The College Sports Gazette
Analysis
Realignment Isn't Over. Here's What the Next Wave Looks Like
Media money, travel budgets and the playoff format are pulling the map apart again. We sorted the rumors from the realistic.
Every time the college sports map seems settled, a new television contract arrives and redraws it. The last round of moves left several conferences stretched across three time zones, and athletic directors are still counting the cost of all those charter flights.
The next wave is less likely to be driven by brand-new superconferences than by quiet scheduling alliances. Expect more cross-conference agreements that guarantee marquee nonconference games without anyone changing their letterhead.
For fans, the practical question is simple: will my team still play its rivals? In most cases the answer is yes, but the date on the calendar may move, and the kickoff may land wherever the network wants it.
Rankings
Week 6 Power Rankings: The Top Tier Gets Crowded
Six weeks in, the top of the sport looks less like a pyramid and more like a plateau. Three unbeaten teams have separated themselves, but none has played a road game against a ranked opponent yet.
Preview
Hoops Is Coming: Our Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25
Practice is underway, which means it is officially time to overreact. The portal reshaped a dozen rosters this spring, and the teams that landed experienced guards are the ones we trust most in November.
Letters to the Editor
“Ask me again after they play a real offense on the road.”
— OldSchoolQB, on Who has the best defense in the country right now?
“Points allowed per drive is the only stat that matters. Nobody is close to the top team there.”
— BlitzBetty, on Who has the best defense in the country right now?
“Top four seeds host every round until the final. Make home field mean something.”
— SaturdaySoul, on Fix the playoff format in one sentence
In Brief
- NIL Collectives, Explained for the Rest of Us. Who pays, who gets paid, and why your favorite program keeps emailing you about memberships.
- Don't Touch the Bracket: The Case Against Expanding March Madness. Sixty-eight is already the perfect number. More teams means less magic.
- 100 Years of Rivalry Week, in Ten Unforgettable Games. Snow games, last-second kicks and the trick plays that still get argued about at Thanksgiving.
On the Air
Episode 42: Midseason Awards and the Heisman Race. Our midseason MVPs, the most disappointing teams, and a Heisman ballot we will regret by November. Listen →
Episode 41: Hoops Practice Report with a Special Guest. Who looked ready on day one, which transfers fit, and an early read on the national title contenders. Listen →