Assuming the B1G decides to pump up and expand to 20 or 24 members, the question of who gets left behind or has to make a deal downgrading their prior status will become real.
My assumption would be that the B1G, in addition tp ND, would add teams from the PAC and ACC, along possibly with a grab or 2 from the Big 12.
To me, the schools most screwed are those in the PAC and ACC with little or no chance of being absorbed into an expanded B1G.
The highest profile programs left behind to scramble with the leftovers, in my opinion:
Cal
Florida State
Wake Forest
NC State
Oregon State
I do think Cal might get invited, but I think internal issues would prevent them from joining unless it was for football only.
As a side note, I think the superconference idea is likely to drive the idea of limited, I.e. football only, or football/basketball conference membership. The reality of the USC/UCLA move is that it is driven by football and UCLA basketball. The rest of both schools’ athletics are much better staying in the PAC. A deal where they stayed in conference except for football (and maybe basketball) and paid the conference back part of their enhanced TV royalties might have worked out better, budget wise, than a full move.
The Power 5 schools that would not become part of the super conferences are, generally speaking, already struggling in balancing their athletic budgets (Cal is a prime example). If the LA move hadn’t been announced this week, the PAC and ACC would probably have been better off essentially renting out their most lucrative football programs (in addition to USC and UCLA, Oregon, Washington, Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina), taking a cut of the enhanced superconference revenue, and keeping the rest of their conference intact.
My assumption would be that the B1G, in addition tp ND, would add teams from the PAC and ACC, along possibly with a grab or 2 from the Big 12.
To me, the schools most screwed are those in the PAC and ACC with little or no chance of being absorbed into an expanded B1G.
The highest profile programs left behind to scramble with the leftovers, in my opinion:
Cal
Florida State
Wake Forest
NC State
Oregon State
I do think Cal might get invited, but I think internal issues would prevent them from joining unless it was for football only.
As a side note, I think the superconference idea is likely to drive the idea of limited, I.e. football only, or football/basketball conference membership. The reality of the USC/UCLA move is that it is driven by football and UCLA basketball. The rest of both schools’ athletics are much better staying in the PAC. A deal where they stayed in conference except for football (and maybe basketball) and paid the conference back part of their enhanced TV royalties might have worked out better, budget wise, than a full move.
The Power 5 schools that would not become part of the super conferences are, generally speaking, already struggling in balancing their athletic budgets (Cal is a prime example). If the LA move hadn’t been announced this week, the PAC and ACC would probably have been better off essentially renting out their most lucrative football programs (in addition to USC and UCLA, Oregon, Washington, Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina), taking a cut of the enhanced superconference revenue, and keeping the rest of their conference intact.
