Conference Realignment - where will we be in 5 yrs?

[MVCfans]

I am of the opinion that there will ultimately be 4 superconferences - Big East, Pac 16, SEC, Big Ten. Thus, as the dominoes fall there will be schools scrambling to remain in this 64 team group.

Texas A&M will almost certainly join the SEC in the next month or sooner. While the Big 12 may discuss adding SMU or Houston (more on that later), the remaining Big 12 teams will undoubtedly listen to any offer that might grant them access to a potential "superconference" due to the stability it will provide. For that reason, I think Missouri will ultimately also follow to the SEC unless the Big Ten comes calling first. When the conference completely dissolves, SMU and Houston will end up right where they started in CUSA.

The Big Ten will eventually add Notre Dame and then things gets interesting. There were earlier reports that the conference might try to add schools like Pitt or Syracuse, but I think it's possible they decide to add elite basketball schools such as Duke and North Carolina, along with someone like Maryland. Why would those schools even consider this - because the ACC will crumble after losing Florida State and Virginia Tech to the SEC.

The Big East will add Kansas and Kansas State, but shed teams in doing so. Depaul, Providence, and Seton Hall are all possibilities.

The PAC 12 will add the Oklahoma schools as well as Texas Tech and Texas. This leaves Iowa State and Baylor. I'd guess Iowa State ends up in the MAC and Baylor joins CUSA. If the Big East doesn't want Kansas State, perhaps they end up in the MTN conferemce?

So what does this mean for the Valley? If there are openings in CUSA due to the defections of teams like SMU and Houston, perhaps Missouri State or Wichita State would be of interest to them. That would require a commitment to FBS football which may or may not be possible. The basketball only teams that left the Big East could join the A-10 or try to organize a new conference that might be of interest to schools like Creighton.

I'd like to see the MVC be aggressive and be proactive rather than reactive, but time will only tell what happenes in the coming weeks let alone the coming years.

[FeartheQ]

I have kind of always wanted MSU and WSU to be a package deal to any new conference if that were to happen. Our football teams are on about the same level right now though.

[unipanther99]

It's all about football, football, football. I think there will be a shift to the superconference model. I think at that point, there will be a move to shift the divisional lines of football.

Those who are not in the elite group really have no chance of making money playing football. The difference between the remaining FBS schools and current FCS schools will not be significant enough to justify having seperate divisions.

I would think most of the remaining FBS schools would gladly reduce their number of scholarships to FCS levels as a cost saving measure. Having all of the "non-money" schools playing at the same level makes it much easier to re-align conferences that make sense geographically, with natural rivals, and keeping basketball in mind (the only moneymaker at these schools). I don't think it will be called FCS, but I really think this will probably happen at some point.

[Khan4Cats]

I'm just going to say this. I know it's going to make many people howl in protest and I am NOT in disagreement with them over it, but I really think that the "fall-back" option for the MVC Offices at this point should conference realignment pluck a couple teams from the current MVC would be to invite the xDSU's into the conference as replacements. I would far rather they look at schools like Butler, Oral Roberts, Loyola as non-football (I know Butler has non-scholly) playing teams, but I just don't see the conference being that forward thinking than to say "Hey, we already have the xDSU's in football, they'd be an easy package for all sports." Football will likely be the deciding factor but I am not sold that there will necessarily be a merger of the lower FBS and FCS-just don't see CUSA or MWC being willing to drop back. The MAC, WAC and Sun-Belt are already virtually there and seem to be fine with where they are for whatever reason.

[MVCfans]

If the MVC lost teams, I would guess the Dakotas would have to be in the discussion although I'm sure the MVC would like larger markets in St Louis and eastward. Geographically, however, the conference could add in any direction. I'm not advocating it, but you could theoretically pluck SDSU, NDSU, and USD, Oral Roberts, and Oakland from the Summit and have 2 eight team divisions divided east/west - Iowa schools joining the teams to the west. Add SLU and Oakland:

MVC West: Creighton, Drake, Northern Iowa, South Dakota, Oral Roberts, South Dakota State, North Dakota State, Wichita State

MVC East: Bradley, Indiana State, Illinois State, Missouri State, Oakland, Evansville, Southern Illinois, SLU?

[valleychamp]

I agree with '99 in that it would make sense if the low FBS and high FCS schools would merge into 1 division if the BCS super conference model would come to fruition, but I also agree with Khan in that I do not believe many of those low FBS schools would be willing to do that.

I agree that the Dakota schools probably (sadly) would be on the expansion radar. But I would hope that the MVC would look long and hard at what they would need to do to lure some bigger names like Butler, SLU, ORU, Dayton, etc. Those Dakota schools have a long ways to go before they are at the same level as the schools in the MVC.

[bigdawg]

Elgin is on record saying he isn't exploring expansion so I'd wager that the MVC loses schools before we gain any. I'd hate to see it happen but if you're not proactive in these deals, you lose.

[Aargh]

MVC West: Creighton, Drake, Northern Iowa, South Dakota, Oral Roberts, South Dakota State, North Dakota State, Wichita State

MVC East: Bradley, Indiana State, Illinois State, Missouri State, Oakland, Evansville, Southern Illinois, SLU?

If that's what I have to look forward to as a WSU fan, just shoot me now and end the misery. You put WSU and MSU in different divisions??

Baseball is a significant sport at WSU. Get on a bus and go to North Dakota to play a baseball game in March? Yukes!! WSU would have to be dragged kicking and screaming into that conference alignment.

[MVCfans]

Aargh - I agree. The more I look at it, the less I like it. And I didn't like it very much to start. Just throwing possible scenarios around.

I probably agree with bigdawg that the MVC going to 16 teams is completely unrealistic because by the time the MVC decided to add schools, it would be because the WSU, MSU, and CU of the world had already left the conference.

[bigdawg]

From a basketball standpoint only, Oakland would actually fit pretty well. Why not UW-Milwaukee?