On ESPN’s “Get Up,” college football analyst Paul Finebaum shared his views on the future of college football, predicting a landscape where only two “super conferences” would dominate.
Of course, he’s referring to the SEC and Big Ten as the two powers.
It’s clear to most people the direction college football is heading – and we could very well get news as soon as today of the Big Ten potentially adding programs such as Oregon and Washington to the conference.
Meanwhile, Florida State is extremely frustrated with the ACC and may end up heading to the SEC.
Finebaum discussed his vision for the future of college football. As mentioned, he believes that the sport is gradually evolving towards a scenario where just two “super conferences” will hold the reins, leaving other conferences to face significant challenges in keeping up.
“It’ll take a few years, but the two super conferences right now are the Big Ten and the SEC. They look like the NFL right now. They have all these multiplicity of leagues, especially the Big Ten with three or four different partners,” Finebaum said.
“The Big 12 right now has emerged as number 3. The ACC is the league that has serious soul-searching to do right now. Ultimately though, we’re going to get to this.”
.@finebaum believes two "super conferences" is becoming the inevitable future of college football: pic.twitter.com/HbRuO7anAI
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 2, 2023
ESPN insider Pete Thamel, who was also present on the show, concurred with Finebaum’s assessment, highlighting that a clear “Power 2” has already established itself in the world of college football.
Thamel emphasized that it would take some time for the financial realities of the marketplace to catch up with this emerging trend.
“Paul is right in a lot of ways about the Power 2,” Thamel added. “I think it already is a Power 2 right now. Financially, it’s going to take a little bit of time for the realities of the marketplace to catch up.”
The idea of super conferences gaining dominance in college football has been the subject of speculation and discussions for a while now. The allure of creating larger, more lucrative conferences with top-tier programs is becoming increasingly attractive to both universities and broadcast networks.
Recent developments have lent weight to Finebaum and Thamel’s predictions. The Big Ten has already made significant moves to solidify its position, announcing the addition of two prestigious programs, USC and UCLA, to its roster for the 2024 season.
Not to be outdone, we know the SEC will be welcoming in Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12 next season.
What do you think of all the conference realignment?
Is it good or bad for college football?
Do you agree with Finebaum that we’re heading towards a world of only two superpower conferences?
(We’re quite possibly already there.)
