A Radical Realignment Plan for College Football

[J.B. TexasEx]

...Ignore geography and tradition, the typical forces in conference realignment. Instead, focus solely on football and its financial implications, coming up with a formula that factored in every team's football revenue, winning percentage, computer ranking and attendance between 2003 and 2013. Then sort teams into clusters to figure out which schools were most alike—and should be playing each other.

http://online.wsj.com/articles/a-radical-realignment-plan-for-college-football-1406069526

http://collegespun.com/independents/notre-dame/photo-the-wall-street-journals-college-football-realignment-plan-would-have-just-10-programs-in-the-top-cluster

 

[streettopeschel]

cluster is an apt description.

 

[HornSolo]

Cluster 1 is tough

Cluster F.... I mean 4 needs to include our ugly step brother

 

[Duke C #11]

They put Auburn ahead of USC?

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

They put Auburn ahead of USC?

Yeah, it's surprising to me that USC isn't included in their Cluster 1.  Maybe USC got dinged for their attendance?  LA fans are very fickle, bandwagon types.

 

[echeese]

Only 43 teams. . .how did Boise and TCU get in?

Go to 64-72 teams, then you can create a very workable system.

Using such metrics as attendance (true indicator of fan support) and TV markets along with traditional conferences being kept intact (ie:  while Indiana sucks, the fact they are B1G gives them a pass) . . . set up 4 "super conferences" each with 2 divisions. . 8 to 9 (64 to 72)  teams per division.    Thus the conference title game (either neutral site or best team gets home field up to the conferences) becomes a de facto quarter final round.  This game will be played 1st weekend in Dec.

Leave the current bowl system intact. . .2 weeks off (for finals) after the 1st Dec weekend game.    Losing teams eligible for bowls so you just improved the quality of bowl opponents.

Semi Final games played New Year's Day. . .Finals are 9-13 days later.  These games played at a rotation of existing BcS and BcS caliber sites (Cotton and Peach bowls included)

I need to write this up as a semi article. . . .

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

I agree, eCheese

It's my contention, too, that TV; ESPN, CBS, ABC, etc. wants the P5 conferences and Top 70-80 CFB schools to align geographically into 4-5 leagues with two divisions.  The "new & improved" Divsion 4 would then be able to easily expand the CFB playoffs to 8 or 16 teams.  It will potentially look more like the NFL.

Every P5 commissioner has fired shots at the NCAA recently.  We can expect the P5 to have their own "special rules", at minimum, come August.  NCAA really doesn't have much power any more.  It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

 

[streettopeschel]

I agree, eCheese

It's my contention, too, that TV; ESPN, CBS, ABC, etc. wants the P5 conferences and Top 70-80 CFB schools to align geographically into 4-5 leagues with two divisions.  The "new & improved" Divsion 4 would then be able to easily expand the CFB playoffs to 8 or 16 teams.  It will potentially look more like the NFL.

Every P5 commissioner has fired shots at the NCAA recently.  We can expect the P5 to have their own "special rules", at minimum, come August.  NCAA really doesn't have much power any more.  It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

i don't think looking more like the nfl is all that good a good thing, but i suspect you're probably right on the direction things will go.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

i don't think looking more like the nfl is all that good a good thing, but i suspect you're probably right on the direction things will go.

No argument.  You're talking to a guy who misses the good ol' SWC.

Realignment has been and will be driven by money & greed. The only school I can look at who may have had academics in mind is Nebraska.  But, I suspect cash from the BTN trumped their membership benefits in the CIC. 

https://www.cic.net/about-cic/member-universities