Scheduling in light of Realignment

[BearGB]

With all of the talk of megaconferences, and conference realignments in general, how are they going to figure out the scheduling? The new conferences will begin this fall, correct? I see this as a scheduling nightmare, not only for football, but for all of the other sports as well.

On a related note, is it possible this could dramatically screw up our schedule as well? Will USC and Stanford have many extra games at this point, with the PAC-16 appearing "imminent?" I don't think either of them would want to drop our game, but you never know.

 

[chyrspchuck]

With all of the talk of megaconferences, and conference realignments in general, how are they going to figure out the scheduling? The new conferences will begin this fall, correct? I see this as a scheduling nightmare, not only for football, but for all of the other sports as well.

On a related note, is it possible this could dramatically screw up our schedule as well? Will USC and Stanford have many extra games at this point, with the PAC-16 appearing "imminent?" I don't think either of them would want to drop our game, but you never know.

2011 not this year.

 

[Irish4Life09]

roughly 2011 or 2012...nothing set in stone yet.

 

[Rocket89]

I thought the "major" moves (Texas, OU, etc. to the Pac-10) wouldn't officially begin until 2012.

I thought the same was true for Nebraska and Colorado, but I'm not sure.

I did see that Boise will be in the Mountain West starting in 2011.

Joining a conference would ruin Notre Dame's schedule from a "fun" standpoint.

If it's the Big Ten, there'd be anywhere from 13 to 15 opponents, rotating each year playing the teams in their division and a couple from the other division.

Which would leave 3 (maybe 4 depending on the conference size) non-conference games, which Notre Dame would fill with USC, Navy and most likely Boston College since we just signed an extension with them.

That is the same 18 opponents every single year, with the only changes being an Illinois on the schedule in conference instead of Minnesota. Or once in a while, we wouldn't play BC and play Stanford or someone else instead.

Personally, I don't like that at all and I'd like to know how Swarbrick plans on negotiating non-conference games if ND joins a conference. What's going to happen to all of these contracts that are signed for series with Oklahoma, Miami, Arizona State, Pitt, Syracuse, etc.???

 

[BearGB]

Okay, that makes a lot more sense. I think I had just heard so little about it, that I thought I would ask.

It's gonna make for some awkward moments in the current respective conferences this year, don't you agree?

 

[Rocket89]

Very awkward indeed.

We could be hearing and seeing a lot of "This will be the last game played in this rivalry" talk from week to week.

Not really exciting and kind of sad.

 

[irish4ever]

What's going to happen to all of these contracts that are signed for series with Oklahoma, Miami, Arizona State, Pitt, Syracuse, etc.???

I'd be very surprised if there isn't some sort of "escape clause" from ND's side, as well the signed opponent to break the game commitment. Surely these sort of "things" are considered and included when they're working up the contract.