A Sea Of Red

Since we’ve had a bunch of conference affiliation talk in other threads such as future schedules thread, etc I thought it’d be good to have its own thread for these discussions. Really this started cause I had nowhere else to post this. Should the AAC be considered nationally as a P6 like they market or will/should it remain P5 with AAC considered a G5?

Saw these as the final 2019 top 25 teams by conference.

1. Big 10...6 teams (3. Ohio State, 9. Penn State, 10. Minnesota, 11. Wisconsin, 15. Iowa, 18. Michigan)

2. SEC ...5 teams (1. LSU, 4. Georgia, 6. Florida, 8. Alabama, 14. Auburn)

3. AAC ...4 teams (17. Memphis, 20. Navy, 21. Cincinnati, 24. UCF)

4. Big XII ...3 teams (7. Oklahoma, 13. Baylor, 25. Texas)

5. PAC-12 ....2 teams (5. Oregon, 16. Utah)

6.MW....2 teams (22. Air Force, 23. Boise State)

7. ACC ....1 teams (2. Clemson)

8. IND ...1 teams (12. Notre Dame)

9. SB ....1 teams (19. Appalachian State)

10. ....0 teams (CUSA, MAC)

That’s a great list. We are smarter for having read that.
IMO you have to look at it as a snap shot not a trend. ACC and Big 12 were way down this year The AAC is absolutely on the rise though no question. But they will never be a “P” always a “G” until the tides shift. The Blue Blood conferences aren’t eager to stead that moniker/wealth

The ACC being a P6 is less about how good the conference is and more about the traditional conference powers holding onto that power at all costs.

Do you all think another year or 2 of sustained success for AAC schools having 4-6 ranked teams could lead to changing people’s minds?

It may change some minds of people who follow the sport closely, but it won't change the overall perception and coverage.

With Big 10 getting a new commissioner, the Big 10 may now stop holding college football hostage. The old commissioner had too much power.

The AAC is better than the Big East was as a football conference and they were considered a power conference so I mean that really goes to show how much history plays into the P5 vs P6 argument.

I actually didn't realize the AAC finished with so many ranked teams and I would dare guess I am not alone in that.

thepostman wrote: ↑January 16th, 2020, 4:04 pm The AAC is better than the Big East was as a football conference and they were considered a power conference so I mean that really goes to show how much history plays into the P5 vs P6 argument.

I actually didn't realize the AAC finished with so many ranked teams and I would dare guess I am not alone in that.

Me either! That’s why I wanted to share that with everyone. Pretty impressive showing this year from them.

I'm not convinced that the AAC is quite as good as the pollsters make it out to be. Don't get me wrong - I like the AAC, I watch a lot of their games, and I actually wouldn't mind LU playing in it someday. I just think that voters like mixing in G5s for the sake of being inclusive and maybe to create a percieved fairness to the system. I get the feeling that voters fill in the first 15 to 17 spots on their ballot with the top teams, then from their down start thinking that they need to mix some G5 teams in.

Liberty22 wrote: ↑January 16th, 2020, 3:53 pm Do you all think another year or 2 of sustained success for AAC schools having 4-6 ranked teams could lead to changing people’s minds?

Those 4 - 6 schools will need to be consistently beating P5 schools. For example USF/UCF will need to consistently beat Miami, Florida, FSU, etc..

Personally, I think there is a greater chance that schools like Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis, Houston & SMU have a better chance of being poached by a P5 before the AAC is brought into that grouping.

BlueBlood wrote: ↑January 16th, 2020, 5:07 pm I'm not convinced s the AAC is quite as good as the pollsters make it out to be. Don't get me wrong - I like the AAC, I watch a lot of their games, and I actually wouldn't mind LU playing in it someday. I just think that voters like mixing in G5s for the sake of being inclusive and maybe to create a percieved fairness to the system. I get the feeling that voters fill in the first 15 to 17 spots on their ballot with the top teams, then from their down start thinking that they need to mix some G5 teams in.

The Big 10 isn't as good as pollsters make them out to be. Every ranked team is over ranked. Has been for years .

BlueBlood wrote: ↑January 16th, 2020, 5:07 pm I'm not convinced that the AAC is quite as good as the pollsters make it out to be. Don't get me wrong - I like the AAC, I watch a lot of their games, and I actually wouldn't mind LU playing in it someday. I just think that voters like mixing in G5s for the sake of being inclusive and maybe to create a percieved fairness to the system. I get the feeling that voters fill in the first 15 to 17 spots on their ballot with the top teams, then from their down start thinking that they need to mix some G5 teams in.

I could see that.

The AAC still need to keep slowly improving to become a true p6 conference but I think they are closer to the p5 conferences than the g5 conferences.
Including bowl games the AAC finished with a respectable 9-15 record against p5 teams and 18-2 against g5 teams.
If you look at the individual games, it's clear to me that top AAC teams can regularly beat lower level p5 teams. Liberty should jump on this train if they can.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Am ... onferences

More context between conferences
Records vs p5 teams this year
BIG 10- 8-10
BIG 12- 7-8
SEC- 17-9
ACC- 6-19
PAC 12- 10-8

[https://www.colleyrankings.com/curconf.html

That is great data @Ill flame and really kind of eye opening how bad the ACC is. Outside of Clemson, it just isn't very good and in my opinion the AAC is better at this point.

It just goes to show history plays a huge role and the minds of the leaders of college athletics.

Also welcome to the board @Ill flame , happy to have you!

Ill flame wrote: ↑January 17th, 2020, 8:56 am More context between conferences
Records vs p5 teams this year
BIG 10- 8-10
BIG 12- 7-8
SEC- 17-9
ACC- 6-19
PAC 12- 10-8

[https://www.colleyrankings.com/curconf.html

Welcome aboard! Also, according to Massey Ranking AAC is ranked ahead of the ACC this year.

SEC
Big 12
PAC 12
AAC
ACC
MW
SB
IND
CUSA
MAC

https://masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm

Ill flame wrote: ↑January 16th, 2020, 10:31 pm If you look at the individual games, it's clear to me that top AAC teams can regularly beat lower level p5 teams. Liberty should jump on this train if they can.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Am ... onferences

I agree with this. There is definitely an overlap at the G5 top/ P5 bottom.

And honestly, if you are a recruit who is being courted by perennial lower-tier P5s and perennial top-tier G5s, an argument can be made that the G5 schools might provide the more fulfilling experience. So, I'd expect the overlap to continue.

I'd love to see LU at this level.

Not to mention the AAC champion has been in a NY6 bowl 4 of the last 5 years, winning half of them. Having a clear path to a NY6 bowl is a great recruiting tool and would provide the exposure/legitimacy that liberty is looking for.

Liberty22 wrote: ↑January 17th, 2020, 10:13 am
Welcome aboard! Also, according to Massey Ranking AAC is ranked ahead of the ACC this year.

SEC
Big 12
PAC 12
AAC
ACC
MW
SB
IND
CUSA
MAC

https://masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm

Is “Massey” a synonym for Ballcoach?

JK37 wrote: ↑January 18th, 2020, 6:56 am

Liberty22 wrote: ↑January 17th, 2020, 10:13 am
Welcome aboard! Also, according to Massey Ranking AAC is ranked ahead of the ACC this year.

SEC
Big 12
PAC 12
AAC
ACC
MW
SB
IND
CUSA
MAC

https://masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm

Is “Massey” a synonym for Ballcoach?

No.

SEC at the top + B1G not even listed = Ballcoach list

I seem to recall Massey is a VT grad.

I agree with his conference rankings. I would have omitted Big 10 also, because they are grossly over rated every year (in every sport)

JK37 wrote: ↑January 18th, 2020, 6:56 am
Is “Massey” a synonym for Ballcoach?

Ballcoach said he wanted to get his own WEBSITE so we could PAY him to coach us all up.