Well, folks, college football is on fire. Everything we knew about the sport is up in flames right now as programs from all over the country are aiming to ignore their geographical standing and step up to the big leagues to join the SEC. Beyond just the recruiting dominance, the traditions of schools like the Mississippi State (everything needs more cowbell), Alabama (the Walk of Champions is the second-best walk in the state), and Auburn football programs (Tiger Walks, Rolling Toomer’s Corner, War Damn Eagle) adds unmatched character to Saturdays.
It’s understandable that Big Ten schools want to make more money with matchups against the most passionate college towns and cities in the United States.
Especially with Austin, Texas, and Norman, Oklahoma, now getting their piece of the pie likely starting in 2025.
There’s a power shift in college football, and Florida State, Clemson, Michigan, and Ohio State now want their piece of the SEC pie.
If this happens–and it’s not concrete like OU and UT are, but there’s certainly smoke–we could see even more realignment in the future.
Fly War Eagle believes these 3 realignments make the most sense if the SEC expands to 20 teams:
#3 best scenario for 20-team SEC realignment: West division (Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Missouri football), North division (Michigan, Ohio State, Kentucky, Vanderbilt football) Central division (Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State football), East division (Clemson, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia football), South division (Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Auburn football)
This would be some gauntlet for the Tigers year in and year out, with the South division being arguably the most competitive. While FSU is a built-in rivalry due to the 2013 BCS National Championship and the Iron Bowl is the Iron Bowl, gaining a Gators rivalry and a yearly trip to Gainesville for Auburn football is good for business.
#2 best scenario for 20-team SEC realignment: West division (Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas football), North division (Ohio State, Michigan, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee football), East division (Clemson, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Florida State football), Central division (LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn football)
This realignment would see Auburn football maintaining their rivalries with Mississippi’s two P5 programs and the Tiger bowl with LSU. It would also keep Alabama within the division, maintaining their evil empire gatekeeper status for AU making the College Football Playoff moving forward.
With five teams per pod instead of four, the schedule doesn’t see as much of a reduction in divisional games, keeping more rivalries in tact and relevant from a divisional standpoint.
The state of Tennessee keeps their two teams together here, and Florida and Georgia stay in the same division too, maintaining one of the sport’s best rivalries.
Clemson becomes a Florida rival here as well while staying relevant to Florida State as well. With five pods, one third of the 12 spots the CFP will have in the future will go to the SEC. That way, if the Power 5 becomes the Power 3, there will be a cleaner distribution of playoff spots.
#1 best scenario for 20-team SEC realignment: West division (Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Alabama, Auburn football), East division (Georgia, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, Michigan, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Kentucky football)
This realignment honors the current format the most and makes winning the division a major deal. A two-division setup maintains the spirit of college football the most, as it basically splits the mega-conference into two distinct super-conferences as well.
Make no mistake about it: while Texas and Oklahoma were a major power grab for the SEC, a coup that includes Florida State, Clemson, Ohio State, and Michigan is the endgame. It’s the end of college football as we know it.
It’s a bold new step into the future that makes Division I FBS a monopoly on the surface, but in reality, there would still be a ton of talent left for the remaining teams. Teams from the Sunbelt (Coastal Carolina, UL Ragin’ Cajuns), AAC (Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis, Houston), Mountain West (Boise State, San Jose State), Conference USA (Marshall, UAB), MAC (Buffalo, Northern Illinois), and even independents (Notre Dame, Liberty, BYU) can conform to a conference and reload the ranks of the P5/4/3/etc.
That said, this is the best way to divvy up this wealth of talent potentially making its way to the SEC and maintain some semblance of college football’s current form.