SeatownJay
Active member
Modern major college football is about one thing, money. Every major decision regarding the sport comes down to what will make the most money. Tradition, history, and everything else have been reduced to minor afterthoughts. With that in mind, I have prepared the following proposal to formally turn major college football into what it pretends not to be, a for-profit minor league system for the NFL.
Article 1: Realignment
The new College Football League will consist of 120 teams separated into 3 divisions each consisting of 12 10-team conferences based on geographic proximity. As there are currently 130 FBS teams, this will require the demotion of the 10 programs that have been in the FBS the shortest amount of time. Those programs are Appalachian State, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Liberty, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Texas State, and UTSA.
Article 2: Scheduling
Every team will play a 12 game schedule consisting of 9 conference games and 3 non-conference games. The non-conference games will rotate between teams from other conferences, one from each division. Non-conference opponents will be determined based on the prior season's conference position. Example, the champion of conference A will play the champions of conference B, conference E, and conference I. The following year they will play teams from conference C, conference F, and conference J. Conference champions will be determined by conference record with the tie-breakers being, in order: head-to-head record, overall record, point differential, points scored, turnover margin, coin flip.
Article 3: Post Season Play
There will be a 16-team playoff to determine the league champion, consisting of the 12 conference winners and 4 wild cards. Teams that finish with seven or more wins that do not make the playoffs will be eligible to schedule and play in exhibition bowl games after the regular season.
Article 4: The Divisions and Conferences
Below are the new divisions and conferences after realignment.
Eastern Division
American Athletic Conference: Army, Boston College, Buffalo, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple
Atlantic Coast Conference: Central Florida, Clemson, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami (FL), North Carolina, South Carolina, South Florida
Conference USA: East Carolina, Maryland, Memphis, Middle Tennessee State, Navy, North Carolina State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia
Sun Belt Conference: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Southern Mississippi, Troy, Tulane, UAB
Central Division
Big Ten Conference: Ball State, Cincinnati, Indiana, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, Western Kentucky
Great Plains Conference: Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, Missouri, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin
Mid American Conference: Akron, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Marshall, Miami (OH), Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan
Southeastern Conference: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Western Division
Mountain West Conference: Air Force, Colorado, Colorado State, Nebraska, New Mexico, New Mexico State, TCU, Texas Tech, UTEP, Wyoming
Pac 10 Conference: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State
Southwestern Conference: Baylor, Houston, North Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Tulsa
Western Athletic Conference: Boise State, BYU, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah, Utah State
Article 1: Realignment
The new College Football League will consist of 120 teams separated into 3 divisions each consisting of 12 10-team conferences based on geographic proximity. As there are currently 130 FBS teams, this will require the demotion of the 10 programs that have been in the FBS the shortest amount of time. Those programs are Appalachian State, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Liberty, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Texas State, and UTSA.
Article 2: Scheduling
Every team will play a 12 game schedule consisting of 9 conference games and 3 non-conference games. The non-conference games will rotate between teams from other conferences, one from each division. Non-conference opponents will be determined based on the prior season's conference position. Example, the champion of conference A will play the champions of conference B, conference E, and conference I. The following year they will play teams from conference C, conference F, and conference J. Conference champions will be determined by conference record with the tie-breakers being, in order: head-to-head record, overall record, point differential, points scored, turnover margin, coin flip.
Article 3: Post Season Play
There will be a 16-team playoff to determine the league champion, consisting of the 12 conference winners and 4 wild cards. Teams that finish with seven or more wins that do not make the playoffs will be eligible to schedule and play in exhibition bowl games after the regular season.
Article 4: The Divisions and Conferences
Below are the new divisions and conferences after realignment.
Eastern Division
American Athletic Conference: Army, Boston College, Buffalo, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple
Atlantic Coast Conference: Central Florida, Clemson, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami (FL), North Carolina, South Carolina, South Florida
Conference USA: East Carolina, Maryland, Memphis, Middle Tennessee State, Navy, North Carolina State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia
Sun Belt Conference: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Southern Mississippi, Troy, Tulane, UAB
Central Division
Big Ten Conference: Ball State, Cincinnati, Indiana, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, Western Kentucky
Great Plains Conference: Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, Missouri, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin
Mid American Conference: Akron, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Marshall, Miami (OH), Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan
Southeastern Conference: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Western Division
Mountain West Conference: Air Force, Colorado, Colorado State, Nebraska, New Mexico, New Mexico State, TCU, Texas Tech, UTEP, Wyoming
Pac 10 Conference: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State
Southwestern Conference: Baylor, Houston, North Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Tulsa
Western Athletic Conference: Boise State, BYU, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah, Utah State