Realignment: Scenerios That Involve SMU

[Water Pony]

I agree with those who believe our leadership team has a plan and is working on executing it. I fear however, that the real goal of the reallignment is to reduce the number of BCS schools to about 30. If my fear is correct it does not bode well for us despite the best efforts of our team. Our stadium is too little, we can't fill what we have and our TV ratings are not good enough for us to land in the BCS. I hope I am wrong about my fears.

Thirty is too restrictiive, despite SEC, Big Ten, and Pac-10 wishes. The worst scenario for us is four Conferences, which will grant 64 (4x16) entitlements to bigger schools for the most part. It might rise to 90 (5x16), but that feels way too high.

[EastStang]

I suspect there are two things that SMU needs to be prepared for. (1) Buy-in. Hopefully, GRT is putting the finger on the Circle of Champions (and others) to have a buy-in war chest. (2) Relational. GRT and Steve-O are talking to all their friends out there and getting the scoop on what is happening. GRT is well connected with SEC and Big Ten presidents which is a key. Intelligence is the most important part of this equation.

I don't see them reducing the number of the schools that are BCS, unless they intend to also withdraw from the NCAA. The Division 1 football committee has 120 members. Thus, the BCS needs 60+ members to avoid the dreaded playoff system. And with 3 or four schools possibly moving up from FCS its possible that they may need to add teams to BCS rather than reduce them.

[Dooby]

They can't reduce the number of BCS schools below a majority of the Bowl Subdivision teams for an obvious reason.

[smuuth]

What do you guys think SMU has to offer any conference except for it's location in a major market? Do conferences look for teams who don't even have a baseball team or facilities to bring into the fold to share their revenue to help those teams build facilities, etc.? I am not sure major conferences are looking for charity cases? Of course the Big 12 took on Baylor when they formed so maybe I am wrong. SMU has never reached it's full potential in my opinion but I am an outsider so what doi I know?

[NickSMU17]

SMU has the Dallas appeal and well-connected alum...hopefully they are working hard...

[birddogger]

Having a problem with realignment - how does NCAA sanction the consolidation of programs into super-conferences, to the exclusion on the many also-rans? Seems to me there will be more than a few legislators or attorneys who are alums of the great unwashed, who will get their knickers in a wad over this, resulting in legal or legislative challenges to the NCAA way of life.

[Samurai Stang]

Having a problem with realignment - how does NCAA sanction the consolidation of programs into super-conferences, to the exclusion on the many also-rans? Seems to me there will be more than a few legislators or attorneys who are alums of the great unwashed, who will get their knickers in a wad over this, resulting in legal or legislative challenges to the NCAA way of life.

You could make the same argument with the current BCS system, but no legitimate challenge has yet taken place. I do not see why this would be any different.

[birddogger]

More oxen gored (such as the Big XII and Big East leftovers)? More $$$ at stake? BCS hasn't been tested legislatively or in the courts yet, has it? If so, do you recall the theory that was used to challenge the BCS? I'm just curious... not suggesting that I know anything.

[EastStang]

Well, the threat of an anti-trust suit got the BCS to "include" the non-BCS conferences into the formula. So, there is always the possibility that any such combination could cause an anti-trust suit. Remember, the BCS was born because OU sued the NCAA to get control of its own TV rights. It then licensed those rights to the Big XII which then licensed them to Fox Regional, ESPN and ABC. These conferences then agreed to a format to hold a championship which effectively excluded non-BCS schools in the same division. That caused enough screams, legislative inquiries, etc., that they revised the formula. I think that a consolidation of the BCS conferences into 4 Super Conferences is fraught with some peril. For one, the non-football playing BE schools could sue the BE schools relating to basketball and a breach of contract. The leftouts from the six conferences that were formerly in BCS conferences may have a claim for breach of contract against schools departing their conferences, or anti-trust since there was an anticompetitive combination which was to their detriment. Remember KSU did get a BCS autobid one year. Secondly, would the Big XII keep its autobid if Texas, A&M, NE, OU, CO, and MO left. If it did, then the KSU, TT, OSU, Baylor, ISU, and Kansas' of the world would not have grounds to complain. They could rebuild somehow. Remember that Boise could help their BCS numbers for the last two years as could TCU. Lots of action off the field.

[birddogger]

Thanks for the overview. I believe a reconstituted Big XII could keep its BCS berth only via threat of legal action, whether on anti-trust or contractual grounds. Perhaps an interference of contract claim against the networks, just for fun. IMO, the only way SMU makes it into a AQ slot is under this scenario. Hope I'm wrong, though. The administration should be making a pitch to the Big XII now.

[Pony_Fan]

The merry go round goes round and round... what a waste of energy that is not in our control...

[Dwan]

The most likely change is the Big 10 and the Pac-10 going to 12 teams. However, if one major BCS conference moves to 14 or 16, there will be a major shake up in the landscape of the BCS conferences and SMU will not be part of a BCS conference, the best scenario for SMU would be a conference with other schools who would be left out. Kind of a hybrid of the old SWC, Conference USA, and the 16 Team Wac conference that SMU was a part of in the late 90s. SMU, TCU, Baylor, Houston, Rice, Tulsa, Utep, New Mexico in one division and Colorado State, BYU, Boise State, Air Force, Fresno State, San Diego State, UNLV, Nevada in the other division.....maybe even room for Texas Teach somewhere. Something like that would be a better conference than the current conference USA.

[East Coast Mustang]

Don't rule out us going to the Pac-10. They want to get 16 in their conference. (Add Colorado, BYU, Utah) They do not want to add Boise. The Pac 10 would love to add the Dallas Market to its base, and the access to recruiting would be unreal.

Lord have mercy. Every once in awhile I have to come out of the woodwork, dust myself off, and kick the ignorance on this board towards conference affiliations to the curb. If you think we're getting a Pac-10 invite, you should be institutionalized. That's almost as bad as the people around here who thought we could go to the SEC.

SMU has NOTHING to offer a major conference. The Dallas market means zero; Texas, Texas A&M, and OU dominate DFW television sets, not SMU. Our stadium holds 32,000 and we don't come close to filling it, save for one game a year. Our basketball program blows. We don't have a baseball team. I don't know if the Pac-10 would "love" to go the sixteen as this poster speculates, as a matter of fact I think that's BS and they'd be happy at 12 with CU and either Utah or BYU.

Best case scenario for us? The Big 12 gets raided by the SEC, Big Ten, and Pac-10, and we join a new, albeit drastically weakened Big 12 with the likes of Tech and Baylor along with other MWC/WAC/CUSA schools.

[ponyinNC]

Agree, not only with some of the ignorance on this board, but with your best case scenario for us. In order for that to happen, Big 12 really needs to get raided. If they somehow keep UT & A&M..no way SMU gets invited. Big 12 just adds TCU and either BYU or CSU and is done with it.

Worst case scenario, Big East raids C-USA, SMU does not get picked for Big 12, and we have to start adding sunbelt schools. ugh.

[East Coast Mustang]

Agree, not only with some of the ignorance on this board, but with your best case scenario for us. In order for that to happen, Big 12 really needs to get raided. If they somehow keep UT & A&M..no way SMU gets invited. Big 12 just adds TCU and either BYU or CSU and is done with it.

Yes, we need to hope and pray that the Big 12 just gets eviscerated this go-round. Mizzou and Nebraska to the Big Ten, Colorado to the Pac-10, and Texas/A&M/OU/OSU to the SEC. That would open up seven slots and give us a good shot IMO.