• Loading stock data...
Sunday, June 1, 2025

Every Power 4 Championship Game Will Have a Conference Newcomer

The SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC championships will each feature a conference newcomer after a massive wave of college football realignment.

Nov 2, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee leads SMU on to the field before the game between the Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Pittsburgh Panthers at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

By the end of the most recent realignment wave, pundits wondered whether the consolidation would widen the gap between the haves and have-nots. But at least within the power conferences, there appears to be more parity than ever.

This year, every single Power 4 title game will feature a conference newcomer, some of which aren’t traditional heavyweights. Oregon will play in the Big Ten championship, SMU in the ACC championship, Texas in the SEC championship, and Arizona State in the Big 12 championship. 

These four programs all arrived in their new leagues after the pursuit of media-rights revenue decimated the Pac-12 and created a new Power 4 structure. Oregon and Arizona State are Pac-12 alums, and SMU was a Group of 5 team just one year ago. 

Texas, a longtime Big 12 member, set off the chain of events in the summer of 2021. That July, the Longhorns, along with the Oklahoma Sooners, announced they would leave the Big 12 for the SEC. The Big 12 then added BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston. 

The following summer, the Big Ten made a move to solidify its place as the SEC’s main rival: It announced it would add USC and UCLA. The losses weakened the Pac-12’s media-rights value, and former commissioner George Kliavkoff was ultimately unable to present a viable deal in the eyes of Pac-12 administrators. So Oregon and Washington decided they would also defect to join the Big Ten; Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah agreed to leave for the Big 12; Stanford and Cal (as well as SMU) would leave for the ACC

In some cases, the moves were motivated solely by broadcast dollars. Fox bankrolled the moves by Oregon and Washington, promising $30 million to $40 million in media-rights revenue per year to the two West Coast programs. In others, it was the lust for a power conference designation: SMU agreed to join the ACC without any media-rights revenue at all, with boosters reportedly agreeing to pay $200 million instead. And then there was desperation: Stanford and Cal didn’t want to be left out in the cold—but they didn’t want to join a Group of 5 conference, opting instead to take a media-rights cut to join the ACC.

By the end, the Pac-12 had only two members (though the conference itself has begun a rebuild and will have at least eight in 2026). 

With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams this year, conference championships matter more than ever. Each champion will earn an automatic bid to the postseason. So the Playoff has a chance to feature newcomers like Arizona State or SMU—providing a breath of fresh air to a sport that has been dominated by the same bluebloods for the past decade.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

breaking

Pacers-Thunder Is Lowest-Payroll NBA Finals in Years

Neither team is in the luxury tax, despite rosters with multiple All-Stars.
exclusive

Newly American-Owned Italian Hoops Team Hires Ex-Pelicans Exec as GM

Napoli Basketball is hiring the Pelicans’ former chief of staff as GM.

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.

Featured Today

How the Champions League Anthem Took on a Life of Its Own

The composer didn’t know he wrote a timeless hit three decades ago.
May 25, 2025

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
May 24, 2025

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The Philippines native has overcome a unique set of financial odds.
May 24, 2025

Indiana Is the Center of the Basketball Universe—Thanks to Both Pro Teams

The Fever and Pacers are thriving at the same time.
Mar 28, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels forward Jaemyn Brakefield (4) rebounds over Michigan State Spartans center Carson Cooper (15) and Mississippi Rebels guard Matthew Murrell (11) in the second half of a South Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena.

SEC Increases Court Storming Fine to $500K—With Caveat

The SEC used to fine schools $500,000 as a third-time offense.
May 29, 2025

Former Seton Hall Baseball Player Sues Over Sexualized Hazing

The student says the coach knew about the hazing and failed to act.
May 29, 2025

Brett Yormark: Big 12 Puts Private Equity and Naming Rights on Pause

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is shifting his conference’s strategy.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
May 29, 2025

Brian Kelly Pushes for SEC–Big Ten Alliance. Would It Widen the Gap?

A deal, if completed, would further strengthen college football’s two titans.
Mar 16, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) drives to the basket as Memphis Tigers forward Nicholas Jourdain (2) defends during the first half at Dickies Arena.
May 28, 2025

Prospects Picking College Over NBA Draft at Record Rate

The 2025 NBA draft has its lowest number of early entrants since 2015.
Tennessee pitcher Brayden Krenzel (34) pitches during a NCAA baseball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on May 11, 2025.
May 27, 2025

SEC Stranglehold on College Baseball Continues

SEC schools will host eight of the 16 regionals set to start this weekend.
May 22, 2025

Can Golf Emulate the College World Series Model?

Carlsbad, Calif., is hosting the event through 2028.