College Football 2011: 46 Reasons to Embrace Realignment

We're just getting started.

The on-again, off-again status of conference realignment can be frustrating, but we all know it's not finished yet.

Texas A&M is officially the 13th member of the SEC, but will there be a 14th? Missouri looks like the best option, but maybe it ends up being Virginia Tech, Florida State or West Virginia.

Of course, no one knows if the powerful SEC will stop at 14.

There's also the future of the Big 12, which could add more teams at any time during the season.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 took care of their initial round of expansion before the season began.

As you can see, expansion is college football's future. When will it stop? Too hard to call right now. But we'll have a good feel for where everything is headed in the coming months.

Since realignment is inevitable, it's time to look at all the reasons why we should embrace it.

Improves Level of Competition

One of the big realizations made by a program like Utah when it joined the Pac-12 was the week-in and week-out competition was going to be at a much higher level than it was ever used to.

Pittsburgh and Syracuse will get a smaller dose of this reality when they join the ACC (whenever the Big East releases them).

Let's not even try to figure out the reality check for Texas A&M and possibly Missouri in the SEC.

But this new expectation means each program must step up its game to remain relevant.

Better football is good.

Texas A&M vs. Arkansas

This is already a good rivalry and hearkens back to the days of the old Southwest Conference.

As SEC rivals, this game could quickly become a top-shelf contest that might even make sense to keep playing in Dallas' Cowboys Stadium to get more fans in the stands.

Maybe the Aggies won't miss playing Texas that much.

ACC Basketball

The ACC thought it had good basketball, but they haven't seen anything yet.

Wait until Pitt and Syracuse bring their style of play to the "soft" ACC.

This should be enough to push the ACC to the top of the basketball pedestal, but it depends on how the rest of the Big East shakes out in realignment.

End of Notre Dame Independence

If any team can go it alone it's Notre Dame.

The Irish have proven that, even while their football team has been average.

But Notre Dame may not like what's happening with the Big East, which is where all of the other Irish sports play.

So helping Connecticut go to the ACC or finally accepting that outstanding invitation to the Big Ten may finally make sense.

Levels Playing Field with SEC

Hardly any college football fan will argue against the idea that the SEC is currently the most talented conference in the land.

By consolidating the conferences into five super leagues with the best-of-the-best, the SEC has some legitimate competition for the top spot.

You'd still have to give it to the SEC for now, but time will tell how much realignment chips away at the SEC's dominance.

Increases TV Revenue

This is what realignment really comes down to—bigger pay days from the TV revenue.

The Big Ten started all of this with its own network and now everyone else wants to get a little more of it.

There's also the influence from ESPN, Fox Sports, etc.

They want these big conferences probably more than the fans.

Availability to Fertile Recruiting Grounds

It's not like the SEC didn't already recruit Texas, but adding A&M sure will make it easier for Will Muschamp to convince a blue chipper to move to Gainesville, Fla., for the next four or five years.

Better Weekly Match Ups

Instead of getting LSU at West Virginia every decade or so, there's a chance it could happen every year.

Or maybe you like Nebraska at Wisconsin, which by the way is this weekend, on a regular basis.

Now those are games I'd like to see regularly.

Fewer Cupcakes

It's not like Alabama is going to stop playing teams like North Texas, but there will likely be fewer opportunities as in-conference games are increased.

New Rivalries

Nebraska is still establishing itself in the Big Ten as the Cornhuskers have yet to play a conference game.

But it's easy to see how Nebraska will quickly develop rivalries with teams like Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio State.

In the future ACC, Boston College will get to renew rivalries with Syracuse and Pittsburgh.

Depending on where this whole thing shakes out, you could get WVU-Virginia Tech back on the field too.

There's also that great Louisville-Oklahoma State game. OK, they all don't work.

The Leftovers

You may think any team that doesn't get an invite to the expansion party is in serious trouble.

However, I think you're wrong.

There's a good chance teams like Marshall, Hawaii and Florida Atlantic will create an entirely new division. This will allow them to compete on a similar level and provide a new championship opportunity.

It may be where a playoff system is used before instituting it on the super conferences.

Deserving Teams Will Be Rewarded

No more 8-4 Connecticut teams taking away a BCS spot from someone more deserving.

Enough said.

More Games on TV

If you thought the Big Ten Network and Longhorn Network wouldn't survive, think again.

With expansion will come more conference networks, and possibly some Longhorn copycats.

Can't wait to see those Rutgers softball games in the offseason.

Conference Loyalty

That sounds funny right now, doesn't it?

Once the shuffling is all done, there's a good chance the four or five super conferences will be pretty solid for many years to come.

Since the realignment thing has been a bit unsettling, this is really good news.

Room for Mistakes

Right now, it seems if you lose a game you can pretty much count out any shot at winning it all.

With realignment, Texas A&M's crushing loss to Oklahoma State wouldn't knock them out of the BCS Championship picture (of course the Aggies will be in the SEC).

Or the much-anticipated game between LSU and Alabama later this year might not hurt the loser as much as it will this year.

In the end, we have a better chance of getting the best two teams in the title game.

Bigger Expectations

Do you think T. Boone Pickens expects Oklahoma State to win the Big 12 this year?

Heck yeah? He expects it every year.

But imagine what the expectations are going to be when realignment is done.

There are some schools paying big money to get out of conferences and they will probably invest millions more in football to be competitive.

Hey Pittsburgh, with your 600 fans who actually travel to road games, better step it up now in preparation of that move to the ACC.

The Fans

There is no way to please everyone, but overall the majority of fans will end up getting better home games and potentially new road trips to see new and beautiful college towns.

So gas up the RV and enjoy.

Increased Fan Loyalty

Pittsburgh and Syracuse fans have provided lukewarm support, at best, for their football teams over the last decade.

When the ACC announced it was accepting both programs into the fold, the core fans went crazy. The average fans even started bragging.

How long will this last? Probably for a couple years, but if either starts winning consistently it could have more impact.

BCS Two-Team Limit

It appears the BCS is going to lift the two-team limit per conference, which means we have a much better chance of getting the best programs on the biggest stage.

Conference Stability

Once all of the shuffling is done it should be done for decades.

That's good for everyone.

ESPN's Gameday Crew

Much like last weekend, Gameday gets a chance to go to new sites or be a part of historical moments like this weekend in Wisconsin.

I'm up for Texas A&M's first trip to Alabama in the Bear Bryant Bowl.

Recruitniks

You think those lonely individuals who just live and die by the decisions of 18-year-olds place importance in such things now?

Imagine how much this industry will grow with realignment.

Potential for Non-AQs

Right now it's impossible for any team outside of the BCS to qualify for the championship game.

Just ask TCU and Boise State. Each has been close.

Now there is a chance a few will be invited into the mix and get a better shot.

Big Ten Model

Say what you want, but the Big Ten has always been out front in the expansion game.

When Jim Delany announced in 2010 that the conference was looking to grow, everyone went crazy and thought they'd add Missouri, Rutgers, Notre Dame and so on.

But the Big Ten was smart and protective of its brand and only invited Nebraska.

Delany and the Big Ten have been relatively quiet during this round of expansion, but you can believe he's working behind the scenes.

Learn New Traditions

Who can't wait to see how LSU's fans react to Texas A&M's Yell Leaders when they come to Death Valley?

SEC fans will also appreciate watching the 12th Man at Kyle Field.

Then there's the Big Ten, who will get their first look at the Sea of Red.

Conference Identities

There are those who say conference identities will vanish with expansion, but I disagree.

Conferences like the Big Ten and SEC are actually creating a new, improved image.

OK, the ACC is just desperate. I'll give you that one.

New Big East?

Right now it's hard to imagine how the Big East will survive.

But what if it does?

It may clearly be the weakest BCS Conference (if it still exists), but there's a chance to get some deserving teams into the mix.

As of today, TCU is on board.

The Big East could also bring in the academies, East Carolina, Memphis or even go crazy and bring in Boise State.

Syracuse vs. Boston College

This is a good East Coast rivalry that was disrupted when Boston College left the Big East for the ACC.

Now Syracuse is ready to join them and renew the contest.

Conference Rankings by Cheerleaders

The Pac-12 always does well when it comes to ranking cheerleaders by conference, but by adding Utah and Colorado did the conference actually hurt its standing?

Probably not as much as the SEC did by adding in Texas A&M because you have to take into account those Yell Leaders. Sorry, but that's just an odd tradition.

The ACC also took an image hit with Pitt and Syracuse coming on board.

So who's the best now?

The Big Ten and Big 12 are looking better, that's for sure.

Welcome to the SEC Coach Sherman

Hey, Mike Sherman coached in the NFL so moving Texas A&M to the SEC shouldn't be too much of a shock.

It may not be for him, but it's going to be for the Aggies.

Part of the enjoyment is going to be watching how A&M adjusts to fit into its new conference.

ACC Fans Introduced to Primanti Brothers

Maybe some who are associated with Miami have tried Primanti Brothers since there are locations in Fort Lauderdale.

However, Primanti Brothers is a Pittsburgh-area restaurant that serves some of the tastiest sandwiches with some of the highest caloric intake imaginable.

Just look at that sandwich, which has grilled meat, cole slaw, tomatoes and french fries between two slices of Italian bread.

Go ahead, I dare you.

Marvel at Larry Scott

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany and SEC commissioner Mike Slive get a lot of credit for their leadership.

But no one has been more progressive in securing the future of a conference than the Pac-12's Larry Scott.

He's never once lost his focus of how to lead the Pac-12, and stood up to Texas recently by backing off immediate expansion to 16 teams.

Watching Lee Corso Struggle to Remember Who's in What League

I know, Lee Corso had a stroke a few years ago and he hasn't been quite the same.

But as long as ESPN is going to trot him onto the Gameday set (much like Penn State wheels Joe Paterno onto the field) then he's open to ridicule.

He's going to screw up conference affiliations for at least five years.

Anticipating the Future

Nothing is perfectly clear with the future of realignment.

Will anyone expand to 16 teams?

Will Missouri leave the Big 12 for the SEC?

Will anyone show West Virginia some love?

Will there be a Big East in five years?

While this is not exciting for all, we know more change is coming.

Big Ten Teams Traveling to Nebraska

Nebraska's Memorial Stadium is one of a handful of college football stadiums that every fan should get a chance to experience.

Big Ten players are accustomed to playing on the big stage, but it doesn't get much bigger than playing in Lincoln, Neb.

Nebraska Traveling to Big Ten Stadiums

It starts this weekend when eighth-ranked Nebraska travels to seventh-ranked Wisconsin on Saturday.

The Cornhuskers will also visit No. 19 Michigan, Minnesota and Penn State this fall.

Super Conferences

We haven't gotten there yet, but 16-team conferences are coming.

When it does we'll all be happy.

Entertainment Value

If the Super Conferences spend more money, offer a better product and give us more ways to watch them play, well that is what I call pure entertainment.

Let the games begin.

Big Ten Championship Game

For years it seemed the Big Ten was benefiting from not having a championship game.

If you won the regular season you got the BCS bid and the Big Ten usually managed a second bid as well.

Now that the Big Ten has 12 teams we get a chance to watch the best two teams go at it in December. That's better for everyone.

It would be nice if Jim Delany would change those odd division names, though.

Mo' Money

Lordy, lordy the dough is going to be flowing now.

Much like society, the rich are going to get crazy rich with expansion.

How is this good?

Two ways.

Programs like Utah, Syracuse and Pittsburgh are going to see a huge increase in overall revenue. If they reinvest it wisely all three can become better.

This should put all of them on a more level playing field with say Florida State and Virginia Tech.

On-the-Field Action

With expanded conferences and increased revenues, the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 are going to be expected to raise their level of play up to the SEC.

Since most everyone agrees the SEC plays the best brand of college football, having another one or two conferences playing this type of quality is good for the fans.

If these conferences don't step it up?

(See next slide)

SEC vs. SEC in Title Game

It's more likely to happen once realignment/expansion is finished.

Right now the top two teams in the SEC (and maybe even three and four) are as good if not better than the champion from all of the other BCS conferences.

There would be an uproar, but also a realization that the other programs need to step up their game and become better.

National Perception

If you are one of the lucky ones then the national perception of your program is automatically enhanced.

So if Louisville or Air Force gets an invite to the Big 12 then either program immediately gets a bump in credibility, not to mention a boost on the recruiting trail.

Of course, there is a negative to this one.

If say a Cincinnati or South Florida gets stuck in a watered down Big East, well, what little national respect either one got before could easily go to the wayside.

Conference Championships

We've had conference championships since the early 1990s, but now we're adding them to the Pac-12 and Big Ten, which means one more big game at the end of the season.

Realignment means more title games, and more excitement for everyone watching at home or in the stands.

End of an Era?

With realignment there is a golden opportunity for the "Big Boys" to break away from the NCAA.

Will it happen? Probably not, but there may not be a better chance.

Precursor to Playoff

This is the most obvious reason.

It's just natural to assume that college football will finally get a playoff in place once we get down to five super conferences.

If each one eventually has 14 teams then we'll have 70 teams vying for a playoff spot. That number could swell to 80 teams if each had 16 teams.

What type of playoff and how you qualify is for another day, but a playoff system may not be as far away as we thought.