I started to post this in one of the existing threads but thought I’d go this route to shift the focus from “what’s wrong” to “what it could be”. I liked Gruden’s idea of more play-in games on CCG Saturday but I don’t think it goes far enough as a long term fix. So, here goes…
The Super Bowl pits the AFC champ vs the NFC champ - doesn’t matter if the 2 or 3 or 7 best teams are all on one side or the other - the Super Bowl will always be AFC vs NFC. Fast forward to a new college football playoff landscape, what’s your preferred format? I know there are some that want this but is there really a majority that would want it to be BIG vs SEC all the time and all the time BIG vs SEC? Like AFC vs NFC?
My fandom doesn’t stem from following a blue blood program - I went to high school in Lubbock (college ACU) but I still live in Lubbock and therefore I support and follow Texas Tech. But I was born in Los Angeles and didn’t move to Texas until I was 15. The blue bloods were all I ever knew as they were the teams always on TV and playing in the bowl games on New Years Day (the majority of my early college football viewing)
So I’m an outsider regarding blue bloods but I understand their perspective of not wanting to share that which they have built.
But is that really what’s best for the future of the game?
I’m curious if you Longhorns truly want that sort of contraction? I’m open to hear your pros and cons for going that route.
As for me and my personal non blue blood perspective and fandom, I always enjoyed the regionality of the SWC - wish Arkansas never left. When we moved to Texas, I hadn’t heard of Texas Tech but I knew about Texas and Arkansas and Oklahoma - and Aggy because of the movie “Best Little Whorehouse In Texas” - lol
But I REALLY liked the original Big12 - save for screwing up the OU/NU game. And I would like to see a return to something similar to those affiliations - doesn’t have to be exact but close. The scarcity of teams out west make if difficult to do with a good and equal distribution of program size and strength. But I believe it’s worth pursuing. If nothing else, the transfer portal and NIL age has shown us who’s committed and who isn’t (so far) - so maybe that’s a starting point on where the cut line should be. Texas Tech and BYU have made it known with their recent contracts that they are committed.
With that being said, here’s my wish list:
Eight conferences of 9 teams (8x9=72)
Playoffs are the 8 champs and 8 at-large based on w/l record - regular season is 8 conf game + 4 (max of 2 vs teams outside the 72)
I don’t want to list my entire 72 here now but I would like to see these traditional rivals stay together as group “starter kits” if you will for the 8 leagues
- SC, UCLA, UO, UW
- NU, OU, TX, ATM
- UI, UM, tOSU, PSU
- UA, AU, LSU, UGA
- UF, FSU, UM
- ND, AF, Army, Navy
I guess that’s all I got, the rest can be filled in. As for my preference for Tech, Lubbock is already pretty remote so besides the Dallas area, regionality doesn’t exist. So, the only one I’d for sure like to be back in the same conference with is Nebraska - I guess that eliminates Texas from consideration - lol
Cheers!!