Week 6 Power Rankings: The Top Tier Gets Crowded
Three unbeatens, two upset victims and one defense nobody wants to face in November.
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.