Conference Realignment: Ranking BCS Conferences with Pitt, Syracuse in the ACC

After the news today of Pitt and Syracuse applying to join the ACC, it is time to again rank the new BCS conferences.

Pitt and Syracuse bring great programs to the ACC and are another piece to what the new conference structure might look like moving forward.

It will be interesting to see how the Big East will recover from these two huge losses and who they could add to the conference.

Expect more moves in the upcoming months and the College Football landscape to never be the same.

Here are how the new BCS conferences rank.

6. Big East

Big East was dealt a huge a blow today with Syracuse and Pittsburgh potentially leaving the conference.

The Big East was already the weakest BCS conference, but after the loss of two of their top programs, they will stay at the bottom of the ranking. The addition of TCU in 2012 will help the sting of the loss, but the Big East will need to find more strong replacements.

Could the Big East lose its automatic BCS bid? It will be interesting to see what happens to the conference after this shocking news.

5. ACC

Here is where the ranking gets interesting. The ACC clearly adds two good teams to the mix with Pitt and Syracuse. They also have some great teams in the conference.

ACC is definitely on the rise, and I predict they will be up in the top half of the ranking in the next year or two.

Right now, there are too many teams having down seasons to rank any higher. Florida State and UNC are the top teams, but there are too many weak teams to balance the conference out.

4. Big 12

Losing Colorado and Nebraska really has hurt the conference's ranking. The possible loss of Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech could send the conference to last place in a hurry.

WIth Texas having a down year, the conference's strength has taken a hit. I place the Big 12 slightly higher than the ACC, but I expect these two to trade places sooner rather than later.

The disparity between the top and the bottom of the conference is huge, and it is really holding the conference back. 

3. Pac -12

Pac-12 is the biggest riser in the rankings and has the potential to challenge the SEC for top spot if the rumor is true of the conference picking up four Big 12 powers.

There is a clear top tier in the Pac-12, and there is a clear bottom. This year the conference should be much more competitive with the addition of two new teams.

Pac-12 is showing that it is a solid conference willing to raise the conference profile by any means necessary.

2. Big 10

The Big 10 comes in at No. 2 in the current rankings. Nebraska was arguably the biggest addition out of all the conference moves from 2010. The Big 10 was already a strong conference, but added a top tier team in the Huskers.

The top tier of the Big 10 is very strong and there is a ton of competition each season for the conference title. There are a few bottom dwellers that are keeping the conference out of the top spot.

It will be interesting to see if the Big 10 decides to add to their 12 teams, or if they are comfortable staying with the conference they have.

1. SEC

SEC is king. With the addition of Texas A&M, the conference has cemented itself at the top of the BCS conferences.

The SEC has a great collection of powerful teams and have great depth from top to bottom each year. After winning the Championship game five years straight, there is not much the other conferences can do to take the No. 1 spot.

If Oklahoma and Texas join the Pac-12, the ranking will be a lot closer, but right now SEC is clearly the No. 1 team.