Still hoping for geography to prevail...

As it turns out, I think we are headed to the 16-team super-conferences that many predicted. The Pac-16 looks to be a done deal, and I would venture to guess the ACC is only a few days behind, likely with UConn and Rutgers (how did I accidentally leave them out of the equation?!). Factor in the SEC, who is likely to pick up at least one more school (likely 3), and the Big 12 and Big East are, for all practical purposes,...done.

My concern now is with the remaining Big 12 schools, specifically the remaining teams from the North Division (K-State, KU, MIZZOU, ISU). I really hope they do not end up merging with the leftovers from the Big East if for no other reason than geography.

Outside of this little cluster, we would play the following schools in football: Baylor, TCU, Louisville, Cincinnati, West Virginia and South Florida. For now, I will leave WVU out as I think it's likely they will be joining the SEC before long. Baylor and TCU make sense as they are 'throw backs' to the good ol' days when the Big 12 spanned the barren expanses of the Great Plains. One could argue Louisville and Cincinnati aren't that far away either, but not with Baylor and TCU. South Florida is a long shot regardless geographically speaking.

If these remaining schools should merge and form a new conference, regional rivalries and regional identity for this conference would be all but dead.

My hope? As the Big 12 dissolves with OU, OSU, TX, and TX Tech going to the Pac-16, my hope is that the SEC in addition to picking up TX A&M targets not only WVU, but also Louisville and Cincinnati and that the Big 10 would finally get on board and pick up the remaining North Division schools!

As for TCU and Baylor? I would like to see them form a smaller conference, one based on both academics and geography. In other words, why not Rice, Tulane, Tulsa, Houston (well, academically a bit to go), SMU, TCU, and Baylor? Throw in one or two more schools and you have yourself a conference!

It may not be perfect, but it's better than ignoring geography all together.