Conference realignment has been rough on plenty of football programs

More money can buy you stability in college sports, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to more wins on the field. David Hale took a look this afternoon at how realignment has affected win-loss records for those that have made a move in the power five, and it’s a cautionary tale for many:

From a fan perspective, it’s fair to wonder if any of this has been worth it. Getting that Big Ten or SEC money is nice, but if it means your school is losing more games, then really what’s the point? The illusion of being technically on a financial footing that theoretically allows you to compete at the highest level?

If the ACC were to disintegrate, I wonder if we wouldn’t be happier not getting an invite to the SEC, say, and reorganizing with whatever is left over. Do we want to be South Carolina forever? Or worse, buried in an impossible division like Maryland? Is it more fulfilling to fight for scraps in the SEC/B1G, or have a better competitive balance in a league that is admittedly a tier below? It’s worth contemplating, anyway.