Mandel’s Mailbag: SEC/Big Ten schedule format fallout and my 5 dream realignment

For those of you who’ve spent almost a year now thirsting for the next round of realignment, I have good news for you: I’m leaving on vacation at the end of this month, almost exactly a year to the day since the USC/UCLA bombshell.

You know what that means.

Until then, we just have to pass the time with some Fantasy Realignment.

You magically have the ability to change the conference affiliation of five teams. They may not like it, but can’t stop or undo it for at least a decade. You can base these moves off competitive balance, geography, history, creating new matchups, favorite mascots, whatever floats your boat. Who do you move and why?

Sean B., Bellevue, Wash.

Fascinating question, and I assume to make it more interesting I should remove Oklahoma, Texas, USC and UCLA as possibilities. Otherwise that would be four of my five.

First off, give me Clemson in the SEC. Clemson is a powerhouse program in the Southeast with rich traditions and an iconic stadium. The Tigers should be playing more games against Georgia, Alabama and LSU, and fewer against Syracuse, NC State and Wake Forest.

BYU should be in the Pac-12. I know all the reasons it has never happened, but most of the Pac-12 schools already regularly play the Cougars. Geographically, it makes more sense than being in a conference with several Eastern time zone teams. And also: Utah and BYU should be in the same league. They might not agree with that, but they should.

Then, I’d move Maryland back to the ACC, which would be bad news for the people who have to balance the Terps’ budget but would likely be well-received by Terps fans. Even a decade later, it has no real Big Ten rival and a largely apathetic fan base. Get the Terps back facing UNC, Duke, Virginia et al.

Next, I’d move Louisville to the Big 12. The ACC has been a perfectly fine home for the Cardinals, but they’re there primarily for lack of better options. Louisville has more of a kinship with old rival Cincinnati and with West Virginia than any ACC school.

And last but not least: Duh. Notre Dame to the Big Ten. I’m sorry Fielding Yost was mean to you 100 years ago, Domers. Get over it. Why be half-in with the ACC, which pads your schedule annually with the Virginia Techs and Pitts, when you could be annually playing nearby old rivals like Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue?

All of these are fairly sensible. Perhaps Sean had something more radical in mind like Alabama in the Pac-12 or Ohio State in the SEC. Feel free to dream those up in the comments.

Everyone except, well, the diehard SEC haters seem to be very excited about the 2024 SEC schedule, with Texas and Oklahoma highlighting several marquee matchups. However, both teams still have a season to play in the Big 12 where they were pretty disappointing last season. What if that continues with another mediocre year for both programs? Do you think that will put a damper on the excitement and hamper the SEC’s efforts to showcase adding two…