Houston, Texas – As college football goes through a significant transformation in 2024 with realignment and conference changes, fans across the country are left wondering how these shifts will impact the game on the field. With bigger conferences and an expanded College Football Playoff on the horizon, the focus for many fan bases is shifting towards one important question: Will these changes help our team win more games?
One notable example of the impact of realignment is the case of the Oklahoma Sooners, who are set to make a significant financial gain by moving to the SEC. However, this move also presents a tougher path to a national championship compared to when they were in the Big 12. On the other hand, Kansas State’s chances of reaching the CFP have improved with the changes in the Big 12, including the departure of Oklahoma and Texas.
The impact of these changes varies for each school, raising questions about the potential for success in the shifting landscape of college football. To assess the potential outcomes, a scoring system ranging from minus-5 to positive-5 has been applied to all 67 power-conference schools based solely on their ability to win games. This score does not consider factors like coaching staff or current roster, focusing solely on the team’s potential success in the new conference setup.
For example, schools like SMU, Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, Virginia Tech, and NC State have seen positive impacts based on their potential to succeed in the new conference alignments. Other schools like Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Wake Forest, Boston College, Duke, Stanford, Cal, and many more have faced challenges and uncertainties as they navigate the evolving landscape of college football.
In the Big Ten and SEC, perennial powerhouses like Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, and others are poised to benefit from the changes with increased opportunities for CFP berths. Meanwhile, programs like Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, USC, UCLA, and others face challenges in the new conference setups, requiring adjustments to their strategies and recruitment efforts.
In the Big 12, schools like BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF, Baylor, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State stand to gain from the realignment, presenting opportunities for increased success in the 12-team Playoff format. On the other hand, schools like Texas, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Missouri, and others may encounter challenges as they navigate the shifting landscape of the conference.
As college football continues to evolve with realignment and new conference structures, the competitive landscape of the sport is undergoing significant changes. While some schools may benefit from increased opportunities for success in the new setups, others face challenges and uncertainties as they adapt to the evolving nature of college football.