas.
Is it best for college football to have 3 major college conferences and a bunch of mediocre ones? Probably not. But the best teams always rise to the top. If the Buckeyes are a top team they will still be a top team no matter who is on the schedule.
37 Comments
These changes are interesting, but I still think it stinks that there are still dozens of teams that start each season with no hope of winning it all, even if they go undefeated (MAC, Mountain West, WAC, etc.).
Also, I keep wondering where Cincinnati is in all these discussions. I know the Big East is a different animal than the Big 10 or Pac 10, but the geography makes sense. Plus the potential for a rivalry with the only other BCS team in the state would be great to see.
UC is up right now, but traditionally not a football school. I don’t think they are in the discussion for the Big 10. I don’t think Ohio State would actually be in favor of including them.
Aren’t there other pairings from other conferences that play each other every year? Can’t the big10 always schedule a Michigan/tOSU cross divisional game for the last regular season game every year?
This might be personal bias since I can walk to the stadium and always have friends come visit for the home games, but I would be very sad if this wasn’t a yearly event anymore.
@ Kevin – right now Boise is going to start the season in the top 4. If they win out they’ll have a very pronounced chance at the BCS game.
Kevin, in the current setup those teams have no chance of winning it all, even if they go undefeated.
Swig- it depends on how they break the divisions up. Putting OSU and UM in the same division would keep the game the last week of the regular season and would often determine who goes to the conference title game.
I’d rather the Big10 expand East outside ND.
Let’s topple the college landscape by adding not only the most tradition rich schools, but the biggest markets. All the while keeping the academic prowess of our conference (sorry Oklahoma).
Nebraska (KC, Omaha, national brand)
ND (national brand)
Maryland (DC, Annapolis)
Boston College (Boston)
Rutgers (NJ…doubt NYC, but if we can get that too, great)
Syracuse (if needed for NYC, but they do offer Buffalo and Rochester…anyone? anyone?) – so probably not.
and my favorite non-popular addition –> Toronto. Huge market, great academics and we’d be the first to tap the Canadian soil.
My current thinking is that Mizzou messed themselves up. If Nebraska showed they can deliver KC (why would we take them if they can’t) and Illinois has some stake in StL already. Why do we need Mizzou? Don’t the above teams/markets help more?
The major questions:
Can we get Notre Dame?
Will ACC schools actually defect?
Can we convince NYC cable companies to add the Big10 with Rutgers and/or Syracuse?
*this is all assuming that Texas already has gone to the Pac10, they are obviously the single biggest grab out there, but I don’t see it happening.
Oklahoma & Oklahoma State are expected to be part of the six team Pac 10 expansion. They’re not candidates to join the Big Ten; Notre Dame and Rutgers are teams that have been mentioned, in addition to Nebraska.
Missouri would like to get in, but the Big Ten reportedly isn’t all that interested in bringing in Mizzou.
Cincinatti is a tier-3 academic school and as such will not get an invite to the Big10.
also, they are historically underfunded, have trouble selling out their football games, and they even practice at their gameday stadium (this is changing finally). and, Ohio State already delivers the Cincy market for their cable package.
that’s why they are not being discussed much.
Does Toronto even play on American football field standards? I know the CFL plays on wider and longer fields.
Chip Brown, who’s owned the conference realignment story, tweeted this yesterday:
“It appears Big Ten may be prepared to expand by only 3, possibly holding open a spot for Notre Dame and one other school down the road.
Don’t know who the other 2 schools would be outside of Nebraska to go to B10, but right now it doesn’t appear to include Missouri.”
http://twitter.com/chipbrownob
they have mentioned in the past that they would like to play American football teams.
however, I don’t know if they play by CFL rules or how much they are really willing to commit to making what would be such a categorical shift.
it would be one way for Delaney to really take a swing at TV markets (we might be able to get all of Canada) and they call themselves the varsity blues (so plenty of whipped cream bikini jokes for all)
I’m not sure I believe your sources on this.
When will these conference changes take affect? I would imagine it’d be hard to change the schedule for 2010 Football season, so I’m assuming these changes won’t happen until next year.
Count me in the group for not bringing in Missouri. I’d much rather bring in a school like Pitt or Syracuse who bring in more of the eastern market than a school like Mizzou.
mgbode, I think you mean Varsity Blews.
I understand Toronto’s willingness to want to play the big dogs of the You Ess of Aye. but, like you say, it’s a stretch.
The Canadian market isn’t really that big, and I’m sure the peeps in the way out Western Provinence (not good with Canadian geography, don’t care to look it up) who are hunting for whales*, and building igloos* could care less to see a college Canadian Footie team get whooped by the evil* people in the states…..
*Stereotypes
I would welcome the more “global” approach. But I doubt it
I will kill college football if I’m forced to watch another Todd Reesing and Chase Daniels, only this time in the Big 10.
I was just thinking about Seantrel Henderson choosing Minny. Haha.
Why screw around with 12 or 14 teams? Let’s do it right and have the Big Twenty. Then we can have four 5-team divisions. The division champs make the playoffs in December along with two wild cards. And we can scrap these money-losing Saturday afternoon games. Man, what a ratings disaster those are. Instead, we play all night games and we play ’em every single night of the week. And we sell advertising on jerseys, helmets, and the field itself.
If the point is to make more money, then dammit, get serious about it and make more money.
well, there are 5.5mil people in greater toronto itself, which is a bigger market than all but NYC that the big10 is trying to add.
i agree it’s a stretch, but i’d at least like them to look into it.
plus, it would add to the big10’s dominance in college hockey 🙂
http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_facts/diversity.htm
With the 3 texas schools and 2 oklhoma schools likely going to the pac 10 (or pac16? now) I think itd be cool to try to get a 4 “super conference” type look. Maybe add Neb, ND, Boise (?), Kansas and K st… then the Big East and ACC can combine, the SEC can add a few… it would set up for some great football. 4 mega conference that all ended in a Conference championship game, then the 4 winners of the conferences go into a 4 team playoff… doubt that ever happens but man it would be cool to see.
^17 correction: S. Henderson (from Minny) choosing USC (over tOSU). *sigh*
I am shocked, SHOCKED to find out USC is getting sanctioned! Pete Carroll, what do you think? Pete? Pete? Where’d he go?
Pete Carroll = John Calipari
@MattyFos Actually, Mizzou’s current QB, Blaine Gabbert, is the anti-Chase Daniels: 6’5″, 240 lbs. with a strong arm.
He had a rough patch in the middle of the season after Suh crushed his ankle, but he’s a very promising & fun to watch QB.
There’s more on the Pac 10 expansion story here.
http://www.texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1093010
I am sure that as Texas goes, so goes Oklahoma. That’s a big rivalry that would be difficult to break up. As far as Big 10 expansion, there are so many rumors floating around, its impossible to know who they are considering right now. Because of this Pac 10 move, the Big 10 have had to speed up their timetable considerably.
So can we change our name to the Big 12 now?
you have to remember that Texas and Oklahoma were in different conferences for a long time (SWC and Big8 respectively).
they would just schedule a OOC game against each other. but, it seems likely that they both (along with Tech and A&M) jump to pac10 at this point, which makes the most sense anyway.
http://www.kctv5.com/sports/23860558/detail.html
Delaney is a straight gangster. My goodness. All those Texas TV sets on the Big10.
KCTV (Kansas City’s CBS affilliate) is reporting Texas & A&M have petitioned for Big Ten entry.
http://www.kctv5.com/sports/23860558/detail.html
that’s 14…if we get Notre Dame and Rutgers (NJ tv market and outside shot at NYC), how can any other conference compete with the $$$ the Big10 will be rolling in?
Right now:
Big10 West:
Texas
A&M
Nebraska
Iowa
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Illinois
Big10 East:
Ohio State
Michigan
Penn State
Michigan State
Purdue
Northwestern
Indiana
Illinois and NW likely ending up in the same division depending on what final 2 schools join (if ND and Rutgers, both in the West)
I’m glad WFNY didn’t break the news with these “high-level” anonymous sources. They would be getting crucified right now by Longhorn fans and Denny would have to write something explaining why they reported it…
Also, let’s note:
Michigan (#1 overall wins NCAA FB history)
ND (#2)
Texas (#3)
Nebraska (#4)
Ohio State (#5)
Penn State (#9)
Are you kidding me?
speaking of…
Chip Brown (been the lead source on these rumors so far here in Austin) isn’t denying the above, but he’s said he’s heard nothing of the sort.
He’s about as well-connected as they get, so not completely in the bag, but we can dream.
I’m holding out on UT and A&M until someone else reports it, but the SC sanctions – WOW. Just, wow.
Pete Carroll’s reaction video was absurdly disingenuous. You can’t claim you did everything to comply and that you didn’t know what was going on at the same time.
there was an interesting quote about john wooden on the subject of ucla’s probation after he retired. an assistant said wooden ‘knew what he didn’t want to know.’
and there you have the first and last mention of pete carroll and john wooden in the same sentence.
orangebloods.com has been the most accurate and Chip is saying Texas still to the Pac10, so that one looks like a false alarm at this point.
After Nebraska, there are varying levels of what makes sense. From purely athletics and academics, Pitt makes a ton of sense. AAU, traditional football power with a natural rivalry with Penn St, and even stellar basketball. The TV market is a problem.
ND makes sense all-around.
Maryland also makes a good deal of sense all-around.
Syracuse, Missouri, and BC make some sense.
Nebraska, Pitt, ND, and Maryland would be a package of sensible additions, along with some other team. That would add plenty of football (and even basketball) power/tradition and TV markets in Pittsburgh, Omaha, Kansas City, DC, Baltimore, and nationwide. These wouldn’t even sacrifice the whole academic stance, as ND’s the only non-AAU school of that list, and Syracuse and Missouri are also AAU members.
Texas will be a packaged deal. Even if UT and A&M applied for the Big Ten, TT will be coming with them, and I’d bet that Oklahoma/Ok St will come with THEM.
I’m wondering if there will end up being all the football power conferences and then one or two basketball power conferences. Have to imagine the SEC poaches Miami/FSU from the ACC eventually, along with maybe VT/Virginia and/or GT. Then you’re looking at Kansas, Kansas St, and the remnants of the Big East/ACC. If they all combined you’d have a conference without a ton of football clout but with Kansas, Kansas St, Duke, UNC, UConn, Cincinnati, WVU, Louisville, Wake Forest, and whoever else isn’t wanted for football. That conference would win the NCAA basketball title every year. Even if it ended up as two conferences, they’d just compete for the basketball title every year.