Most recent realignment talk

[austin badbyrd]

Since it appears that the 'big boys' are trying to squeeze out conferences like the Sun Belt, WAC, and other mid-majors; would be worth the trouble if those guys get squeezed out on the big bucks? That would be the only reason to move up. LU would have to at least quadruple the budget to accomplish that. Sure it would be cool to be on that level; but the big conferences are trying to cut away from the NCAA anyway and keep the goodies for themselves.

Also, are the opportunities for playing a Texas A&M or Baylor going away due to the playoff? There are different thoughts to that too. I hope the opportunities are still there, but it might go away; which will hurt the mid-majors.

[geezer]

I don't think the opportunity to play the A&Ms or LSUs are going away. The BCS moving to the four team playoff shouldn't change much of anything, except that filling the #4 slot will be the point of contention especially if the committee starts selecting teams that don't win their conference no matter how it is decided. I'm probably in the minority but I don't see how a school can claim to be the national champion if they didn't win their conference. Which conference is so elite that it should get more than one into the final four and is it always the same conference. In my lifetime at one time or another each of the following Big Ten, PAC Ten, SEC, Big and their successors have been considered the number one conference but with the realignments the ACC probably has a real argument today. If you played the four team scenario this year and Alabama was included what do you think the two of the five conferences listed that would be left out would say.

[austin badbyrd]

Just remember the arrogance of the BCS schools and you will see why I think they might want to do their own thing. Its been talked about before. I do think that they want at least one 'easy' team on the schedule for what amounts to an exhibition to them.

As for the playoff next year - in JerryWorld no less - there will be someone left out and complaining. There is no perfect system, but this might lead to an 8-team playoff and even then somebody will gripe...the nature of the beast

[geezer]

At four teams with one of the big five conferences left out every year at least their will be pressure on the selection committee to not pick a non-conference champion. If you go to eight or more, you can almost bet that there will be multiple teams from one or two of the "power conferences" in the playoff. I feel bad for the other five conferences and the independents other than Notre Dame which will probably never make it into the final four. The only way I would be in favor of expanding it further would be to guarantee all BCS conferences a place in the playoff and making bracket such that conferences with two or more teams would have to play conference foes before the final four. If the SEC wants an Auburn vs Alabama rematch and the Sunbelt gets their champ a shot I could see that.