3 reasons why Boise State to Pac-12 is a game changer in conference realignment era
Thursday's announcement that Boise State will be part of the Pac-12 was a massive move for everyone involved. Suddenly, the Pac-12 is alive again, the Broncos are moving on up and college sports might just have to re-examine the crazyquilt of conference alignments.
Here's why Boise State's move matters.
3 reasons why Boise State to Pac-12 is a game changer
#1. It demonstrates upward mobility
One of the biggest digs against the power conferences is that the entrenched stay entrenched. Few would seriously posit that, say, Vanderbilt or Indiana are some of the best college football programs in the nation. They got into the SEC or Big Ten early and stuck around.
Meanwhile, the P5 division has teams that have built mini-dynstasties, but they just toil away unnoticed. For instance, take Boise State. Since the late 1990s, when the Broncos moved to Division I-A (what is now FBS), they have been strong. The school has won 13 bowl games since 1999.
For comparison's sake, these power conference programs have never won 13 bowl games: South Carolina, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Rutgers, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, SMU, Louisville, Cal, Wake Forest, Virginia, Duke, Kansas State, Iowa State, Arizona, Kansas, UCF, Cincinnati, Colorado.
With Boise State's move up, the point is made that the glass ceiling is gone. Win games, pull off upsets and you can earn your way to the major stage of college football. It's what Boise has done.
#2. It helps the Pac-12 in football.
One of the reasons for the Pac-12's initial fade was that it wasn't an exceptionally relevant football conference. USC had traditional power and Oregon was an up-and-comer, but much of the league was overrated and dull. The Broncos will change that template.
Yes, the new Pac-12 won't have quite as many big-time schools as its predecessor, at least not initially. But the emphasis will be on proving the conference belongs on the field and the Broncos add some gravitas for a league that needs to be strong between the lines.
#3. Maybe it helps jump the re-examination of the leagues
The current geographical conference configurations are insane. Driven by the apparent demise of the Pac-12, moves included Washington to the Big Ten, Stanford to the ACC and Arizona to the Big 12. Maybe it's time to re-examine this.
Maybe instead of sprawling 18-team leagues that stretch from coast to coast, a policy of geographic alignment can begin. A Pacific league, a mountain west toward central American league, a Southern league and a northern-north eastern league? Yes, it sounds a lot like the Pac 12, Big 12, SEC and Big Ten before everything went crazy.
Football drove these moves, but it's crazy for the women's golf team from Stanford to compete in, say, Boston College. Non-revenue sports will be stretched to insane limits to try to not spend money on cross-country jaunts that would make pro sports teams blush.
Or we could go back to rethinking geography, and the Broncos' move might be one step toward that path.
What do you think about Boise State joining the Pac-12? Share your thoughts and ideas below in the comments section!