Super Conference Option 2

A while back before any of us knew what the college football playoff would look like, I cautioned that we should be realistic about it. In this article I said that it won't solve everything. That was way back in December 2013 and early returns and rankings look like I am right. Controversy is sure to follow, but is there a better solution? Expanding the playoffs is truly not the answer so I came up with two other options. So this option is my 3rd. This is the 2nd Super Conference Option, but my third option overall.

Option 1
Option 2

This option is very similar to Option 2. In fact, you could say it's the same thing. There is one major difference though, in this scenario the Big 12 beats the ACC to the punch and expands to 20 first. This is actually started by the Big 10 who takes Virginia and Duke. Therefore, the conferences align differently and different teams will be left out. The rivalries will also shift slightly as a result, but here are the ground rules again.
"4 conferences
20 teams
2 divisions in each conference
9 intra-division matchups
1 rotating opponent from the other division
1 cross-division rivalry game
1 out of conference rivalry game
These rivals will be posted in parentheses next to the teams below
Some teams are without a true cross division rival, so I will have to make up a rivalry."

BIG Conference (Formerly Big 10)
Eastern Division
Boston College      (Notre Dame, Miami)
Duke                     (Northwestern, North Carolina)
Indiana                  (Purdue, Vanderbilt)
Maryland               (Nebraska , North Carolina State)
Ohio State              (Michigan, Cincinnati)
Penn State              (Iowa, Temple)
Pittsburgh               (Wisconsin, West Virginia)
Rutgers                  (Minnesota, Louisville)
Syracuse                 (Illinois, Tennessee)
Virginia                  (Michigan State, Virginia Tech)
Western Division
Illinois                   (Syracuse, California)
Iowa                      (Penn State, Iowa State)
Michigan                (Ohio State, Stanford)
Michigan State        (Virginia, Oregon)
Minnesota               (Rutgers, UCLA)
Nebraska                 (Maryland, Oklahoma)
Northwestern           (Duke, Washington)
Notre Dame             (Boston College, Southern Cal)
Purdue                     (Indiana, Arizona)
Wisconsin                (Pittsburgh, Arizona State)

The first strike against a former Power 5 conference in this scenario is Duke and Virginia leaving the ACC for the Big 10. After that major coup, Notre Dame decides to join the Big 10 figuring the ACC is done for. Once the Group of 5 leaves for the Big 10, Syracuse, BC, and Pitt are practically begging to join the Big 10.

Let's look at the updated Ohio State schedule and see how the Big 10 improved. Actual opponent in parentheses unless it is the same opponent.

8/30 Ohio State @ Boston College (@Navy)
9/6   Virginia @ Ohio State (Virginia Tech)
9/13  Syracuse @ Ohio State (Kent State)
9/27  Cincinnati @ Ohio State
10/4  Ohio State @ Maryland
10/18 Rutgers @ Ohio State
10/25 Ohio State @ Penn State
11/1  Ohio State @ Pittsburgh (Illinois Home)
11/8  Ohio State @ Duke (@ Michigan State)
11/15 Ohio State @ Minnesota
11/22 Indiana @ Ohio State
11/29 Michigan @ Ohio State

You add a road game under this scenario for Ohio State and you replace Virginia Tech, Kent State, and Illinois with Virginia, Syracuse, and Pittsburgh. Those are all upgrades in my opinion. The one downgrade may be Duke v. Michigan State, but that is highly debatable as Duke is a quality opponent. Then Ohio State will likely have to face Michigan State in the title IF they win this side.

Liberty Conference (Formerly Big 12)
Eastern Division
Central Florida       (Baylor, East Carolina)
Cincinnati              (Iowa State, Ohio State)
Clemson                (Texas, South Carolina)
Florida State           (Oklahoma, Florida)
Georgia Tech          (Texas Tech, Georgia)
Marshall                 (Kansas, Kentucky)
Miami                    (Kansas State, Boston College)
Temple                   (TCU, Penn State)
Virginia Tech          (Boise State, Virginia)
West Virginia          (Oklahoma State, Pittsburgh)
Western Division
Baylor                    (Central Florida, Houston)
Boise State              (Virginia Tech, UNLV)
Iowa State                (Cincinnati, Iowa)
Kansas                     (Marshall, Missouri)
Kansas State             (Miami, Colorado)
Oklahoma                 (Florida State, Nebraska)
Oklahoma State         (West Virginia, Oregon State)
TCU                         (Temple, Southern Methodist)
Texas                        (Clemson, Texas A & M)
Texas Tech                (Georgia Tech, UTEP)

The Big 12 acts first to expand in this scenario to get to a stronger 20 than the ACC so they are the automatic qualifier. The first team they add is Boise State adding them to their stable of classic Big 12 teams to form a Western division. They then need to add 9 teams East to go with WVU. They add Central Florida, Cincinnati, Marshall, and Temple also within the first week. They are prepared to add more mid majors, but not wanting to be left out of the playoff, FSU, Clemson, and Georgia Tech decide to bring along Miami and Virginia Tech and head to the Big 12. Realizing 12 is stupid to have as the name for a conference with 20 teams, they finally change the conference name. The new Liberty Conference ends up being the strongest conference of all.

Now let's look at the Noles schedule to prove it's strength.
8/30 Florida State @ Oklahoma State (same game in Dallas)
9/6   Oklahoma @ Florida State (Citadel)
9/20  Clemson @ Florida State
9/27  Florida State @ Temple (@ North Carolina State)
10/4  Virginia Tech @ Florida State (Wake Forest)
10/11 Florida State @ Marshall (@Syracuse)
10/18 Cincinnati @ Florida State (Notre Dame)
11/1   Florida State @ Georgia Tech (@ Louisville 10/30)
11/8   Central Florida @ Florida State (Virginia)
11/15 Florida State @ Miami
11/22 Florida State @ West Virginia (Boston College Home)
11/29 Florida @ Florida State

There is no doubt that this schedule is more difficult. Georgia Tech is the 2nd best team in the ACC and the Noles would be playing them yearly. Adding Oklahoma to the schedule is no easy task. There is no more Wake Forest and Syracuse beatdown games either.

Pacific Athletic Conference (Formerly PAC 12)
Northern Division
BYU                         (UNLV, Mississippi State)
California                  (Stanford, Illinois)
Colorado                    (Fresno State, Kansas State)
Colorado State            (Nevada, Arkansas)
Oregon                       (Arizona, Michigan State)
Oregon State               (UCLA, Oklahoma State)
Utah                           (Houston, Alabama)
Utah State                   (UTEP, Memphis)
Washington                 (Southern Cal, Northwestern)
Washington State         (Arizona State, LSU)
Southern Division
Arizona                      (Oregon, Purdue)
Arizona State              (Washington State, Wisconsin)
Fresno State                (Colorado, Mississippi)
Houston                      (Utah, Baylor)
Nevada                       (Colorado State, Auburn)
Southern Cal               (Washington, Notre Dame)
Stanford                      (California, Stanford)
UCLA                         (Oregon State, Minnesota)
UNLV                         (BYU, Boise State)
UTEP                          (Utah State, Texas Tech)

The Pac 12 moves after the Big 12 and Big 10 get started, but does decent work in expansion again. Realizing they are moving to twenty and might need to change numbers again, they decide to drop the number and simply become the PAC. They also realize the Big 12 is sticking after they expand with some strong mid majors and decide to add their own mid majors, starting with BYU. Once BYU is in the fold, they add some other teams.

Let's look at Utah State's upgraded schedule to see the impact on a quality mid major.
8/31 Utah State @ UTEP (@ Tennessee)
9/6   Colorado @ Utah State (Idaho State)
9/13 Washington State @ Utah State (Wake Forest)
9/20 Utah State @ Arizona State (@ Arkansas State)
10/3 Utah State @ Oregon (@ BYU)
10/10 Washington @ Utah State (Air Force)
10/18 Utah State @ Colorado State
10/25 UNLV @ Utah State
11/1   Utah State @ Oregon State (@ Hawaii)
11/8   Utah State @ California (@ Wyoming)
11/22  Memphis @ Utah State (11/21 San Jose State)
11/29  Utah @ Utah State (@ Boise State)

Utah State actually adds a bye week on 11/15 since they have 13 regular season games. All teams that play Hawaii usually have 13 games. These guys would no longer be playing Hawaii and would no longer have the 13th game. Quality is added throughout the Utah State schedule as well as additional home games. This schedule is highlighted by trips to Arizona State and Oregon. This is a Utah State schedule I would like to see.

South Eastern Conference
Eastern Division
East Carolina             (Texas A & M, Central Florida)
Florida                      (LSU, Florida State)
Georgia                      (Auburn, Georgia Tech)
Kentucky                    (Mississippi State, Marshall)
Louisville                   (Missouri, Rutgers)
North Carolina            (Arkansas, Duke)    
North Carolina State    (Southern Methodist, Maryland)
South Carolina             (Mississippi, Clemson)
Tennessee                    (Alabama, Syracuse)
Vanderbilt                    (Memphis, Indiana)
Western Division
Alabama                  (Tennessee, Utah)
Arkansas                  (North Carolina, Colorado State)
Auburn                     (Georgia, Nevada)
LSU                         (Florida, Washington State)
Memphis                   (Vanderbilt, Utah State)
Mississippi                (South Carolina, Fresno State)
Mississippi State        (Kentucky, BYU)
Missouri                    (Louisville, Kansas)
Southern Methodist     (North Carolina State, TCU)
Texas A & M              (East Carolina, Texas)

The SEC is last to act in this scenario because they don't need to act. They are set up the best heading into the expansion. This conference knows it just needs to get to 20 and they will be set. They add East Carolina to expand into North Carolina first. After the ACC is picked apart they want the Tar Heels as well, but the Tar Heels get them to accept rival NC State along with them. Louisville is also added from the ACC and Missouri is flipped West. To strengthen the market in Texas, Southern Methodist is added along with Memphis. The SEC West is still much stronger than the East, but by adding North Carolina and Louisville, the SEC has added two schools that can compete for titles on that side of the conference from time to time.

Now let's look at Auburn's schedule since they are considered to have the toughest schedule in the country.
8/30   Arkansas @ Auburn
9/6     Memphis @ Auburn (San Jose State)
9/20   Auburn @ Missouri (9/18 @ Kansas State)
9/27   Auburn @ Southern Methodist (Louisiana Tech Home)
10/4   LSU @ Auburn
10/11 Auburn @ Mississippi State
10/25  South Carolina@ Auburn
11/1   Auburn @ Ole Miss
11/8  Texas A & M @ Auburn
11/15 Auburn @ Georgia
11/22  Nevada @ Auburn (Samford)
11/29  Auburn @ Alabama

The only replacements here are Memphis, Missouri, Southern Methodist, and Nevada for San Jose State, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech, and Samford. You can argue that each of those is an upgrade and Nevada is a huge upgrade over Samford. This schedule is a win.

Final Wrap-Up

Under this scenario the two biggest snubs are Wake Forest and Connecticut based on their placement when the BCS scenario began. UCONN was left behind once again with no conference gaining a huge strategic advantage by adding them. Wake Forest was left behind because the SEC refused to add a 4th Carolina school and the ACC Schools that left for the Big 10 and Big 12 felt no loyalty toward Wake. As the weakest ACC school currently, I believe Wake would have to act first in a scenario such as this if it felt the ACC being picked apart.

I think I like this option better than the other Super Conference Option, but I am not sure if I like it better than the relegation option. I do like keeping the historic rivalries though. How bout' that last FSU-Canes game?
Which of the three options do you like best?
In my next piece, you can find out what happens to the service academies that get left out if they get left out. It is probably the best thing for those academies.
Have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow!

-Noland