Conference Expansion ... where does it end?

[FISHDAWG]

I know everyone has their own opinion... but mine is - I prefer to keep our exclusiveness over becoming a super-conference. I have no idea if this is in the works but it really wouldn't surprise me either:

https://rubbingtherock.com/2021/07/23/clemson-football-sec-serious-contact/

[Cowbell]

It ends when the SEC isn't controlled by the NCAA

[Hot Rock]

Lots of bigger 2nd tier type programs cannot be happy that this is even being considered wtihout them in the mix. Penn State, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Miami, USC, Washington and probably dozens of other teams around the US would be on par with lots of lower SEC teams with just as big of fan bases.

Mississippi State is a top 20-30 program most years on the field but their fanbase is not one of the largest. I am nervous about all this realignment. I am glad they are considering joining the SEC and not the other way around, that's for sure but if this is about money, it's about fan base size not on the field performance.

It is better they are considering joining the SEC rather than the other way around but the end result may be a brand new super conference. I can see a scenario where only one Mississippi School is invited to the show. Which one gets picked if that happens?

[Tbonewannabe]

You have to think that the Big Ten and Pac 12 have to at least be looking at making moves. They can't be caught behind the eight ball if the SEC basically starts their own mega conference that doesn't need the NCAA.

[Tbonewannabe]

Lots of bigger 2nd tier type programs cannot be happy that this is even being considered wtihout them in the mix. Penn State, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Miami, USC, Washington and probably dozens of other teams around the US would be on par with lots of lower SEC teams with just as big of fan bases.

Mississippi State is a top 20-30 program most years on the field but their fanbase is not one of the largest. I am nervous about all this realignment. I am glad they are considering joining the SEC and not the other way around, that's for sure but if this is about money, it's about fan base size not on the field performance.

It is better they are considering joining the SEC rather than the other way around but the end result may be a brand new super conference. I can see a scenario where only one Mississippi School is invited to the show. Which one gets picked if that happens?

This worries me also because we all know that Ole Miss would pimp out their daughters for any leg up over us. Ole Miss also has a higher up at ESPN and they aren't afraid to use whatever they can to sink us. If any school in a P5 conference is on the outside looking in, it could be extremely detrimental to the overall university.

[CaptainObvious]

Interesting take. I was listening to Mark Packer and Dan Dakich the other day and those are just two of the sports media that really push the haves above the have nots.

Dakich said (paraphrasing) why would anyone outside of Mississippi and South Carolina give a rats ass about the Ole Miss-South Carolina game? He then said (again paraphrasing) he wasn?t interested in watching Mississippi State-Auburn.

But if these media types got their wish and there was an Elite Super-Conference of 16 to 20 programs, how long would it be before they got tired of a bunch of 9-3 and 8-4 teams in that conference because we all know they would just beat each other up.

Meanwhile in the 2nd Tier, you would have a bunch of 12-0, 11-1, 10-2 teams and fan base excitement because teams that before had no chance would be competing for championships.

[was21]

Give you one guess ....and it ain't us

[Dawg_Lover]

[QUOTE=FISHDAWG;1353249]I know everyone has their own opinion... but mine is - I prefer to keep our exclusiveness over becoming a super-conference.

Wish we had a simple thumbs-up button, for comments. where one doesn?t have to log in or even join, to register a 👍.
Making it easier to participate might encourage more interests, in the forum, therefore more joining and participation.
Fishdawgs comment would get one from me.

[PMDawg]

I know everyone has their own opinion... but mine is - I prefer to keep our exclusiveness over becoming a super-conference. I have no idea if this is in the works but it really wouldn't surprise me either:

https://rubbingtherock.com/2021/07/23/clemson-football-sec-serious-contact/

Yeah, I'm with you. I feel like we've kind of been witnessing "the beginning of the end" of college football for the last couple of seasons now. This move with Texas and OU, dropping viewership/attendance/interest, any further expansion, and the expanded playoff are all pointing in the same direction. Now, I'm not saying college football will cease to exist, just that it will become unrecognizable from what it once was. I think the Golden Age of CFB was like mid-90's to around 2015/2016 (before Alabama/Clemson became an every year thing). For now, we're kind of in the inbetween, but I think we'll soon be in some dark times for CFB. Just one guy's opinion though. I can tell you this - my interest in football is lower than it's ever been in my lifetime. And I even got excited during the Croom years.

[Tbonewannabe]

Yeah, I'm with you. I feel like we've kind of been witnessing "the beginning of the end" of college football for the last couple of seasons now. This move with Texas and OU, dropping viewership/attendance/interest, any further expansion, and the expanded playoff are all pointing in the same direction. Now, I'm not saying college football will cease to exist, just that it will become unrecognizable from what it once was. I think the Golden Age of CFB was like mid-90's to around 2015/2016 (before Alabama/Clemson became an every year thing). For now, we're kind of in the inbetween, but I think we'll soon be in some dark times for CFB. Just one guy's opinion though. I can tell you this - my interest in football is lower than it's ever been in my lifetime. And I even got excited during the Croom years.

I am right there with you. I bought tickets for the La Tech game but other than that, I am probably deciding on games to go to based on tailgating with my friends and how tired I would be from that weekend trip. I used to never miss a home game and now I halfway have to force myself to just not watch it on TV at home.

[AROB44]

Gave up my 6 season tickets this year. Been buying season tickets for 40+ years. I think I picked the right time to stop. All this expansion is not good for us, OM, Arkansas, So Carolina, and probably Auburn and LSU. CFB as we have known it is gone forever.

[Quaoarsking]

This worries me also because we all know that Ole Miss would pimp out their daughters for any leg up over us. Ole Miss also has a higher up at ESPN and they aren't afraid to use whatever they can to sink us. If any school in a P5 conference is on the outside looking in, it could be extremely detrimental to the overall university.

Having Greg Byrne and Scott Stricklin in their current positions can only be helpful in the unlikely scenario that the SEC debates which Mississippi school to cut. And I believe Sankey has a Mississippi State connection too. And we don't come with the racial baggage.

[Jack Lambert]

I just can't see Ohio State leaving the big 10. I think if Clemson and FSU leaves the ACC the Big 10 will gobble up some of those teams that are left. Also if the big PAC 12 schools like USC don't get serious about football again and start kicking ass the PAC 12 will be left way behind. They have only had one team make it and that was Oregon. Let this sneak in. USC has had 7 Heisman trophy winners. Also they have won 11 real national championships in football. Last one in 2004. They have past history and has let their program go to the run down unpainted shit house.

[CaptainObvious]

The ACC media agreement goes through 2035. I can?t see them losing anyone, but they would certainly be interested in adding 1.

I believe the next step is the 4 major conferences with 16 schools each. State and Ole Miss, having budgets over $100 million, will be in this 64 team league

10 years after that, barring the Rapture, We could see a Super Division of 20 programs, with budgets close to $200 million.

Second Division of 60-80 schools, with budgets between $60 million and $100 million. State and Ole Miss will fall to this division unless one or both have a Renaissance of Achieving never before achieved success on the gridiron.

The rest will be in a level similar to the current FCS. If a schools budget is under $40 million, they will be in this level. USM will land here if they still have a program.

[Tbonewannabe]

Having Greg Byrne and Scott Stricklin in their current positions can only be helpful in the unlikely scenario that the SEC debates which Mississippi school to cut. And I believe Sankey has a Mississippi State connection too. And we don't come with the racial baggage.

That is one thing that I hope all this "wokeness" at least does for us, give an advantage over Ole Miss of the Plantation.

[was21]

It ends for State when it evolves and the old SEC charter membership clause becomes inoperative and we get purged.

[coachnorm]

I just can't see Ohio State leaving the big 10. I think if Clemson and FSU leaves the ACC the Big 10 will gobble up some of those teams that are left. Also if the big PAC 12 schools like USC don't get serious about football again and start kicking ass the PAC 12 will be left way behind. They have only had one team make it and that was Oregon. Let this sneak in. USC has had 7 Heisman trophy winners. Also they have won 11 real national championships in football. Last one in 2004. They have past history and has let their program go to the run down unpainted shit house.

You are on point. Even the locals are tuned in to the point that the starting quarterbacks for Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, and Ole Miss are from Los Angeles. You can bet that they like their home town just not it's college football?

[Dawgology]

It ends with the SEC having 64 teams and in their last move they hire Joe Moorhead to go tell the NCAA to pound sand and kick rocks.

[PGHBulldogBG]

Unfortunately barring a miracle, I don?t see any of the Mississippi schools being invited to any type of 32 team league or included in that expansion. When you really break it down there are too many other schools with more money, bigger fanbases and in much larger TV markets.
There are 20 teams that is obvious won?t be left out Alabama Clemson Ohio state Oklahoma Texas Florida Florida State Georgia Texas A&M LSU Auburn Notre Dame Michigan
Wisconsin Washington Oregon USC
Penn State Miami North Carolina

Then you have a next tier
Nebraska Tennessee Stanford Iowa
Virginia Virginia Tech Minnesota UCLA
Michigan State Arizona State

Then you only have 2 spots left. What happens to the basketball powers of Duke, UK, Kansas, Arizona. 4 blue bloods with terrible football but great hoops. What about the elevation of Baylor athletics? Then you have teams like Arkansas, West Virginia, Colorado, Missouri, Maryland who are the main team in their state with larger TV markets

Would they consider a team like Boise State or UCF who have been top mid majors going to NY6 Bowls? I just don?t see anyway with all these choices either Mississippi team gets selected. I really hope we don?t go down this road. At this time though there are too many questions and it seems as though the things they would be looking at favor no Mississippi teams.

[CaptainObvious]

As I said and believe, State and Ole Miss will survive the first major realignment. That should hold for about 10 years or so.

So after that most of us will have succumbed to the ZETA variant of Covid 19 by then.

[Thick]

I think you guys overthink everything. Just sit back and watch it unfold. Stop thinking like we are a bunch of losers all of the time. We compete well inside and better outside in every major sport. We?re coming off a NC with the greatest venue, atmosphere, and fan base in college baseball. Basketball will always be competitive with a chance to make the tournament every year once Howland retires. Football can compete on a regular basis. We offer a lot compared to some of the blue blood football programs?..Texas and OU included. Sankey and Strickland both have kids at MSU too. Regardless of what you think we have a pretty damn good fan base that will travel too. We will see a bump in enrollment after that NC too. I think we?re going to be fine. Hail State!!!