The NCAA has not had a change in its conference lineup since 2014 when multiple teams changed or were added to multiple conferences across the country. This week, Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde made an attempt to change that, completing a well thought-out plan that will give fans a lot to consider.
An idea forged, says Forde, from the constantly changing current climate (pandemic COVID19) that has severely affected, or will affect many universities across the country, translates into a network of feasible, economically and geographically appropriate collegiate programs that could reshape sports in the United States.
Forde’s model goes beyond what anyone would perceive to be a reasonable expectation, if only because of the NCAA’s reluctance to dramatic change, yet it still brings out many ideas that are logical and interesting enough to be further examined. .
For example, in Forde’s plan, there would be no more conference championship games, teams will be seeded based on how they ended up in their new conference, with schedules that would be round-robin plus an opponent without a conference.
Be sure to check out the complete Forde plan that covers much more ground.
Main principles of the Forde changes:
- “An ecosystem of 120 schools, with 11 current FBS members relegated to FCS and one elevated from that level. Congratulations to the State of North Dakota; condolences to UTEP, State of Texas, UTSA, South Alabama, Louisiana-Monroe, Bowling Green, New Mexico State, San Jose State, Carolina Coast, Troy, and Liberty (descent / elevation can be revisited every three seasons).
- Ten leagues, each with 12 members, each designed to maximize proximity and reduce travel demands and costs. All of the current conference structures are broken and reassembled. There are no more than eight Power 5 programs in a single new conference, and no fewer than four. And there are no independents, yes, Notre Dame is at a conference.
- In soccer, each school will play a full round-robin schedule plus a game without a conference (without FCS opponents). The non-conference opponent will be locked up for a minimum of four seasons before there is an option not to participate to schedule someone else. There will be no conference championship games.
- The conference’s 10 champions, plus two overall teams chosen by a selection committee, advance to the expanded college football playoff. The teams are seeded by the committee. The top four receive a first-round goodbye, while Seeds 5–8 receive Seeds 9–12 at their local stadiums the first weekend of December. The quarterfinals are played next week in the home seed stadiums 1–4. The semifinals and the championship game are conducted under the current CFP format.
- There will still be bowl games for teams that don’t make it to the PPC. Only less, which nobody should care about.
- The conferences will also work for basketball and other sports; in fact, it will be better for non-income related sports in terms of travel cost savings. The 230 non-FBS shows that are part of NCAA Division I will remain more or less aligned where they already are, with a few exceptions. “- Pat Forde, Sports Illustrated
Here’s the projected “new look” from FBS:
For the Florida Gators, they’ll be in a conference dramatically different from what the current SEC East looks like, except that they will maintain their rivalry with Georgia and Florida State, something that Gators fans will surely enjoy. Coincidentally, the Gators’ most consistent opponent will likely also be the Bulldogs, at least initially.
The alignment, Forde says, would also allow for more entrenched geographic rivalries. For example, Gators fans and UFC Golden Knights fans have had a strange but intriguing rivalry, although it would be argued to be one-sided. In any case, the realignment would enrich new elements of rivalries that we haven’t seen in quite some time.
Another positive aspect for the regional realignment would be the trip, not only for the fans but also for the team itself, reducing costs in several ways that were not necessarily done prior to this hypothetical realignment. For example, seven of the team’s 11 opponents in the deep south reside in Florida.
With the changes to the College Football Playoffs lineup, 12 teams vying for the right to be crowned National Champions would allow for fair play between all conferences, no longer at the mercy of a committee that elects only four teams from, primarily, highly competitive conference participants. One of the main criticisms of the current system is the lack of game between less competitive markets, not necessarily due to the general game.
In the new Gators Deep South Conference, they would play with the Seminoles, Golden Knights and Bulldogs mentioned above, while playing with the FAU Owls, FIU Panthers, Georgia Southern Eagles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Miami Hurricanes, UAB Blazers, USF Bulls and Georgia State
While teams would rotate opponents without a conference, Forde has the Gators playing LSU in his first year, an opponent likely welcome considering the team’s past and current history. While the deep south would not be as competitive as the current SEC East, it would still be one of the most competitive conferences in the country, giving the Gators an intriguing path to glory.
Overall, this realignment has its positives and negatives, which Forde is cunning to point out. While it may be unrealistic, it’s an interesting idea that perhaps in another universe that allows for more creativity, it could come true.
The only question that remains is: how reasonable is this realignment and would the Gators benefit or be disadvantaged in the long run?
