Conference realignment and Clemson's clout

Sep 6, 2023, 2:55 PM

Not sure what the normal fan thinks about the new conferences in college football, but it's hard not to feel like it's a Power 2 (SEC and BIG 10), followed by ACC and BIG 12 as something more than group of 5, and then the Group of 5. It's hard not to believe that the ACC and BIG 12 would drift more towards the group of 5 rather than have a resurgence into an additional Power conference. Clearly unless something unexpected occurs the money is going to favor the Power 2 becoming more powerful.

I also wonder if it is all going to implode or become problematic for it to work out the way the football pundits want it to. At some point unless the season expands to allow all conference teams to play each other, the risk(low but possible) of having a team win their division (which how can you not have divisions when you have 16 or more teams) but actually have a better record than a team that beat you handily. Example for the SEC (UGA beats Tennessee, they both win their other division games but UGA plays Alabama and Texas and loses, but Tennessee plays Mizzou and Auburn and wins, Tennessee is that division winner). Maybe that's not a big deal to the overall picture but it could happen.

In regard to Clemson's image/clout in the football world, I sometimes wonder what the criteria is for the media (who seem to control the money or at least help direct it) to determine who they really want to be a part of the football elite. I feel of course that Clemson is elite, certainly over the last ten years and has a strong history to point to, but I also feel like there is a desire for talking heads/influencers to want Clemson to be in the second tier of football powers. It feels like if you watch the internet football shows or ESPN, that if FSU becomes the strength of the ACC then all is right with the world, and that if Clemson is good but not Championship caliber then that's what Clemson fans should really accept as fitting in the mold of what college football should be. But why does that seem to be their desire? What has FSU done that would set them above Clemson in their minds? Am I reading into this incorrectly or would ESPN really not care if Mississippi State became the cream of the crop in SEC land and Alabama was mediocre, or would they pine for it to be different? Are there certain teams that the powers that be will bemoan any decline in and others that they will joyfully watch drift into being perennial average teams. Don't read to much into that example - I don't think comparing Mississippi State to Clemson is legitimate, but maybe to the pundits it is.

I don't want to go the way of Nebraska who I believe was once one of the powerhouse programs in college football that I really don't think many of the talking heads care ever becomes relevant
again. Let me know what you think because sometimes it just feels like we have to climb a steeper mountain to the top.

flag link

military_tech

thumb_down

thumb_up

Conference realignment and Clemson's clout

TigerBoard POTD