The big boys keep pushing because the rest of college football doesn't get together and push back. And, I feel fans have increasingly becoming less engaged as the big boys chase the TV and booster dollars at the expense of fan experience. A 'super conference' as proposed in real-life does little to help college football other than lock in more $$$ for the big boys and cause further disengagement from fans of teams that start the season with very little chance of being in the conversation.
With west coast teams now traveling across the country for their conference games, it seems unnecessary to even have what used to be regional affiliations of teams in a conference. Just blow it up and create a consistent set of grouping rules and resulting schedule. Opponents would be more interesting; and, every team has the same chance to finish first or second in the group to make the playoffs since they now all play the same schedules as every other team in their group.
My friend asked about bye weeks and bowl games.
I suppose you could spread the 'crossover week' to be across two weekends with three groups getting a bye on each of those two weekends. Or, since schedules will presumably be tougher and more physical (??), take out the crossover week and set up weeks 7, 8, and 9 so that two groups get a bye each of those weeks. Or just do 7 and 8 and have three groups get a bye each week. TV still gets good games as the second half of the season gets underway.
Bowl game matchups could be predetermined, such as Team A3 plays Team D3 in the Citrus Bowl, B3 plays E3 in the Alamo Bowl, and C3 plays F3 in the Holiday Bowl (the bowls can bid to move up in the pecking order of potentially appealing matchups). Since these are exhibitions and there are no record-padding games, push the participation level down to maybe position 8 in the standings for each group, no longer needing a winning record. So, even late in the season, a team that has been struggling could push to move up to position 8 and a bowl game trip.
I've put way too much thought into this, but makes for good lunch conversation with my friend.
With west coast teams now traveling across the country for their conference games, it seems unnecessary to even have what used to be regional affiliations of teams in a conference. Just blow it up and create a consistent set of grouping rules and resulting schedule. Opponents would be more interesting; and, every team has the same chance to finish first or second in the group to make the playoffs since they now all play the same schedules as every other team in their group.
My friend asked about bye weeks and bowl games.
I suppose you could spread the 'crossover week' to be across two weekends with three groups getting a bye on each of those two weekends. Or, since schedules will presumably be tougher and more physical (??), take out the crossover week and set up weeks 7, 8, and 9 so that two groups get a bye each of those weeks. Or just do 7 and 8 and have three groups get a bye each week. TV still gets good games as the second half of the season gets underway.
Bowl game matchups could be predetermined, such as Team A3 plays Team D3 in the Citrus Bowl, B3 plays E3 in the Alamo Bowl, and C3 plays F3 in the Holiday Bowl (the bowls can bid to move up in the pecking order of potentially appealing matchups). Since these are exhibitions and there are no record-padding games, push the participation level down to maybe position 8 in the standings for each group, no longer needing a winning record. So, even late in the season, a team that has been struggling could push to move up to position 8 and a bowl game trip.
I've put way too much thought into this, but makes for good lunch conversation with my friend.
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