Continuing to count the reasons I hate conference realignment

Yesterday Kevin alluded to a possible way Clemson would reconfigure their 2013-2014 schedules should the ACC add Pitt and Syracuse sooner rather than later AND adopt the 9 game conference schedule.

But with West Virginia’s early exit from the Big East, it’s very likely that Pittsburgh and Syracuse will join the ACC in 2013 rather than 2014. That creates a problem for a few ACC schools that already have four non-conference games scheduled.

Speaking of $$, 60 yards...MONEY!!

Clemson is one of those schools. The Tigers have four non-ACC games slated for both the 2013 and 2014 seasons. If the ACC begins a nine-game slate in 2013, Clemson will need to drop one game in both 2013 and 2014.

Here’s a look at Clemson’s future non-conference schedules:

• 2013 – Georgia (8/31); Kent State (9/14); The Citadel (11/23); at South Carolina (11/30)
• 2014 – at Georgia (8/30); Coastal Carolina (9/6); Central Michigan (10/4); South Carolina (11/29)

When you look at those games, you might think it’s easier to cancel home games against Kent State, The Citadel, Coastal Carolina or Central Michigan. But buyouts for those games could range in the low-to-mid six-figures. Plus there would be the lost revenue from home games.

Canceling the Georgia-Clemson series won’t be cheap either. According to the contract obtained by Sicemdawgs.com last year, Clemson will owe Georgia $500,000 if they cancel, unless it’s by mutual consent.

Georgia and Clemson, which are only about 75 miles apart, agreed to the home-and-home series back in 2005. The two schools haven’t met since the Bulldogs rolled over the Tigers 30-0 in 2003. Georgia leads the overall series 41-17-4.

Many will look at that overall record, pair it with the ass kicking Richt's 2003 team gave the Tigers in the shadow of Howard's Rock and conclude that Clemson is just avoiding the Dawgs. But Kevin is right. As with everything associated with conference expansion/realignment, it's all about the money.


Ordinarily I would be hopeful the home and home of the once proud rivalry could be salvaged. But nowadays I'm getting used to just simply expecting the worst.