Is there really such a thing as Power 4?

[paednoch23]

Let’s cut the nonsense: there is no “Power Four” in college football. That’s just PR spin for conferences clinging to relevance. The Big Ten and SEC have all the money, all the brands, all the eyeballs, and all the trophies. The ACC is financially handcuffed till 2036, and the Big 12 is a rebranded mid-major with Power Five nostalgia.

Revenue? Lopsided.
Playoffs? Dominated.
Realignment? Everyone flees to the Big Ten or SEC.

We're not heading toward a Power Two era. We're already in it. The rest are just content providers in the Kings’ court.

 

[PedMaller]

Let’s cut the nonsense: there is no “Power Four” in college football. That’s just PR spin for conferences clinging to relevance. The Big Ten and SEC have all the money, all the brands, all the eyeballs, and all the trophies. The ACC is financially handcuffed till 2036, and the Big 12 is a rebranded mid-major with Power Five nostalgia.

Revenue? Lopsided.
Playoffs? Dominated.
Realignment? Everyone flees to the Big Ten or SEC.

We're not heading toward a Power Two era. We're already in it. The rest are just content providers in the Kings’ court.

100% correct. The Big 12/ACC will scrape by for a while by bending over for the BT/SEC.......just like they did for TX/OK. Eventually, the Power 2 will take in the few remaining worthwhile brands (Clemson, FL St, Miami, NC, Kansas, Stanford?) & the rejects will be kicked to the curb.

 

[2D]

If and when we do get to the Power 2, would we get divisions again? Or would it just be a free for all? Just not sure how a 25+ team conference would work.

 

[LaQuintaHawk]

Personally, I don’t believe conferences will go above 20.

BT has its eyes on ND (still) and probably Stanford if ND does join. Otherwise they want a UNC-Virginia package as option 2, or a Florida State-Miami package as option 3.

SEC is all-in on Clemson and UNC. Not sure who their fallback options.

Big 12 will probably snag some leftovers if ACC implodes.

 

[squeezebox_1]

As long as NIL collectives can pay players, it will go up and down. I fully expect teams that have financials to continue to make that step.

 

[uihawk82]

If and when we do get to the Power 2, would we get divisions again? Or would it just be a free for all? Just not sure how a 25+ team conference would work.

No need for more than 20 teams. If Clemson and Fl St leave the ACC then that league is not going to get huge media dollars and they either stay a smaller conference or pull in two mid-majors like the many they already have.

Same with the Big 12 which has already lost their 5-6 best branded and powerful teams. The Big 12 was mid-major last year. They are full of many mid-majors and the bottom half of the B12 from just a few years ago. They lost TX, OU, TXAM, Missou, and Nebby from previously. That would be like the Big 10 losing Mich, OSU, PSU, USC, and Iowa or another team today.

 

[uihawk82]

If and when we do get to the Power 2, would we get divisions again? Or would it just be a free for all? Just not sure how a 25+ team conference would work.

I have said for a couple of years since the talk of bringing in Pac-12 teams that a 20 team league is the perfect chance to have four 5 team divisions. The four division winners play two semifinal games and those two winners play in the Big 10 Champ Game. This type of set up allows teams and fans to be in the race longer.

 

[Ironman39]

Let’s cut the nonsense: there is no “Power Four” in college football. That’s just PR spin for conferences clinging to relevance. The Big Ten and SEC have all the money, all the brands, all the eyeballs, and all the trophies. The ACC is financially handcuffed till 2036, and the Big 12 is a rebranded mid-major with Power Five nostalgia.

Revenue? Lopsided.
Playoffs? Dominated.
Realignment? Everyone flees to the Big Ten or SEC.

We're not heading toward a Power Two era. We're already in it. The rest are just content providers in the Kings’ court.

Nah.

 

[rchawk]

100% correct. The Big 12/ACC will scrape by for a while by bending over for the BT/SEC.......just like they did for TX/OK. Eventually, the Power 2 will take in the few remaining worthwhile brands (Clemson, FL St, Miami, NC, Kansas, Stanford?) & the rejects will be kicked to the curb.

Rejects is a strong if perhaps accurate word. The leftovers will form a G6 league, and if they are picky some of the Big 12/ACC schools will be left out of that.

 

[Palmerhawk]

I have said for a couple of years since the talk of bringing in Pac-12 teams that a 20 team league is the perfect chance to have four 5 team divisions. The four division winners play two semifinal games and those two winners play in the Big 10 Champ Game. This type of set up allows teams and fans to be in the race longer.

The BIG wants the 4 auto bids and that would be the 4 division winners in this set up.
Get Stanford to join the other West Coast teams and the rest are geographic naturals.

 

[Ironman39]

Consolidation!!!!

 

[KarlRamrahd]

Let’s cut the nonsense: there is no “Power Four” in college football. That’s just PR spin for conferences clinging to relevance. The Big Ten and SEC have all the money, all the brands, all the eyeballs, and all the trophies. The ACC is financially handcuffed till 2036, and the Big 12 is a rebranded mid-major with Power Five nostalgia.

Revenue? Lopsided.
Playoffs? Dominated.
Realignment? Everyone flees to the Big Ten or SEC.

We're not heading toward a Power Two era. We're already in it. The rest are just content providers in the Kings’ court.

None of those teams should even be competitive with iowa then.

 

[Franisdaman]

Let’s cut the nonsense: there is no “Power Four” in college football. That’s just PR spin for conferences clinging to relevance. The Big Ten and SEC have all the money, all the brands, all the eyeballs, and all the trophies. The ACC is financially handcuffed till 2036, and the Big 12 is a rebranded mid-major with Power Five nostalgia. Revenue? Lopsided. Playoffs? Dominated. Realignment? Everyone flees to the Big Ten or SEC.
We're not heading toward a Power Two era. We're already in it. The rest are just content providers in the Kings’ court.

It's been called "the Power 2" and "the Other 2" for a while now

 

[Franisdaman]

Here's an example from over 16 months ago (March 8, 2024) when the the B1G and SEC were referred to as "the Power 2" and the ACC and Big 12 were referred to as "the Other 2."

 

[WeBeHerkin]

Personally, I don’t believe conferences will go above 20.

BT has its eyes on ND (still) and probably Stanford if ND does join. Otherwise they want a UNC-Virginia package as option 2, or a Florida State-Miami package as option 3.

SEC is all-in on Clemson and UNC. Not sure who their fallback options.

Big 12 will probably snag some leftovers if ACC implodes.

Big 12 can snag UTEP

 

[Franisdaman]

Big 12 can snag UTEP

They just turned down Memphis. Yikes!

 

[LaQuintaHawk]

Here's an example from over 16 months ago (March 8, 2024) when the the B1G and SEC were referred to as "the Power 2" and the ACC and Big 12 were referred to as "the Other 2."

isn't the discussion right now a 4-4-1-1+2 model, or if they go to a 16 team playoff 4, 4, 2, 2, +4

the Power 2 would probably get 5 each most years just based on historical polls

there might be some years where the BT might get 6 or the SEC might get 6, but then also every once in a while the Big 12 or ACC might snag 3.

 

[LaQuintaHawk]

They just turned down Memphis. Yikes!

Memphis proposing lucrative offer to join Big 12, but it lacks support from conference leadership: Sources

The proposal from Memphis is one of the most aggressive membership propositions in college athletics history.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Franisdaman]

isn't the discussion right now a 4-4-1-1+2 model, or if they go to a 16 team playoff 4, 4, 2, 2, +4

the Power 2 would probably get 5 each most years just based on historical polls

there might be some years where the BT might get 6 or the SEC might get 6, but then also every once in a while the Big 12 or ACC might snag 3.

IIRC, the B1G now is the only conference wanting the 4 automatic bids for the B1G and SEC (taking at least 8 of the 16 spots); most others want the 5+11 model

You'd think that the B1G & SEC would want 4 as the minimum, so they could lobby for a 5th team, etc

 

[MeetTheFerentzes]

I have said for a couple of years since the talk of bringing in Pac-12 teams that a 20 team league is the perfect chance to have four 5 team divisions. The four division winners play two semifinal games and those two winners play in the Big 10 Champ Game. This type of set up allows teams and fans to be in the race longer.

Yeah, a lot of Iowa fans are in favor of this setup....especially since there is pretty much zero chance that Iowa would end up in the same division as Ohio St, Michigan, Penn St, Oregon or USC.

 

[hahkize]

Yeah, a lot of Iowa fans are in favor of this setup....especially since there is pretty much zero chance that Iowa would end up in the same division as Ohio St, Michigan, Penn St, Oregon or USC.

I don't think you'll see anything like the B12N or South, Big10 East/West, etc. Divisions will be balanced w/ the bluest bloods evenly divided....to increase the chances of the most marquee teams in the playoffs as possible. TV execs don't want to see any Michigan / OSU blowouts over Iowa or Ariz St over ISC. If Iowa gets there they will be quite capable of making of game of it.

 

[hahkize]

IIRC, the B1G now is the only conference wanting the 4 automatic bids for the B1G and SEC (taking at least 8 of the 16 spots); most others want the 5+11 model

You'd think that the B1G & SEC would want 4 as the minimum, so they could lobby for a 5th team, etc

SEC wants to 5+11 b/c they think they can lobby/politic and get 6+ in b/c of S.O.S.

 

[hahkize]

Personally, I don’t believe conferences will go above 20.
.....

I'd say 24 but no more than 28. It'll be whatever ESPN, Fox, CBS, etc decide that they need for content to fill their broadcast slots. Once additions start to diminsh ad sales and $ returns, they'll stop. The schools should want that as well b/c the more attractive content, the more eyeballs, the greater ad sales and the greater the financial media package per school in return.

 

[rchawk]

SEC wants to 5+11 b/c they think they can lobby/politic and get 6+ in b/c of S.O.S.

SOS and they don't want to play a ninth conference game, because it is such a grind now with eight. That's their story and they are sticking to it.

 

[WeBeHerkin]

SOS and they don't want to play a ninth conference game, because it is such a grind now with eight. That's their story and they are sticking to it.

Georgia, LSU, Texas. About it for their elite teams this year.

 

[Franisdaman]

An "other 2" school looking to join "the power 2."

 

[HawkeyeFansGoFullTard]

Most bigten and SEC teams, including iowa and say mississippi state, are simply fortunate to have landed in one of the two most financially lucrative conferences.

 

[rchawk]

An "other 2" school looking to join "the power 2."

There are several teams in the ACC and Big 12 hoping to move to the big leagues. The remainder between the two conferences could form their own group, but they would have to jettison some dead weight. Probably quite a few dead weights.

 

[OnlyTheObscure]

Truly there are about 10-15 power teams and those on their conferences are just damn lucky.

like being born the child of a guy with 5,000 acres of farmland. You can’t F that up no matter what you do.

 

[paednoch23]

Truly there are about 10-15 power teams and those on their conferences are just damn lucky.

like being born the child of a guy with 5,000 acres of farmland. You can’t F that up no matter what you do.

Yup and it is wonderful.

 

[rchawk]

Yup and it is wonderful.

Thank you to the UI faculty/administration back in 1899 for joining the Big Ten. And thanks for letting girls in back in 1855. Not many universities did then.

 

[HawkeyeFansGoFullTard]

Thank you to the UI faculty/administration back in 1895 for joining the Big Ten. And thanks for letting girls in back in 1855. Not many universities did then.

Not continuous members. UI is no worse nor no better than any other current bigten school.

 

[PedMaller]

Most bigten and SEC teams, including iowa and say mississippi state, are simply fortunate to have landed in one of the two most financially lucrative conferences.

Now we just need to get rid of our dead weight like Northwestern & those in-bred Cornholers!

 

[HawkeyeFansGoFullTard]

Now we just need to get rid of our dead weight like Northwestern & those in-bred Cornholers!

Nebraska and iowa are both fortunate to be in the bigten.

 

[PedMaller]

Nebraska and iowa are both fortunate to be in the bigten.

Speaking of in-bred….do you call him Dad or Cousin?

 

[rchawk]

Now we just need to get rid of our dead weight like Northwestern & those in-bred Cornholers!

The Cornholers were in the AAU when the Big Ten allowed their hillbilly asses. Now they are not.

AAU rejects and four-year community colleges have no place in a conference with a highly respected academic consortium. The Big 12 was Romper Room in comparison.

 

[rchawk]

Speaking of in-bred….do you call him Dad or Cousin?

His Mom drank a lot when she was pregnant- which explains a lot.

 

[HawkeyeFansGoFullTard]

Truly there are about 10-15 power teams and those on their conferences are just damn lucky.

like being born the child of a guy with 5,000 acres of farmland. You can’t F that up no matter what you do.

Great post. It’s unfortunate that the vast majority of simple jack iowa fans can’t accept their teams place. If there were a 30 team super conference created, NEBRASKA would be top 20 and iowa would just slide in at 29 or 30.

 

[paednoch23]

Great post. It’s unfortunate that the vast majority of simple jack iowa fans can’t accept their teams place. If there were a 30 team super conference created, NEBRASKA would be top 20 and iowa would just slide in at 29 or 30.

Top 20 in what? Since Iowa is current ranked #20 in value in the entire NCAA CFB value can you explain this a bit more.The Athletic ranks Top 25 most valuable college football programs - On3 https://share.google/EDwhBqFHLneXgK5mB

 

[HawkeyeFansGoFullTard]

Top 20 in what? Since Iowa is current ranked #20 in value in the entire NCAA CFB value can you explain this a bit more.The Athletic ranks Top 25 most valuable college football programs - On3 https://share.google/EDwhBqFHLneXgK5mB

Take your emotion out of the equation. ChatGTP listed the top 30 college football teams since 1950 (yes, I included iowa’s best decade) and here is where iowa landed:

Honorable Mentions​

• Iowa
• Kansas State
• TCU
• North Carolina
• Missouri