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ESPN’s Michael Wilbon weighs in on conference realignment: ‘I hate it’
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College football appears to be in the midst of change again. Talk of realignment is in full force with Texas and Oklahoma appearing to be closing in on a deal to move from the Big 12 to the SEC soon.
That would give the SEC two more very recognizable brands and would likely force other conferences to inquire about making moves of their own. It could reshape the world of college athletics, much like it did in the early 2010s.
While change might be inevitable, not everyone has to like it. ESPN host and reporter Michael Wilbon is one of the individuals who isn’t a big fan of the shifts in college football.
“I hate it,” he said on ESPN. “I hate it. I grew up in a different world. I’m not 15-years-old or 25-years-old. I grew up in a world where the Big Ten were 10 schools that I cared about, knew where each of them was located, could tell you the name of their stadiums. Now, you’re just going to have like two conferences, that’s all it’s going to be. So much for the Power 5. It’s going to be the Power 2, and each one of them will have like 25 schools in it and it’s a waste of my time. It’s a waste of time to talk about conferences. There are no more conferences.”
The news that Texas and Oklahoma were considering a move to the SEC broke last week. It would undoubtedly change the dynamic of college football.
Obviously, it’s unclear what moves are next for the remaining Power 5 conference if and when the news becomes official. But it should be fascinating to watch.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB