By Marc Lawrence
As we begin preparation for the 20th anniversary edition of
the PLAYBOOK FOOTBALL HANDICAPPERS YEARBOOK magazine, the wild and wacky world
of College Football moves to the 2012 season with plenty of changes in
order. Here is your guide to what lies
ahead.
Aside from a highly anticipated BCS revision, and a few new
rules changes, the first task at hand is sorting through the realignment of the
conferences.
Listed below is a listing of addresses in which conference
teams will call home in the 2012 season, with pertinent notes.
ACC
Atlantic Division
Boston College
Clemson
Florida State
Maryland
NC State
Wake Forest
Coastal Division
Duke
Georgia Tech
Miami Florida
North Carolina
Virginia
Virginia Tech
No changes in 2012. Pittsburgh and Syracuse will join the
conference in 2014.
BIG EAST
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Louisville
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
South Florida
Syracuse
Gone: West Virginia to the Big 12. Soon to be gone: Syracuse and Pittsburgh to
the ACC in 2014.
Coming soon: Boise St, Houston, San Diego St, SMU and UCF in
2013. (Nothing says Big East like San Diego State)
BIG TEN
Leaders Division
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio State
Penn State
Purdue
Wisconsin
Legends Division
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Nebraska
Northwestern
No changes in 2012.
BIG 12
Baylor
Iowa St
Kansas
Kansas State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
TCU
Texas
Texas Tech
West Virginia
Additions: TCU and West Virginia.
Gone: Missouri and Texas A&M, both to the SEC.
CONFERENCE USA
East Division
East Carolina
Marshall
Memphis
Southern Mississippi
UAB
UCF
West Division
Houston
Rice
SMU
Tulsa
Tulane
UTEP
No changes for 2012.
Soon departing: Houston, SMU and UCF to the Big East in
2013.
Coming soon: will form a new conference with the remaining
members of the Mountain West in 2013.
INDEPENDENTS
Army
BYU
Navy
Notre Dame
No changes in 2012.
MAC
East Division
Akron
Bowling Green
Buffalo
Kent State
Miami Ohio
Ohio U
Temple
West Division
Ball State
Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Massachusetts*
Northern Illinois
Toledo
Western Michigan
New in 2012: Massachusetts.
*Note: division realignment pending
MOUNTAIN WEST
Boise St
Wyoming
San Diego St
Air Force
Colorado St
UNLV
New Mexico
Nevada
Fresno St
Hawaii
New additions: Fresno State, Hawaii and Nevada from the WAC.
Gone: TCU to the Big 12.
Soon to be departed: Boise State and San Diego State to the
Big East in 2013.
Coming Soon: merger with Conference USA in 2013.
PAC 12
North Division
California
Oregon
Oregon State
Stanford
Washington
Washington State
South Division
Arizona
Arizona State
Colorado
UCLA
USC
Utah
No changes in 2102.
SEC
East Division
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Missouri
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
West Division
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
LSU
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Texas A&M
New additions: Missouri and Texas A&M from the Big 12.
Sun Belt
Arkansas State
Florida Atlantic
Florida International
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
Middle Tennessee State
North Texas
Troy
South Alabama
Western Kentucky
New addition: South Alabama.
Note: South Alabama Jaguars will play a full Sun Belt
schedule in 2012 but will not be eligible to win the SBC title until 2013.
WAC
Idaho
Louisiana Tech
New Mexico State
San Jose State
Texas State
Utah State
UTSA
New additions: Texas State and UTSA (University of Texas-San
Antonio).
Gone: Fresno State, Hawaii and Nevada to the MWC in
2012.