The last time there was a significant shift in the complexion of Division I conferences more than a decade ago, the University of Utah emerged as one of the big winners of the process. When Colorado left the Big 12 for a Pac-10 invite in early June 2010, the league sought a 12th team, eventually calling on Utah.
With Texas and Oklahoma declaring their intent to leave the Big 12 and join the SEC this week, more significant conference movement is on the horizon. Nobody quite knows what the fallout will look like, but Kyle Whittingham, whose football program was a central figure in the last round of realignment, has some thoughts on the matter.
"It's the tip of the iceberg," the longtime Utes head coach told The Salt Lake Tribune Tuesday at Pac-12 media day at The W Hollywood. "I think there's a seismic shift that's going to take place in college football and it'll never be the same down the road once all this change takes place. Right now, everyone's trying to scramble to get themselves positioned for, financially first of all, and relevance."
Whittingham has long been a proponent of expanding the College Football Playoff. The current four-team format, in place since the event's inception in 2014, is likely to give way to a 12-team format later this decade, but Whittingham doesn't believe it will stop there. "I think the Playoff will go to 16, I don't think there's any way around that," Whittingham said. "There's too much money being left on the table, bottom line. The final arrangement is going to be what is financially best. That's what's going to happen."
While a 16-team format is not currently on the table, moving to 12 teams would give the Pac-12 greater ability to contend for a national championship. The four highest-ranked conference champions would be the top-four seed and receive a first-round bye, while seeds 5-12 would play each other in the first round.
Under the four-team format, the conference has been mostly a non-factor. In 2014, Oregon won a CFP semifinal before falling to Ohio State in the championship game. Washington got rolled in a 2016 semifinal, and that has been the extent of the Pac-12s participation on college football's biggest stage. Two programs, and none in the last five seasons.
https://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-utes/2021/07/28/utahs-kyle-whittingham/
With Texas and Oklahoma declaring their intent to leave the Big 12 and join the SEC this week, more significant conference movement is on the horizon. Nobody quite knows what the fallout will look like, but Kyle Whittingham, whose football program was a central figure in the last round of realignment, has some thoughts on the matter.
"It's the tip of the iceberg," the longtime Utes head coach told The Salt Lake Tribune Tuesday at Pac-12 media day at The W Hollywood. "I think there's a seismic shift that's going to take place in college football and it'll never be the same down the road once all this change takes place. Right now, everyone's trying to scramble to get themselves positioned for, financially first of all, and relevance."
Whittingham has long been a proponent of expanding the College Football Playoff. The current four-team format, in place since the event's inception in 2014, is likely to give way to a 12-team format later this decade, but Whittingham doesn't believe it will stop there. "I think the Playoff will go to 16, I don't think there's any way around that," Whittingham said. "There's too much money being left on the table, bottom line. The final arrangement is going to be what is financially best. That's what's going to happen."
While a 16-team format is not currently on the table, moving to 12 teams would give the Pac-12 greater ability to contend for a national championship. The four highest-ranked conference champions would be the top-four seed and receive a first-round bye, while seeds 5-12 would play each other in the first round.
Under the four-team format, the conference has been mostly a non-factor. In 2014, Oregon won a CFP semifinal before falling to Ohio State in the championship game. Washington got rolled in a 2016 semifinal, and that has been the extent of the Pac-12s participation on college football's biggest stage. Two programs, and none in the last five seasons.
https://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-utes/2021/07/28/utahs-kyle-whittingham/