Hypothetical: Where would UM go if/when it leaves the B1G?
Since it's a slow news day, and we're all just waiting around, I thought it might be fun to speculate on consequences if the naive dimwit commish doesn't wise up.
I seriously doubt UM would leave the bigten before the end of the current TV contracts, but what do you guys think might happen then? Or would some circumstances lead to changes before that?
Personally, I'd like to see a super conference of the best academic schools.
UM, Stanford, Cal, USC, UCLA, UNC, Florida, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, maybe a Purdue and Northwestern so that everyone else can get some free wins. Maybe let OSU and Penn State come along if they beg first. You get the idea.
November 9th, 2023 at 3:57 PM ^
PAC-3
November 9th, 2023 at 4:04 PM ^
ACC I suppose if we were to leave. Would have some solid teams in football, some quality hoops teams. Would we send hockey over to Hockey East?
November 9th, 2023 at 4:19 PM ^
The next wave of realignment in 2030 or whenever these new tv deals come up for renewal is going to be entirely driven by TV money. Teams that get viewers will be desired and teams that do not will be discarded. I don’t see a move for Michigan to an existing conference, but rather a complete reshuffling of the deck. Sam Webb has talked about this a bit this week on WTKA, and I think he’s right. It’ll be the biggest players in the new big ten (M, OSU, PSU, USC) for sure, Notre Dame, then filled out with the next most valuable teams to allow for a full schedule. Most likely that will include Washington, Oregon, UCLA, Wisconsin, and Nebraska bringing it to 10. If more are needed, I’d imagine looking to the highest viewership teams in the ACC and Big 12 would be next up, as the drop off in TV viewers is dramatic after Wisconsin and Nebraska. The Big Ten leftovers will go the way of Oregon State and Washington State. Maybe they can all band together and form a viable conference, but it’ll be a clear gigantic step down from the new top tier.
November 9th, 2023 at 4:20 PM ^
First off it ain't gonna happen.
But if Michigan decides to leave the Big Ten in protest, I'd start with another program that also has a serious grievance: the 2020 Big Ten East champ Indiana, denied a shot at their first Big Ten title since God only knows when and a longshot chance at a playoff bid.
Then go form a new conference by plucking best available that might be willing to move. Think Clemson, FSU, Miami, UNC, UVA, WVU, Kansas, OKSt, Iowa State. Maybe get Stanford / Cal to reconsider.
But again ain't gonna happen, consider this wild scenario. Indiana and Michigan to the SEC. Indiana borders Kentucky, Michigan borders Indiana. So geographically it is no longer Southeastern, but at least it's contiguous. SEC is the only conference that cares about geography. Terrible fit culturally but not really sure that matters given that the Big Ten culture is dead now.
November 9th, 2023 at 4:21 PM ^
Get in a conference with Stanford and maybe we can keep them from winning the Directors Cup every goddamn year?
November 9th, 2023 at 4:25 PM ^
Join the ACC and take PSU and Maryland with you. ACC is a much better fit for both those other schools. It would also restart the Pitt-PSU rivalry. ND could be our end the season rival game.
November 9th, 2023 at 8:30 PM ^
Also can’t forget to bring our natural rival Rutgers. /s
November 9th, 2023 at 4:31 PM ^
I agree with others that whatever is next will not be an equilibrium state. Therefore, in the highly unlikely event that Michigan would leave the B1G in the near term, I would like the Notre Dame model.
Michigan as a member of the ACC for all other sports and an independent in football with ACC tie-ins would be fun. If Michigan and Notre Dame coordinated their games with each other and a network, they could also dominate viewership on Saturdays in the the midwest. That would piss off the B1G.
In the super unlikely event this happens for next season, they could keep the first three games (Fresno ST, Texas, AR ST) add in 5 ACC games, Stanford, Cal, OR ST and WA ST. If the ACC match-ups are FSU and Clemson, then maybe swap out WA ST and/or OR ST for a couple of MAC or other G5 teams.
I've been one of the people whining about the death of tradition in college footbal, but I am now moving on from anger to acceptance. College football is dead, long live college football.
November 9th, 2023 at 4:33 PM ^
while this post is an overreaction, this year does celebrate 50 years of big ten bias owing to the 10-10 tie.
November 9th, 2023 at 4:40 PM ^
Pick a conference with decent teams for credibility but you can dominate the way OSU has this last decade.
November 9th, 2023 at 4:41 PM ^
Yes interesting issue to ponder and some of these points already made above
one month ago I would not have thought this possible. Or desirable
edit - for football only
but clearly too many participants in NCAA football and likely too many in the B1G that don’t value what Michigan brings to the table and as a mob can be talked into - I’ll get those M guys for …. Whatever. but really for… being good at football.
traditional rivalries and mutual support have been eroding so much of college football and in the B1G. and with 4 more teams it gets worse. Clearly some / most others today DONT value What M brings. And with past presidents weak approach at M others think they can continue to be pushed around. Not any longer. And The days of a love / hate balance between Woody / Bo are long gone.
in the next few years and until the next, mega money contract - work within the system and the B1G to make it better. I have my doubts this will get very far as likely do many of you but worth the effort. We are in this at the moment anyway so make the best of it. The elephant on the table is Harbaugh. If we are lucky enough to keep him he will dominate and it may be impossible for others to accept an annual ass whipping from him just about every year. Why they can accept that from OSU I’ll never understand. Use that time to differentiate those you want in a longer play and those you don’t.
immediately also start thinking / talking as to the long game. Start talking about the super conference with the big dogs. Seperate it from the NCAA and the rest of the 125 that sponge off 25 or 30 teams that will make up the super conference. Let those left out of the big dogs conference make up their own league. Let them keep the NCAA. Start your own new traditions. Likely others are already thinking this way but there is surprising little press to that end.
be certain your rules of governance work for you so it’s clear what’s acceptable and what is out of bounds. Must have a workable governance body. Take best practices from the major leagues to understand what works in a highly competitive environment.
hypothetically speaking
November 9th, 2023 at 5:04 PM ^
I said in another thread, Ivy League. Convince those blue bloods to get into the NIL game, go nuclear and get the top recruits. Harvard's alumni base alone could probably out raise the whole of the SEC
November 9th, 2023 at 6:01 PM ^
This is dumb.
The SEC and B10 are the 2 power conferences left. ACC has nothing - fading Clemson and FSU and pathetic Miami and crickets. Low viewership.
Big12 ex Texas and Oklahoma? yeah that Oklahoma State v Michigan docket is going to be so amazing. "I'm not a man, I'm 40!!"
Going independent is stupid, there are only so many TV contracts and hours in the day.
Also "I'm taking my football and going home" is not something I hope most of you teach your kids but seems to have taken over the blog.
November 9th, 2023 at 6:07 PM ^
Assuming there is not a ridiculous realignment of major conferences, I would say the ACC.
But even so, that’s going to likely be worse off than the Big Ten.
It really is moving to a Power-2 situation, and Michigan should not be left outside of that.
November 9th, 2023 at 6:12 PM ^
I think this is supposed to be a "fun" post, but it kinda bums me out. I am very much in the "Big Ten was better when it was just 10 or 11" teams bandwagon. If we moved to a conference where we no longer played our natural rivals, it would be a huge bummer. So all options outside of the Big Ten suck.
With that said, it would surprise me if the Big Ten does anything more than fining UM. And then it's just a question of whether the NCAA cares to do anything. In the end, it might help us with all the PR we're getting, plus our rivals look like a bunch of whiny snitches.
November 9th, 2023 at 6:14 PM ^
I think we'd probably copy the Notre Dame model. Membership to the ACC in all other sports besides football, independent in football.
November 9th, 2023 at 6:42 PM ^
The band duels would be fun in the SEC, just as a side note
November 9th, 2023 at 6:44 PM ^
How about we steamroll OSU so bad that they are too embarrassed to comeback to this conference? I like that option
November 9th, 2023 at 7:26 PM ^
Sorry but you don't leave because of one Big Ten director we dont like. That's very short sighted and Petiti will eventually be sent out ON A RAIL
November 9th, 2023 at 8:06 PM ^
I would throw UVA, Vandy. Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Illinois in that list.
November 9th, 2023 at 10:31 PM ^
ACC is the answer. We will bring more value to that conference which will mitigate the revenue differential. Also the fallout after the way the Big 10 treated us will ultimately diminish the value of that conference
November 10th, 2023 at 2:02 AM ^
They're not going to leave. But if they do, I'd love to see Michigan go independent a la Notre Dame and also convince Penn State to go the same route, set up home and home with them and go broadly with the rest of the schedule, maybe ACC as the non-revenue sports could go to the ACC like others have said.