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[QUOTE="IthacaMatt, post: 5118212, member: 405"]
The big wake-up call over the next 10 years is what happens to former "glory programs" when they finish around .500 year after year.  A number of formerly great programs have been destroyed by conference realignment.

Look what's happened to Arkansas with all the SEC expansion over the last 15 years.  They used to be a contender for a lot of years.  Look at Nebraska to the Big 10.  That didn't turn out remotely how they hoped it would.

How are all the new teams in the SEC doing?  Texas A&M joined in 2013, and they haven't won 10 games even once since then.  They've only been ranked 3 or 4 times in all those years.  Even teams like Auburn haven't won 10 games since 2017.

Maryland hasn't won more than 7 games since moving to the Big 10.  You might think, "well, they were never that good anyway ..."  But in fact, under Ralph Friedgen in the early 2000s, they played in 7 bowl games, and won 9 or more games 5 out of 10 years in that decade.

Going back to ancient history (my era as a young man), they were very good under Bobby Ross in the 80s, and Jerry Claiborne in the 70s, playing in 11 bowls back in those days, when they were much harder to come by.

They are never going to compete for a championship in football in the Big 10.  They're never going to even play in a meaningful game again, say in a quality bowl.  There are just too many programs who will be better than them, year after year after year.

That's the downside to mega-conferences.  There are fewer teams to beat up on, to break your team in at the beginning of the season and work out the kinks with a new squad, before you start playing important games.  Soon, they will ALL be important games.

They should post signs on the Big 2:  "Abandon all hope ye who enter here!"
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