All this week, LGHL writers will be bring you articles focusing on their biggest and boldest predictions. Check out all of our “Bold Predictions” articles throughout the week HERE. Whether you disagree, let us know what you think in the comments below and on Twitter @Landgrant33.
Meredith Hein 19 hrs ago
Now, the rumor mill is swirling with thoughts of a 20-team superconference; one that, in addition to a couple powers from the Big Ten, would also poach Clemson and Florida State from the ACC. And would mean every other conference is, in effect, irrelevant.
Ridiculous, right? The SEC has a brand and style all its own. I mean, just think of the obnoxious fans who flock to stadiums every weekend —
Actually, Ohio State might just fit right in.
Texas and Oklahoma moving is also indicative of a trend toward seeking a tougher conference schedule to remain competitive. Oklahoma has had an edge when it comes to the College Football Playoff but, as we saw this past year, it’s oh so easy for the committee to leave out a Big 12 champion who looks a little iffy against an easy conference schedule.
Ohio State has felt a similar disadvantage at various times, including in 2018 when the Big Ten champs got left out of the Playoff. While the snub is more distant, being left out of the field is certainly a motivator for moving to a conference that never seems to get left out.
What does such a realignment mean for Power Five conferences at large? Well some, even those with storied histories, are destined to dissolve.
As a result, even the Pac-12 is at risk of irrelevance.
If Ohio State moves, they’ll probably bring a buddy. Michigan is the obvious answer, but Penn State is a more likely competitor because, well, they’re more competitive. Bringing a fellow Big Ten team over means preserving some semblance of tradition, which makes the idea of such a move somewhat more palatable.
Perhaps this move to a super conference means Notre Dame will finally settle down. It’s one thing to be an independent in a field of five major conferences. It’s another to delude yourself to believe you’ll still be relevant when on the outside looking in on a super conference — or would have any shot at a postseason.
On that note, branding certainly comes into play, with the most valuable brands in college football jockeying for position in an increasingly consolidated space. Just as Notre Dame would be a lone independent on the outside looking in, the Buckeyes don’t want to get caught unawares while the rest of the blue chip programs in college football consolidate.
We’ve seen how this played out in the Big 12. Texas is one of the most valuable brands in college football. Texas obviously struggles in a Big 12 that does not have such valuable media deals and subsequent revenue allocated to its programs. Combined with regularly being left out of the Playoff, and Texas in particular losing out on recruits to the SEC and Ohio State, and the Longhorns are certainly looking to boost their brand equity with a move to the SEC.
However, that sort of logic doesn’t necessarily apply to Ohio State. That’s because, when it comes down to it, the Big Ten remains the most lucrative conference in college football. It would be silly for a school to move out of a position with extremely powerful media rights — including for men’s basketball (a much more powerful sport for the Big Ten) which extends the conference’s sport schedule beyond football season in a valuable way.
Meredith Hein 19 hrs ago
Now, the rumor mill is swirling with thoughts of a 20-team superconference; one that, in addition to a couple powers from the Big Ten, would also poach Clemson and Florida State from the ACC. And would mean every other conference is, in effect, irrelevant.
Ridiculous, right? The SEC has a brand and style all its own. I mean, just think of the obnoxious fans who flock to stadiums every weekend —
Actually, Ohio State might just fit right in.
Texas and Oklahoma moving is also indicative of a trend toward seeking a tougher conference schedule to remain competitive. Oklahoma has had an edge when it comes to the College Football Playoff but, as we saw this past year, it’s oh so easy for the committee to leave out a Big 12 champion who looks a little iffy against an easy conference schedule.
Ohio State has felt a similar disadvantage at various times, including in 2018 when the Big Ten champs got left out of the Playoff. While the snub is more distant, being left out of the field is certainly a motivator for moving to a conference that never seems to get left out.
What does such a realignment mean for Power Five conferences at large? Well some, even those with storied histories, are destined to dissolve.
As a result, even the Pac-12 is at risk of irrelevance.
If Ohio State moves, they’ll probably bring a buddy. Michigan is the obvious answer, but Penn State is a more likely competitor because, well, they’re more competitive. Bringing a fellow Big Ten team over means preserving some semblance of tradition, which makes the idea of such a move somewhat more palatable.
Perhaps this move to a super conference means Notre Dame will finally settle down. It’s one thing to be an independent in a field of five major conferences. It’s another to delude yourself to believe you’ll still be relevant when on the outside looking in on a super conference — or would have any shot at a postseason.
On that note, branding certainly comes into play, with the most valuable brands in college football jockeying for position in an increasingly consolidated space. Just as Notre Dame would be a lone independent on the outside looking in, the Buckeyes don’t want to get caught unawares while the rest of the blue chip programs in college football consolidate.
We’ve seen how this played out in the Big 12. Texas is one of the most valuable brands in college football. Texas obviously struggles in a Big 12 that does not have such valuable media deals and subsequent revenue allocated to its programs. Combined with regularly being left out of the Playoff, and Texas in particular losing out on recruits to the SEC and Ohio State, and the Longhorns are certainly looking to boost their brand equity with a move to the SEC.
However, that sort of logic doesn’t necessarily apply to Ohio State. That’s because, when it comes down to it, the Big Ten remains the most lucrative conference in college football. It would be silly for a school to move out of a position with extremely powerful media rights — including for men’s basketball (a much more powerful sport for the Big Ten) which extends the conference’s sport schedule beyond football season in a valuable way.
