The Realignment Tipping Point & Dan's Guide to the Midwest

Happy Thursday! The good news is that we're only 176 days out from Week 0 of the 2023 college football season. The bad news is that we're still 176 days away from actual games. I'd much rather be talking about games than the types of offseason stories that have dominated each of the last two offseasons. But, let's just keep moving forward. Onwards!

CONFERENCE MUMBO JUMBO

THE REALIGNMENT TIPPING POINT?

It's been quite a week for Pac-12 commish George Kliavkoff and college football's slow march towards superconferences. Since I emailed last Thursday, three things have happened:

1. Speculation mounted (and social media erupted) around the news that ION TV was a contender for the Pac-12's media rights. We made the requisite jokes on Twitter. We're only human.

2. The powers-that-be at Florida State openly questioned the school's future in the ACC at a board of trustees meeting and discussed how long it would take to recoup a sizable exit fee.

3. Brett McMurphy stopped by our show and made some news by painting a BLEAK picture of the Pac-12, where more schools seem motivated to leave than stay.

Like it or not, we've been living through an incredible period of change in college football. The combination of new transfer rules and NIL legislation was only the tip of the iceberg. This offseason featured more transfers than ever before. The experience for the home viewer is about to change with Big Ten games being broadcast by CBS this fall. And in 2024, it'll feel like an entirely different sport, with Texas and Oklahoma completing their move to the SEC, USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten, and the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams.

It's hard to imagine more things changing, but the ongoing negotiations between the Pac-12 and [insert lukewarm media partner here] could further upend the status quo. The question is not whether the conference will find a television partner, but whether it'll be enough to keep the band together. It does not sound like there is a bidding war among high-profile media partners. Schools like Oregon and Washington have already had conversations with the Big Ten and don't sound particularly motivated to sign on, long-term, with a conference that lost a lot of its media value when USC and UCLA announced they were leaving. And if the Ducks and Huskies decide to look elsewhere, you'd better believe that Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah -- the so-called "Corner Schools" -- will do the same. The next couple weeks will be important to follow.

If the Pac-12 goes down, the only thing truly preventing us from 24-team superconferences is the ACC's deal with ESPN. The agreement, signed in 2016, runs through 2036 and makes it nearly impossible for a school like Florida State to leave. The university would be on the hook for something like $350 million (!!!) if it chose to switch conferences, so it would likely try forcing the ACC into an uneven revenue sharing model.

How do you think that would go over? Would Boston College be willing to take less money to keep Florida State (and others) from leaving? I'm guessing not. And if I'm right, that's when things would really go haywire and armies of lawyers would fight the last battle of college football as we know it.

I'll just state the obvious: More realignment is on the way, and the next five weeks could well be the tipping point.

🧐 FACTOIDS THAT MAY ONLY INTEREST ME

• Jim Harbaugh plans to stay "for as long as Michigan wants me here." Or is it for as long as the NFL doesn't want him? Regardless, college football's annual cycle of Harbaughisms has reset for another campaign. See you back here next year. Same time, same place. We'll bring snacks.

• Syracuse QB Garrett Shrader will miss spring football after undergoing surgery on his throwing arm. This sucks, but as long as he's back in time for us to call him "Garrett Shredder" again this fall, we can deal with it.

• Notre Dame is hiring Joe Rudolph away from Virginia Tech to be its next offensive line coach. The immediate reaction in anonymous coaching circles was that it's an "elite" hire. The response in the Verballerhood: "It's fine as long as he's not calling plays."

• Presented without further comment:

ONLY DAN'S

THE ANGELENO'S GUIDE TO THE MIDWEST

Hey friends, it’s your pal, Dan, and welcome to my little corner of the newsletter that Ty has generously carved out. Hopefully it receives the same dignity and meticulous care that he reserves for his own printed word.

This week, we’re talking about the great American midwest and what its new Pacific interlopers can expect as they make their way here. I’m allowed to say “here” because, well, I’m here. In the Chicago burbs. John Hughes Country, etc etc.

These are my truths, they may not be yours.

First: The people are largely quite friendly and giving. Neighbors know each other, there are block parties, people will stop you if you look like you’re wandering around lost, and they’ll ask you if you need help, and so on. Pretty good!

Second: The food seems to be very good in the cities and decent in the college towns, but pretty hit-or-miss in the ‘burbs. Now, this is my experience, and I’m only in one area, but you'd better do a bunch of research if food is important to you. Outside of breakfast, which is weirdly EVERYTHING here (people can’t get enough of various foods combined in skillets, served at restaurants with pun names), take an extra minute to find what appears to be a quality place.

Again, if food is important to you, like it is me, and Chicago is drivable to your game destination (Northwestern, Madison, West Lafayette, Champaign, etc) fly into Chicago, eat well, then continue on your journey. And get a rental car with four-wheel drive if you expect even the possibility of snow.

Third: It’s flat. You’re used to mountains and hills and deserts and oceans and bluffs and plateaus and cliffs and various things to look at as you drive. Put that out of your mind. It largely won’t exist here.

Four: Sure, it’s colder here, everyone knows that. And sure, if you ask someone who moves to Southern California why they left the midwest, they’ll inevitably mention the weather, but really, it’s not just the cold. The thunderstorms are randomly wild out of nowhere, paralyzing humidity can creep in, you’ll see and hear some gnarly bugs here and there, the wind will make you question life itself, and you’re also expected to drive competently through it all.

On that note, if you find yourself driving in snowy conditions, start braking a lot sooner than you think you need to, turn slowly, and if you find yourself skidding on ice (or black ice: ice you can’t see as it blends into the asphalt), look and turn in the direction you want your car to be going. Maybe more experienced midwesterners will honk and yell at you because you’re a slower, cautious beginner, but honestly? Fuck those nerds, do your thing.

Also, if it seems like it’s gonna be cold, bring layers, and a beanie and long underwear, don’t be a tough hero.

Five: Congrats! You’ve made it to the game. In my experience, Big Ten games, by and large, are quite fun, the people are enthusiastic, but not dicks, and will welcome you to their tailgates and give you beer and food. In turn, when they come out to the Coliseum or Rose Bowl, return the favor and tell them where to actually eat well in LA (pretty much everywhere).

This probably wasn’t extraordinarily helpful, but hopefully it helped to pass the time while you’re pooping to avoid being productive. Wash up!

- Dan

THE VERBALLERHOOD

WHAT'S GOOD IN THE VERBALLERHOOD?

It was a newsworthy week over at SV HQ and we built the entire plane out of the Pac-12 potentially dying. Our interview with Brett McMurphy got posted in all the corners of the internet where important college football news is amplified. Today's episode was equally as interesting, at least from our perspective, as we walked a hypothetical "Oregon Trail" of realignment scenarios.

Listen to the podcast by clicking here or check out our individual episodes below. You can also view full episode videos and smaller clips on our YouTube channel.

THIS WEEK'S PODCAST EPISODES:

JOIN OUR EXCLUSIVE VERBALLER COMMUNITY

Last week's AI-generated pitch for our Verballer community was a hit, so this week we asked Chat GPT to create a new version in iambic pentameter:

In college football's game, we find a thrill, Yet at times, we just can't seem to chill. For who to share our joy and zeal we lack, A lonely fan, no one to have our back.

But do not fear, for we have found a place, A saving grace, a fan community's embrace. 'Tis called the "Verballerhood," and all are welcome there, An exclusive club with no limit, we declare.

Join us for college football's game, Share your views, your highs, and all acclaim. With bonus episodes and Discord chat to sate, Your passion for the sport shall never abate.

No longer must you shout into the void, No more being solo overjoyed. Join the Verballerhood, and you shall see, A fan community, just like thee!

Thanks for reading. Until next week, stay solid!-Ty Hildenbrandt