Head coach predicts more college football realignment: 'A big one'

While college football's most recent realignment becomes official this season, one prominent head coach believes the expansion process could just be getting started.

College football is undergoing major conference realignment in 2024, but one notable head coach believes much more is coming. / USA Today Sports | Imagn

Utah was one of the many programs that took part in the recent wave of college football conference realignment, and now that school's head coach believes more expansion is coming soon, effectively turning the sport into a minor league for the NFL.

Whether it's one conference, or multiple leagues, Utes coach Kyle Whittingham believes that college football is poised for another seismic shift in its organization, in comments to John Canzano.

“I think there is a major realignment coming and it’ll be a big one. I think it will create even more of a divide and exclusivity for the teams that are on the right side of that line,” Whittingham said. “In my opinion, it’s going to look very much like an NFL minor league.”

He added: “20 months to four years? How about that for a time frame?”

Talk of a so-called Super League for college football has been floated for months amid ongoing realignment, but so far the sport's major decision-makers have downplayed it, citing financial commitments that current conferences have made with their media partners.

Whittingham foresees dozens of schools joining forces into bigger leagues, another expansion to the playoff, and players potentially becoming employees of their respective schools.

“The short version is super conferences. I think it’s going to boil down to 40-60, maybe, teams in the super conference,” Whittingham said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t play anybody but other super conference teams. Make that a division as far as who you play. Like I said, a full-blown playoff.”

“I think that’s where it’s heading,” he said.

(Canzano)

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