Texas-Texas A&M.; dead.

Mizzou-Kansas. dead.

Pitt-West Va. dead.

Florida-Miami. dead.

Pitt-Penn St. dead.

Utah-BYU. dead.

Nebraska-Oklahoma. dead.

As a Clemson fan, I want to play Georgia, Auburn & Tennessee but with a 14-team conference & a 9-game conference schedule (plus Sakerlina), there's no room. We've had to cancel a series w/ Ole Miss & Oklahoma St b/c of this. We almost cancelled our 1st game vs Georgia since 2004 before both schools agreed on a $3 million buyout to play it next year & 2014. This will be the last time the 2 schools every play in the regular season IMO. We've played 57 times & are 74 miles apart.

There's a bunch of other examples. Here's my solution:

With 12, 14 & 16 team conferences, everyone can't play everyone. 10 games against 'BCS' competition is the max teams can do to make sure they have 7 home games. I would have more fun as a fan watching my school play the same 10 teams us fans consider our biggest rivals. So I propose a move to simple 8-team conferences.

A team plays the other 7 teams in its conference. They also play their 3 biggest rivals OOC annually for 10 games. This puts more of an emphasis on regional rivalries. Play the teams us fans care about. Then they can schedule their 2 cupcakes at home to make $.

In basketball, teams play each team in their conference 2x & their OOC rivals 2x for 14 conference games & 20 annual games. Then add in up to 10 cupcakes, early season tournaments & ACC-B1G challenges.

*The Mississippi, Washington & BEast teams have to fill in some rivalry games from the Metro & Mtn West conferences.

**Notre Dame plays a full 12 team schedule instead of 10 w/ Stan, USC, Mich, Mich St & Navy OOC.

Here's the Google Map of the new conferences.

Let's take a look at the SEC 1st - bold = conf member, next row = annual OOC Rival, miles away from each other & times played:

SOUTHEASTERN	Rival 1	Rival 2	Rival 3
Florida	FSU - 151 mi, 56x	Miami - 336 mi, 54x	Sakerlina - 354 mi, 32x
Georgia	Ga Tech - 70 mi, 101x	Sakerlina - 153 mi, 59x	Clemson - 74 mi, 57x
Tennessee	Kentucky - 170 mi, 104x	Vandy - 180 mi, 101x	Clemson - 195 mi, 18x
Auburn	Ga Tech - 110 mi, 86x	Clemson - 232 mi, 47x	FSU - 205 mi, 18x
Alabama	Vandy - 238 mi, 83x	Arkansas - 544 mi, 22x	Sakerlina - 416 mi, 15x
Mississippi	Memphis - 79 mi, 59x	TCU - 547 mi, 6x	Baylor - 564 mi, 1x
Mississippi State	Memphis - 174 mi, 44x	Baylor - 569 mi, 4x	TCU - 555 mi, 1x
Louisiana State	Arkansas - 563 mi, 56x	Texas - 431 mi, 15x	Baylor - 428 mi, 11x

1932's Founding Fathers except for Vandy (private) & Kentucky (not in the south). Keeping it west of the Appalachians like they always intended. Allows Florida to play Miami, Georgia to play Clemson & Auburn to play Ga Tech & Clemson. Tenn still gets to play Kentucky & Vandy, plus Clemson, 74 miles away. The Mississippi's are in the heart of this SEC so not many regional rivals to choose from - they get Memphis & go out to Texas. Sakerlina still gets to play Florida, Georgia & now Bama. Arkansas keeps LSU & Bama.

Everybody else after the Jump.

ATLANTIC COAST	Rival 1	Rival 2	Rival 3
Florida State	Florida - 151 mi, 56x	Miami - 468 mi, 54x	Auburn - 205 mi, 18x
Georgia Tech	Georgia - 70 mi, 101x	Auburn - 110 mi, 86x	Miami - 663 mi, 17x
Clemson	Georgia - 74 mi, 57x	Auburn - 232 mi, 47x	Tenn - 195 mi, 18x
South Carolina (SEC)	Georgia - 153 mi, 59x	Florida - 354 mi, 32x	Bama - 416 mi, 15x
North Carolina	Wake - 77 mi, 99x	Duke - 11 mi, 91x	Maryland - 282 mi, 69x
North Carolina State	Wake - 107 mi, 104x	Duke - 25 mi, 81x	Maryland - 294 mi, 67x
Virginia	Maryland - 128 mi, 76x	Duke - 167 mi, 60x	Penn St - 284 mi, 6x
Virginia Tech	West Va - 250 mi, 51x	Wake - 103 mi, 36x	Pitt - 321 mi, 11x

Sakerlina rejoins the ACC. ACC drops the dead weight (er, 5 private schools) & Pitt so it's focused on the south/mid-Atlantic. Now all 4 North Carolina schools get to play the other 3 annually. Clemson, FSU & Ga Tech can play other teams in the south. Virginia has a 4 hour drive to Happy Valley. Original member Maryland has to change conferences but keeps UNC, NCST & UVA on the annual schedule. Most importantly to Tobacco Road - all the basketball schools get to play each other 2x, including Duke-UNC.

BIG EAST
Connecticut	Cuse - 270 mi, 8x	BC - 84 mi, 4x	USF - 1281 mi, 9x
Rutgers	Cuse - 237 mi, 39x	BC - 223 mi, 26x	Cincy - 628 mi, 17x
Maryland (ACC)	Virginia - 128 mi, 76x	UNC - 282 mi, 69x	NCST - 294 mi, 67x
Penn State (B1G)	Cuse - 229 mi, 70x	BC - 438 mi, 23x	Virginia - 284 mi, 11x
Pittsburgh (ACC)	Va Tech - 321 mi, 11x	L'ville - 388 mi, 15x	Cincy - 289 mi, 11x
West Virginia (XII)	Va Tech - 250 mi, 51x	Cincy - 304 mi, 20x	L'ville - 398 mi, 13x
Ohio State (B1G)	Michigan - 191 mi, 108x	Purdue - 239 mi, 54x	Mich St - 251 mi, 39x
Kentucky (SEC)	Tenn - 170 mi, 104x	Vandy - 174 mi, 101x	Indiana - 169 mi, 35x

Here's the Eastern Conference JoePa always wanted. Penn St comes home & everyone else follows suit. Except for UConn in New England these 8 schools are very close together. Ohio St does leave the B1G but keeps Michigan, Mich St & Purdue on schedule. I don't know how much Columbus, OH cares about going past Illinois to play Midwestern teams. This is a lot closer playing all its' 5 border states PA, WV, KY, MI & IN. Kentucky plays 3 OOC schools 2.5 hours away +L'ville. Old BEast members Cuse, BC, L'ville & Cincy factor heavily into other teams OOC schedules. + NC & VA ACC teams.

B1G
Michigan	Ohio St - 191 mi, 108x	NWern - 242 mi, 70x	ND - 169 mi, 36x
Michigan State	ND - 141 mi, 61x	NWern - 219 mi, 49x	Ohio St - 251 mi, 39x
Indiana	Kentucky - 169 mi, 35x	Mizzou - 439 mi, 10x	Kansas - 506 mi, 2x
Purdue	Ohio St - 239 mi, 54x	Kansas St - 606 mi, 3x	West Va - 443 mi, 2x
Illinois	NWern - 138 mi, 105x	Mizzou - 270 mi, 24x	Kansas - 432 mi, 5x
Wisconsin	Iowa St - 274 mi, 7x	Nebraska - 483 mi, 6x	Kansas St - 601 mi, 2x
Minnesota	Nebraska - 412 mi, 52x	Iowa St - 216 mi, 26x	Kansas - 476 mi, 7x
Iowa	Iowa St - 128 mi, 54x	Nebraska - 305 mi, 31x	Mizzou - 316 mi, 4x

Like the SEC, the B1G sheds some teams away from its footprint & doesn't bring anyone new in. Ohio St & Northwestern each have 3 games w/ their original conferences. This emphasizes a B1G vs Big VIII Midwest rivalry. Except for Michigan (only B1G schools in EST) everyone else goes Midwest w/ their OOC schedules vs Mizzou, Kansas, K-St, Iowa St & Nebraska. They're all in central time zone & haven't played as much as you'd think. Indiana gets a piece of some strong basketball teams: Kentucky, Mizzou & Kansas.

BIG VIII
Oklahoma	Texas - 372 mi, 96x	A&M; - 357 mi, 29x	Tx Tech - 343 mi, 19x
Oklahoma State	Tx Tech - 413 mi, 39x	A&M; - 425 mi, 26x	Texas - 440 mi, 26x
Arkansas (SEC)	A&M; - 472 mi, 67x	LSU - 563 mi, 56x	Bama - 544 mi, 22x
Missouri (SEC)	Illinois - 270 mi, 24x	Indiana - 439 mi, 10x	Iowa - 316 mi, 4x
Kansas	Minn - 476 mi, 7x	Illinois - 432 mi, 5x	Indiana - 506 mi, 2x
Kansas State	Tx Tech - 594 mi, 12x	Purdue - 606 mi, 3x	Wisc - 601 mi, 2x
Nebraska (B1G)	Minn - 412 mi, 52x	Iowa - 305 mi, 31x	Wisc - 483 mi, 6x
Iowa State	Iowa - 128 mi, 54x	Minn - 216 mi, 26x	Wisc - 274 mi, 7x

Big VIII is back & with 1 change - Arkansas instead of Colorado. Mizzou, Kansas, K-St, Nebraska & Iowa St have their OOC filled w/ B1G Illinoi, Indiana, Wisc, Minn & Iowa. The Oklahoma schools player their old Big XII South division rivals - the 3 public Texas schools. Arkansas plays it's biggest rival Texas A&M; & keeps the big 2 SEC teams on its' schedule - Bama/LSU.

PRIVATE
Boston College (ACC)	Rutgers - 223 mi, 26x	Penn St - 438 mi, 23x	UConn - 84 mi, 4x
Syracuse (ACC)	Penn St - 229 mi, 70x	Rutgers - 237 mi, 39x	UConn - 270 mi, 8x
Notre Dame (Ind)	Stanford/USC	Michigan/Mich St	Navy - 663 mi, 85x
Northwestern (B1G)	Illinois - 138 mi, 105x	Michigan - 242 mi, 70x	Mich St - 219 mi, 49x
Vanderbilt (SEC)	Kentucky - 174 mi, 101x	Tenn - 180 mi, 101x	Bama - 238 mi, 83x
Wake Forest (ACC)	NCST - 107 mi, 104x	UNC - 77 mi, 99x	Va Tech - 103 mi, 36x
Duke (ACC)	UNC - 11 mi, 91x	NCST - 25 mi, 81x	Virginia - 167 mi, 60x
Miami (ACC)	Florida - 336 mi, 54x	FSU - 468 mi, 54x	Ga Tech - 663 mi, 17x

The 8 strongest private schools are here in a new conference. 5 from the ACC + the token private schools from SEC & B1G + ND. NWern keeps in state Illinois & the Michigan schools & Vandy keeps it's closest SEC rivals - Tenn, Kentucky & Bama. Cuse & BC have a northeastern focus w/ Rutgers, UConn & Penn St. Wake & Duke get to play UNC & NCST. Miami can play Florida again & the other big city in the south Ga Tech in Atlanta (Braves-Marlins, Hawks-Heat anyone?).

ND keeps a national footprint against elite academic, like-minded schools. Stanford & USC in Cali, regional games vs Mich, Mich-St &Northwestern; in Chicago. Head south to Nashville. Annual game in NC. Northeast vs Cuse (in NYC?) & vs other Catholics, BC in Boston. Catholics vs Convicts in Miami. Keeps annual game vs Navy. Only traditional rival they lose is in-state Purdue.

SOUTHWEST
Texas (XII)	Oklahoma - 372 mi, 96x	Ok St - 440 mi, 26x	LSU - 431 mi, 15x
Texas A&M; (SEC)	Arkansas - 472 mi, 67x	Oklahoma - 357 mi, 29x	Ok St - 425 mi, 26x
Texas Tech (XII)	Ok St - 413 mi, 39x	Oklahoma - 343 mi, 19x	Kansas St - 594 mi, 12x
Colorado (PAC)	Oregon - 1262 mi, 16x	UCLA - 1038 mi, 7x	Cal - 1245 mi, 6x
Utah (PAC)	Oregon - 773 mi, 26x	UCLA - 692 mi, 10x	Cal - 729 mi, 8x
Brigham Young (Ind)	Ore St - 824 mi, 10x	USC - 648 mi, 2x	Stanford - 778 mi, 2x
Arizona (PAC)	Oregon - 1268 mi, 37x	UCLA - 486 mi, 35x	Cal - 859 mi, 30x
Arizona State (PAC)	Ore St - 1220 mi, 38x	USC - 382 mi, 28x	Stanford - 738 mi, 27x

The Southwest Conference is also back from the dead (RIP 1996). Texas gets to play the other 2 big state schools, both Oklahoma schools & goes west w/ Colorado, Utah & Arizona. BYU finally lands in a good conference. SWC & PAC have a lot of matchups here. I sent all the western schools to LA, Bay Area & PacNW. These opponents could rotate since there's a lot to choose from.

PACIFIC
California	Arizona - 859 mi, 30x	Utah - 729 mi, 8x	Colorado - 1245 mi, 6x
Stanford	Ariz St - 738 mi, 27x	ND - 2244 mi, 26x	BYU - 778 mi, 2x
UCLA	Arizona - 486 mi, 35x	Utah - 692 mi, 10x	Colorado - 1038 mi, 7x
USC	ND - 2095 mi, 83x	Ariz St - 382 mi, 28x	BYU - 648 mi, 2x
Oregon	Arizona - 1268 mi, 37x	Utah - 773 mi, 26x	Colorado - 1262 mi, 16x
Oregon State	Ariz St - 1220 mi, 38x	BYU - 824 mi, 10x	Boise St - 440 mi, 7x
Washington	Air Force - 1393 mi, 8x	Hawaii - 4x	Boise St - 504 mi, 1x
Washington State	UNLV - 950 mi, 5x	Hawaii - 5x	Boise St - 299 mi, 4x

This is the original PAC 8. OOC is almost entirely vs Arizona, Ariz St, Utah, BYU & Colorado. Private Standford & USC play private ND & BYU. Boise St gets a stronger schedule w/ 3 PAC teams. There wasn't much left for Washington schools so they get an every other year trip to Hawaii & could play AF or UNLV. Wash St is pretty terrible, makes it easier for them in the middle of nowhere.

& the rest of the conferences...

METRO
South Florida (BEast)	UConn - 1281 mi, 9x	ECU	Tulane
Central Florida (BEast)	UAB	ECU	Tulane
Cincinnati (BEast)	West Va - 304 mi, 20x	Rutgers - 628 mi, 17x	Pitt - 289 mi, 11x
Louisville (BEast)	Kentucky - 76 mi, 18x	Pitt - 388 mi, 15x	West Va - 398 mi, 13x
Memphis (BEast)	Ole Miss - 79 mi, 59x	Miss St - 174 mi, 44x	UAB
Houston (BEast)	Rice - 38x	SMU - 27x	UTEP - 7x
Baylor (XII)	LSU - 428 mi, 11x	Miss St - 569 mi, 4x	Ole Miss - 564 mi, 1x
Texas Christian (XII)	Ole Miss - 547 mi, 6x	Miss St - 555 mi, 1x	SMU - 90x

7/8 of these teams have been added to the BEast since 2005. Most of them came from the Metro (CUSA) before that. If a team not from the above 8 conferences is going to have a big season it'll either be Boise St or a team from the Metro. Most of these are commuter colleges in big cities not known for their academics. Except for Baylor & TCU which didn't fit in the SWC or Private conferences. Memphis, Baylor & TCU take on Ole Miss & Miss St annually. Cincy & L'ville play current BEast teams OOC.

CONFERENCE USA
East Carolina	USF	UCF	Charlotte
UAB	Memphis	UCF	Ga St
Southern Miss	N Texas	Texas St	UTSA
Tulane	USF	UCF	FIU
Louisiana Tech	N Texas	Texas St	UTSA
Rice	Houston - 38x	FAU	FIU
SMU (BEast)	TCU - 90x	Houston - 27x	UTEP - 15x
Tulsa	N Texas	Texas St	NMST

These teams weren't good enough to get a BEast invite, except for SMU. They're a big loser here, along w/ Temple. They do get to play 4 games in Texas annually plus an occasional game against Texas/A&M;/Tech. All of these teams are in the Central time zone except for ECU, which is a long way from Birmingham.

MOUNTAIN WEST
UTEP (CUSA)	SMU - 17x	Air Force - 15x	Houston - 7x
New Mexico	NMST - 77x	Air Force - 29x	Utah St - 19x
Colorado State	Utah St - 68x	Air Force - 50x	Fresno St - 11x
Wyoming	Utah St - 62x	Air Force - 50x	Fresno St - 27x
Boise State (BEast)	Ore St - 440 mi, 7x	Wash St - 299 mi, 4x	Wash - 504 mi, 1x
UNLV	Nevada - 20x	Air Force - 17x	Wash St - 5x
San Diego State (BEast)	Air Force - 30x	Fresno St - 20x	SJST - 16x
Hawaii	Air Force - 18x	Wash St - 5x	Wash - 4x

MWC rejoices w/ Boise St & SDST staying put. UTEP comes back finally & gets to play in Houston or Dallas annually. Air Force goes Ind. but plays everyone OOC except for Boise St. Boise's OOC schedule is a lot stronger w/ Ore St, Wash & Wash St. Rest of the schools play a lot of WAC.

WESTERN ATHLETIC
North Texas (CUSA)	LA Tech	SoMiss	Tulsa
Texas State (SUN)	LA Tech	SoMiss	Tulsa
UTSA (CUSA)	LA Tech	SoMiss	Tulsa
New Mexico State	NM - 77x	Idaho
Utah State (MWC)	Colorado St - 68x	Wyoming - 62x	Idaho
Nevada (MWC)	UNLV - 20x	Idaho
San Jose State (MWC)	SDST - 16x	Idaho
Fresno State (MWC)	SDST - 20x	Idaho

This may be the only way the WAC stays alive & Idaho still doesn't get an invite! The only team here that hasn't been in the WAC is North Texas. SDST/SJST/Fresno St get to play each other for a JV State Championship.

SUN BELT
Florida Int'l (CUSA)	Rice	Temple	Tulane
Florida Atlantic	Rice	Temple	Charlotte
South Alabama	Charlotte
Troy	Charlotte
Georgia State	UAB	Charlotte
Middle Tennessee	Marshall	LAMO	LALA
Western Kentucky	Marshall	LAMO	LALA
Arkansas State	Rice	LAMO	LALA

Sun Belt without the Louisiana schools. USA & Ga St jump up from FCS.

NORTHEAST
Buffalo (MAC)	Army	UMass	EMU
Akron (MAC)	Miami	Toledo	BG
Kent State (MAC)	Miami	Toledo	BG
Ohio (MAC)	Miami	Toledo	BG
Marshall (CUSA)	W Kentucky	MTSU	Charlotte
Temple (BEast)	Old Dominion	CMU/WMU	Villanova
Delaware (FCS)	Old Dominion	CMU	WMU
James Madison (FCS)	Old Dominion	CMU	WMU

ECU might be happier in this divisions. Temple's a big loser in this since they'll be in the BE in 2012.

MID-AMERICAN
Miami	Akron	Kent St	Ohio
Toledo	Akron	Kent St	Ohio
Bowling Green	Akron	Kent St	Ohio
Eastern Michigan	Army	Buffalo	UMass
Central Michigan	JMU	Delaware	Temple
Western Michigan	JMU	Delaware	Temple
Ball State	Army	UMass
Northern Illinois	Army	UMass

The MAC minus the 3 eastern Ohio schools & Buffalo. All the Ohio schools play all the Ohio schools in the Buckeye JV State Championship.

INDEPENDENTS
Air Force (MWC)	7 MWC	Navy/Army	Wash
Navy (BEast)	ND/Army/Air Force	SDST/Hawaii	Maryland
Army	Navy/Air Force	Buffalo	Ball St/N Illinois
Massachusetts (MAC)	EMU	Ball St	N Illinois
Old Dominion (CUSA)	JMU	Delaware	Temple
Charlotte (CUSA)	ECU	Marshall	GA St
LA-Lafayette (SUN)	Ark St	MTSU	W Kentucky
LA-Monroe (SUN)	Ark St	MTSU	W Kentucky
Idaho (WAC)	NMST/Utah St	Boise St/Nevada	SJST/Fresno St

Leftover teams. UMass, OD & Charlotte are jumping up from FCS. Idaho is considering dropping down. LAMO & LALA are the 4th & 5th schools IN LA. Business as usual for Army.

Thoughts?