So, when the next rounds of college football realignment start (most likely in 2023 and 2024 when most conference TV deals are up) each of the power five conferences will be ready to expand into super conferences with sixteen to eighteen members. Here are the ten most power five ready schools when it comes to football, basketball, baseball, location, and academics.
1.Notre Dame
Current Conference:FBS Independents
Potential Fits:ACC, Big Ten
Notre Dame is currently a member of the ACC in all sports except football (they play five ACC members each football season) and will probably never lose their independent status. The Fighting Irish backed out of becoming a member of the Big Ten with Penn State in the early 1990s and haven’t been in contact with the conference since. Notre Dame has a great football programs and can ovbiously compete in any Power 5 Conference.
2.Houston
Current Conference:American Athletic
Potential Fits:ACC, Big 12, Pac-12
I understand your questioning if they would fit into the ACC but if the ACC ever wanted to expand out west, I’m sure Houston would be willing as they have conference foes from the AAC all over the east coast. Houston’s two biggest programs, football and basketball are always in the top twenty-five or fifty in the country and what a great city to have in your conference if you’re the Pac-12. The Big 12 probably wouldn’t add Houston, as they already have too many Texas markets, but I could see Larry Scott putting an offer out for Houston if he wants to move the conference east ward.
3.Boise State
Current Conference:Mountain West
Potential Fits:Pac-12
Boise State would be number one on this list, but because of their Idaho location, it is a hard place to get to and I don’t think many major programs like going to Idaho. Even though Boise’s basketball program can be improved, they have had a great football program since the turn of the century with multiple major bowl game wins and have sent players into the NFL. If the Pac-12 wants to expand, I expect Boise to be Larry Scott’s first choice.
4.Central Florida
Current Conference:American Athletic
Potential Fits:ACC, Big 12, SEC
Because of being located in Orlando many conferences will eye Central Florida. UCF’s football program has gone 25-2 in the past two seasons and their other sports programs including basketball, have made tournament runs recently. UCF has shown it will be able to compete in a power five conference due to the Florida recruiting hot bed and their great Orlando location.
5.South Florida
Current Conference:American Athletic
Potential Fits:ACC, Big 12, SEC
USF would be another quality team to accompany rival UCF with a move to the ACC or Big 12. The Bulls have a Power Five-caliber football coach in Charlie Strong, who once had a three-year stint as the head coach of Texas. Just like their Floridian counterparts, USF would make a great choice for the ACC or any other conference in the region to add.
6.San Diego State
Current Conference:Mountain West
Potential Fits:Pac-12
San Diego State is right in the area where the Pac-12 doesn’t have a California member. San Diego State has been able to recruit the talented state of California and have turned that into major success on the field and on the court. Recently, San Diego State has dominated the Mountain West’s West division with back to back division championships in 2015 and 2016. The Aztecs have had success in basketball, most notably in 2011, with now Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard where they made a run into the sweet sixteen. This is all the Pac-12 needs to hear for San Diego State to join the conference.
7.Memphis
Current Conference:American Athletic
Potential Fits:Big 12, SEC
Like their ACC counterparts, Memphis would fit well with any conference in the south. Memphis’s basketball should be back on the rise with former tiger Penny Hardaway as head coach and landing two five star recruits in the 2019 recruiting cycle. For football, along with Houston, the tigers have dominated the AAC’s west division during this decade. While Memphis won’t join the SEC (due to the SEC already having Nashville and Knoxville markets), they would give the Big 12 a pipeline to go in and steal some of the talent that would be going to the SEC if the pipeline wasn’t made with the tigers.
8.Navy
Current Conference:American Athletic
Potential Fits:ACC
I know Navy won’t be the first school considered by the ACC, but because of their rich football history and because it is a military school, the ACC should take a glance at Navy.
9.BYU
Current Conference:FBS Independents, WCC
Potential Fits:Big 12, Pac-12
The only reason BYU isn’t higher on this list is because they follow their rule of not participating in athletics on Sunday. BYU is a perfect fit with both the Big 12 and Pac-12 regionally. BYU has been off and on good with their football and basketball programs but bring a brand that is known to the power five conference they are going to.
10.Northern Illinois
Current Conference:MAC
Potential Fits:Big 12, Big Ten
Northern Illinois has had some sustained success in football during the 2010s and would give the Big 12 an outlet to the northern midwest for recruiting. The Huskies will bring a competent team in every sport they compete in, making them a top choice for the Big 12 to expand and not disbandand.
