The SEC, PAC and Big 10 will clearly be the nuclei for 3 of the next 4 NCAA Super Conferences. Big East, ACC and Big 12 will make up the fourth.
For definition purposes, let’s assume the 4 Super Conferences will each have 16 teams and two divisions. There will be a tiebreaker at the end of the year between the two division title holders. Then the 4 Super Conference winners will have National Semifinal games, and then there will be a National Final and (possibly) a Runner-up game (4 games). The net result will be that the 64 best teams in the nation are involved in a playoff system that, most importantly, of course, will generate more money for colleges than the current BCS system.
Furthermore, it will be difficult to argue that the winner in this approach is not the national champion.
Let’s make the easiest thing first and that’s the West Superconference, where the PAC -12 is the core:
There are three ways to divide the division.
North South
East West
Traditional rivals in opposing divisions
Option 1: North / South
West Division A
California
Oregon
State of oregon
Stanford
Washington
Washington State
Colorado
Utah
West Division B
UCLA
USC
Texas
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
State of oklahoma
Arizona
State of arizona
Option 2: East / West
West Division A
California
Oregon
State of oregon
Stanford
Washington
Washington State
UCLA
USC
West Division B
Texas (of the big 12)
Oklahoma (of the big 12)
Texas Tech (from Big 12)
Oklahoma State (of the Big 12)
Arizona
State of arizona
Colorado
Utah
Option 3: traditional rivals in opposing divisions
West Division A
USC
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
Arizona
Washington
Oregon
Stanford
Colorado
West Division B
UCLA
Texas
State of oklahoma
State of arizona
Washington State
State of oregon
California
Utah
While the North / South and East / West variations tend to make programming easier, given the big bucks associated with each game, the added cost of traveling on a commercial airline isn’t that much. Therefore, the Super Conference West is best divided according to the lines that generate the most money, and this is divided in a way that leads to a possible traditional rivalry that ends in the game for the title of the Super Conference.
However, despite the fact that teams like USC and UCLA would not be in the same division as the Western Super Conference, they would still play their traditional rivalry once a year, and that would count towards their overall record for their division. So, in theory, one team could beat the other in the regular season game, and both could make it to the championship game. This would generate excitement, high audience ratings, and profits.
Given the need for 16 teams, it appears Boise State is the big underdog. However, Texas Tech or Oklahoma State may go elsewhere, in which case Boise State could sneak in.