The impact of conference realignment over the past 15 years could easily fill several volumes of Encyclopedia Britannica. But as college football continues to evolve at a rapid pace, some of the sport’s most recognizable programs are showing signs of strain after switching leagues.
Since the early 1970s, Oklahoma, USC, Alabama, Ohio State and Nebraska have been standard-bearers for excellence in the sport. The three that have changed conferences since 2011 — Oklahoma, USC and Nebraska — have struggled to regain their footing since making the move.
Neither USC nor Nebraska appeared in this season’s AP Top 25 or Coaches Poll. Oklahoma was ranked No. 18 in Monday’s AP preseason poll (No. 10 in my “Ultimate 136”) but was left out of the Coaches Poll for the first time since 1999. That means 62 FBS coaches came to the conclusion that none of these blue-blood programs are among the 25 best — something that would have felt unthinkable just 15 years ago.
[Check out RJ Young’s Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here]
Since 1950, Alabama has gained 14 (claimed) nationwide titles and seen 4 gamers win the Heisman Memorial Trophy; USC has gained seven nationwide titles and been residence to eight Heisman winners; Ohio State has gained eight nationwide titles, produced six Heisman winners, and is residence to the one two-time Heisman winner within the historical past of the game; Nebraska has gained 5 nationwide titles and counts three Heisman winners.
Two of these packages — Ohio State and Alabama—have remained members of their respective leagues, the Big Ten and SEC, for over a century. And their determination to not change conferences and even enterprise towards independence has paid dividends on this new period of school soccer the place we have seen the collapse of the Pac-12 Convention, the enlargement of the Huge Ten, SEC, ACC and Huge 12, and 49 packages altering their convention allegiance.
Nebraska’s transfer to the Huge Ten hasn’t lived as much as Huskers followers’ requirements, with only one 10-win season and eight shedding seasons as a convention member. It’s a stark distinction from the Huskers’ Huge 8 and Huge 12 years, the place, when paired with Oklahoma in the identical league, Nebraska may very well be counted on to win at the very least 9 video games and a nationwide title each eight years from 1962 to 2002.
USC’s first season within the Huge Ten started with it ranked inside the highest 25 and ended with a reasonably deflating 7-6 report. Whereas this system had been slipping — all the pieces is downhill if you win 11 or extra video games for six straight years from 2002 to 2008 and two nationwide titles — not sufficient media members or coaches consider Lincoln Riley has executed sufficient to warrant inclusion into the preseason prime 25.
Oklahoma’s first season within the SEC started with it ranked inside the highest 20 and ended with simply the second shedding season in Norman since 1998. What’s extra is, the Sooners have gained 10 or extra video games 18 occasions from 2000 to 2021. For Brent Venables, who’s liable for the one two shedding seasons Oklahoma has suffered within the twenty first century, this season couldn’t be extra vital.
If Oklahoma within the SEC feels loads like Lewis Hamilton’s transfer from Mercedes to Ferrari, that’s as a result of it’s. Each can’t work out find out how to win within the new digs, and each are looking for an id that was as soon as as sturdy as a 1,0000-year-old tree.
Among the many three aforementioned groups, Oklahoma will not be solely this system with the most important goal on its again, but additionally the one with the hardest schedule: No. 1 Texas, No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 LSU, No. 13 South Carolina, No. 14 Michigan, No. 21 Ole Miss and No. 24 Tennessee are lined up and able to pour all of it on OU.
When the Sooners introduced their transfer to the SEC, most Oklahoma followers celebrated. The athletic division even threw an “SEC Day” to commemorate the transfer as a result of, properly, the grass should simply be greener within the SEC. It seems that even when it is inexperienced — mo’ cash, mo’ cash, mo’ — it nonetheless has to get lower. And, thus far, Oklahoma cannot get it executed.
Nebraska, a program that reached its first bowl sport in eight years final season, the longest bowl introduced in program historical past, can also be attempting to climb again up the mountain it as soon as dominated with a fan base as rabid and switched on as any. Reasonably than study from Nebraska, Oklahoma and USC would possibly come to search out out they need to’ve paid nearer consideration.
Know your roots. Respect them. And in the event you lower them off, don’t be shocked in the event you begin to fall.
RJ Younger is a nationwide school soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities. Observe him at @RJ_Young.
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