Can't Wait for Football Season...

[3BNole]

Ah, the long days of summer...

[kellylexy]

Summer conditioning and the JF camps are rolling along. Please share any news/updates on the players, coaches, or the program in general.

[fsudiscgolfer]

What do people think about conference movement and BCS playoffs???

[kellylexy]

Jul 1, 2012 22:14:07 GMT -5 fsudiscgolfer said:

What do people think about conference movement and BCS playoffs???

So much to digest. I think the two are intertwined to a certain extent. The evolution of conference expansion seems to be somewhat hinged on what the post season will look like. I think things may be quiet for a little while for a couple of reasons. The conference meetings for this year are done. The new playoff format was just announced post meetings.

Now is the time for the conferences and individual schools to decide if staying put or expanding(moving in the case of a school) is in their best interest considering the new post season format. Conferences will also be analyzing their potentially increased value if they were to consider expanding versus standing pat.

From a school's perspective it always seems to start with Notre Dame. If they decide to move to the Big 12 (including football), or possibly ACC, once their NBC contract expires then I think one last major shift will occur. You will see the Big 12 actually go to 12 teams. If it is the ACC then you will see the first super conference (16 teams). This is where you could see the second most valuable brand in college football make a move as well...Florida State. If ND, which is being courted heavily by the Big 12, and FSU move to the Big 12 that would send shock waves through college football. It would dwarf any other conference shifts to date since the break up of the Southwest conference back in the 80's. Even the erosion of the Big 12 did not happen all at once. Colorado and Nebraska left a while back. Texas AM and Missouri are just leaving now. Besides, none of those teams have the brand of either Florida State or Notre Dame.

Can you imagine any other conference matching a top four that includes Florida State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Texas?? Not even close. The SEC would counter with LSU, Bama, Florida, and pick your 4th. The Big Ten has Mich and OSU..pick your other two there. The Pac 12 has USC and Oregon...pick your other two there. The ACC would have VaTech, Clemson, Miami, pick your 4th.

The bottom line is the bottom line, though. The conferences divide their revenues by the number of their member schools. In some cases the conference office takes an equal share as well. No conference wants to add teams if the monies are not going to add or multiply...Dividing and subtracting will not entice any conference to expand....even if it is Notre Dame and Florida State.

[nolefan1]

I am ok with being in the ACC atm. I like the playoffs. FSU would have had a shot to play in the NC every year from 87-00 if we had this back then.

[3BNole]

I definitely think FSU's future is tied to ND at the moment. If ND did ever decide to move to the Big XII, I think FSU's future in the ACC would become a lot rockier very quickly. On the flip side, if ND ever joined the ACC, I can guarantee you we wouldn't be going anywhere (and we really shouldn't in that case, because the football brand would improve dramatically).

As it is right now, my money is on us staying put on the ACC (I still wonder about those couple of extra million dollars that just magically showed up from the ACC to cover our expenses...). I'm OK with that, for now, but ultimately it all depends on what other moves are made.

My personal opinions towards the ACC have always been so polarized. On the one hand, the officiating, the fact all the tournaments are more or less permanently in the state of North Carolina now, the poor traveling fanbases, etc. really upset me some days and make me wish we'd leave immediately. On the other hand, I love being associated with the schools we're associated with, I believe most of the fans are very classy and knowledgeable, and there are some great destinations in the ACC along the Atlantic Seaboard. It's a tough call.

As far as realignment goes, what I've been following the closest lately is the WAC. Talk about suspense. After this year, only NM State and Idaho will remain as football playing members. I truly hope such a historic conference doesn't die, but it's not looking good.

[3BNole]

Seems like things have once again slowed down a little. I think it's interesting how sports news always comes in pulses. I heard somewhere that there are 50 days till kickoff. It couldn't get here soon enough!