(07-19-2018 11:54 AM)YNot Wrote: I like the OP's alignment. It includes most teams that can deliver solid home-game attendance and support and attract TV viewership.
However, I don't like the post-season setup with five power conferences. Each conference still has to stage its own conference championship - then we're left with an uneven number of conference champions...and often elite teams that have a legitimate CFP-inclusion argument who don't even qualify for the conference championship game simply because they are the divisional runner-up to one of the best teams in the nation.
What I prefer is a similar alignment to the OP, but done in a massive conference consolidation such that we are left with a P2. This sets up a structure similar to the AFC/NFC and AL/NL in professional football and baseball.
So, two conferences, each with several 6-7 team divisions. 72-80 teams total.
Each conference has a playoff involving the division winners and wild cards. It doesn't require conference championship games in early December in each region of the country. Instead, home-hosted conference playoff games that lead to the Rose Bowl (National) and Sugar or Orange Bowls (American) which become the conference championship/semifinal games.
The two conference champions (semifinal bowl winners) play each other for the national championship.
Still have the other exhibition bowl games as per the status quo.
To get there, the B1G/National and SEC/American divide up the PAC, B12, and ACC. My guess is that the B1G/National would get mostly AAU schools from the PAC and B12 and most of the ACC Coastal schools and Notre Dame.
Here's what it could look like:
B1G/NATIONAL
NORTH: Penn St., Ohio St., Michigan, Michigan St., Rutgers, Indiana
CENTRAL: Wisconsin, Iowa, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue, Minnesota
EAST: Notre Dame, Pitt, Miami, Syracuse, Boston College,
UConn
ATLANTIC: North Carolina, Duke, Virginia, Georgia Tech,
Vanderbilt
SOUTH: Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa St.,
Missouri
PACIFIC: USC, Stanford, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona
The B1G steals Vanderbilt and Missouri from the SEC because of AAU status and the attractive divisions. Legacy Big Ten and ACC divisions remain in tact. Also, historic Big 12, PAC 10, and Big East associations within the divisions. UConn gets a golden ticket. The B1G/National has a stronger presence in the Midwest and Northeast, but also boasts teams nationwide from California to Texas to Florida.
SEC/AMERICAN
EAST: Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Auburn, South Carolina, Kentucky
CENTRAL: Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, Mississippi St., Ole Miss, Arkansas
ATLANTIC: Florida St., Clemson, Louisville, NC State, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech
SOUTH: West Virginia,
Houston, Memphis, Cincinnati, UCF, USF
WEST: Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma St., Kansas St.,
BYU
PACIFIC: UCLA, Cal, Arizona St., Utah, Oregon St., Washington St.
The SEC/American boasts historic SEC divisions and ACC, Big 12, and PAC matchups. The conference also adds the best of the rest, all in solid college football markets. Houston, Memphis, Cincinnati, USF, UCF, and BYU get the golden tickets. The SEC/American dominates the Southeast, but still has a strong presence in the West Coast and Texas.