College Football Realignment: 10 Teams That Just Aren't in the Right Conference

Last summer, the winds of change swept through college football and served notice that things as we knew them would never be the same. 

Numerous schools switched conference affiliations, and several others took notice and began evaluating their current and future positions.

This year, the expansion craze kicked into overdrive. 

With Syracuse and Pittsburgh announcing their intentions to leave the Big East for the ACC and with Texas A&M officially joining the SEC next season, the consensus feeling around the country is that there will be a lot more moves before the dust settles. 

Part of what makes this sport special is the characteristics and distinct differences between the leagues that make up the BCS.

Now with teams finding new homes, it also means new traditions and adjusting to the one's of new opponents. 

Some of the moves that have already been made just seem, feel and look awkward. 

Whether it be geography, competitive unbalance or teams who never fit in with the other members of their respective leagues, some teams have been out of place for years. 

In the spirit of realignment, I have made a list of teams who have made the wrong move and those who are out of place in their current home. 

Here are 10 teams that are not in the right conference

10. Vanderbilt

The Commodores are the beacon of academic excellence in the Southeastern Conference. 

On the gridiron, Vanderbilt has been nothing short of a whipping boy for the SEC’s remaining 11 members. 

Their record in conference has been a paltry 121-373-15 all time in the SEC, which equates to a winning percentage of 24.5. Ouch.

Meanwhile, their basketball program has fared much better because the SEC is not nearly as strong on the hardwood in comparison with football, and the Commodores also feature a rising baseball program coming off of their first trip to the College World Series earlier this year. 

Taking that factor and combining it with their sterling academic reputation, Vanderbilt would be a much better fit in the ACC. 

9. Kansas

With the Big 12 crumbling before them, the Jayhawks would figure to be one of the teams left without a viable home for a school rich with athletic tradition. 

Kansas football features legendary alums like Gale Sayers, amongst others. The Jayhawks were competitive under former coach Mark Mangino, highlighted by a 12-1 season in 2007 that resulted in BCS bowl win over Virginia Tech. 

After Mangino’s controversial exit, the football program has fallen on hard times since Turner Gill has taken over. 

Since Kansas joined the Big 12 they have posted a record of 28-59 in conference play. 

Always known more as a basketball powerhouse and rightfully so, the Jayhawks would be better off in the Big East.  

8. Texas Tech

Unlike Kansas, the Red Raiders have enjoyed a surprising level of success since transitioning into the Big 12 from the defunct Southwest Conference. 

Texas Tech has gone 69-51 in Big 12 conference play and have been one of the few schools with a pass-happy offense to find success in a BCS league. 

Although the architect of their unorthodox style, Mike Leach, was controversially ousted, the school has always stuck out as being out of place in a league dominated by Texas and Oklahoma. 

Despite their recent winning history, they have never been appreciated nor respected by their Big 12 rivals. 

Their style of play would be a much better fit in the Pac-12, where defense is seemingly optional.   

7. TCU

The Horned Frogs were one of the schools to uproot during this round of expansion and will be moving into the new, geographically challenged version of the Big East next season.

Despite being a private school that lacks the resources of in-state powers Texas and Texas A&M, the Horned Frogs have enjoyed a brilliant run of success by finishing in the AP top 10 four of the last six years, including last year’s undefeated team that ended the season at No. 2. 

Although TCU has accepted a move to the Big East, considering the recent upheaval in the Big 12, newly named interim commissioner Chuck Neinas would be wise to try and lure the Horned Frogs back into a league with former Southwest Conference rivals Baylor and Texas.  

6. Arkansas

Another former Southwest Conference member has moved on to another league, but has struggled to regain the identity they once enjoyed since moving in the last significant round of expansion over 20 years ago. 

The Arkansas Razorbacks became a national powerhouse in the 1960’s under legendary coach Frank Broyles. 

Since their move into the SEC, the Hogs have failed to win a conference championship (hey Aggies, you getting this?).

Arkansas is hardly a pushover and with current head coach Bobby Petrino patrolling the sidelines, the Razorbacks have improved every year, including last year’s 10-3 record and BCS bowl appearance. 

The Razorbacks are elite offensively, but sharing a division with rugged defensive schools like Alabama, Auburn and LSU does not help their prospects of regaining a place among the nation’s best. 

A move to the Big 12 would fit them perfectly and allow them to rekindle their glory days.

5. Clemson

The Tigers resemble an SEC program in a number of ways. 

They have one of the best game day environments in Memorial Stadium, better known as Death Valley, which seats over 80,000.

They have a rabid fan base, awesome facilities and come complete with unique tradition (Howard’s Rock) and natural rivalries against SEC east powers South Carolina and Georgia. 

The one place the Tigers would fall short would be on the field. 

Although they have a storied football tradition, Clemson has failed to win the ACC since 1991.

However, that has not stopped the SEC from inviting a Texas A&M program that resembles Clemson’s.

The one exception in that comparison is that Clemson has the look and feel of an SEC school, while the Aggies will take some getting used to. 

4. Florida State

One thing that is clear in all of the realignment talk is the fact that expanding revenue is the number one priority when leagues are considering making a move to expand. 

With the addition of Texas A&M, the SEC was clearly attracted to the TV footprint they would gain access to by adding the Aggies. 

If they were to consider the best combination of attracting the attention of TV networks and on-field product, taking one of the ACC’s heavyweights would strengthen their brand and simultaneously dilute one of their main competitors.

As I mentioned in an earlier article, the Seminoles were a perfect fit in the 90’s and they are a better fit today than they were 20 years ago. 

3. Kentucky

Kentucky is the dominant program in the SEC when it comes to the hardwood. 

After all, Big Blue nation is one of the most storied basketball programs in the country. 

Clearly, the SEC is a football factory and considering that Kentucky consistently falls short when matched up against eastern division foes Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee, the only school they are annually better than would be Vanderbilt. 

Just like the Commodores, the Wildcats would be a better fit in the ACC with the likes of Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse and other big-time basketball schools whose football programs are nowhere near elite.  

2. Texas A&M

The newest school to moving to a new home will open up the doors to the second biggest state in the U.S. for college football’s most prominent league. 

Texas A&M will begin play in the SEC next season, in what was probably the worst kept secret since the season began.

While A&M was noticeably and rightfully disgusted with the Longhorn Network deal, moving into the SEC was probably their best move.

However, after years of struggling and being relegated to middle of the pack in the Big 12, how will the Aggies fare in the SEC West? 

Although Mike Sherman has the program back on the right track from a competitive standpoint, the best thing for the program may have been for them to stay put in the Big 12.  

1. Boise State

When TCU was accepted into the Big East, the concept of regional leagues and shared geography amongst conferences went out of the window.

So why not let another perennial BCS buster in and let them crash the party? 

The Broncos have already beaten heavyweights from the Pac-12, Big 12, ACC and the SEC, and for years we have heard the “they could not do it in the insert-your-league-here.” 

While Boise may not be a metropolis and most would argue that the Broncos would not significantly add revenue to any prospective league, think of just how big of a story letting them into a BCS league would be? 

Boise State has been the sport’s controversy magnet for the last five years and if they were to join a BCS league (say the Pac-12), that would certainly become nothing short of a marketing bonanza. 

Are you listening, Larry Scott?