CFB Insider Projects Utah To The Big Ten In Next Conference Realignment Wave

The Utah Utes are expected to be one of the teams that will be absorbed by the Big Ten

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham has been begrudgingly saying it for a while now, but college football seems to be headed to having just two super conferences contending for titles with each other.

The Big Ten and the SEC have emerged as the two biggest powers in the sport, and if they choose, can dismantle the entire college football infrastructure. Following the relatively new changes to the College Football Playoff, we are already discussing how to change the 12-team playoff despite not even having witnessed the first one yet.

Regardless, with the ongoing issues the ACC is having with its biggest brands wanting out, conference realignment is expected to happen again and soon.

Big Ten logo / Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

College football insider Andy Staples recently discussed the forming of the two super conferences, and even crafted a rough draft of what they would look like.

College Football Super League via @Andy_Staples🚨

A hypothetical look at what could happen if the SEC & Big Ten parted ways with the NCAA👀https://t.co/irEVODJJvt pic.twitter.com/Wtg3E8hTjC

— On3 (@On3sports) March 4, 2024

Staples foresees them each having 24 teams total, split into four divisions of six teams. In this scenario, Utah is expected to reconnect with former Pac-12 foes USC, Oregon, UCLA, and Washington, while also gaining a new foe in Nebraska. 

While Whittingham has never explicitly spoken out against the Utes being in the Big 12, but he has on multiple occasions, hinted that this wouldn't be their final landing spot. Like the rest of the college football world, we will have to wait and see what happens with the ACC before the movements begin again, but if you are a Utah fan you have to be thrilled to be included in the super conference discussions.

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The Utes are expected to be the best team in the Big 12 in 2024, and will have a chance to finally reach their first playoff.