USF has more than just football and basketball to offer in next round of realignment

We won’t have actual football to talk about for about seven more weeks, but the whistle never blows on that ever-popular game of Realignment Roulette.

Who’s up? Who’s down? Who gets a chair in a big-boy conference when the music stops on the next round of conference swapping?

Sam Ferris of Fansided has an excellent read in her Saturday Blitz piece about what might happen when realignment begins anew – possibly with Florida State and Clemson joining the SEC.

Such a move would be the blasting cap to set off a foundation-shaking explosion of the status quo in college athletics. Sam explores all sorts of potential shuffling, but I’ll gently suggest my colleague had one small oversight.

She left USF out of the mix.

I believe the Bulls will be near the head of the line for the next round, if not in front of it entirely.

Here’s why.

USF is located in Tampa, the 12th largest TV market in the country, and folks, it will keep on growing. Put it this way: People aren’t moving to Syracuse.

The Bulls were justifiably left behind when the Big 12 took UCF in the last round of realignment. USF’s football stunk, and their facilities were well below par.

A lot has happened since then.

A fact that isn’t getting the outside attention it should is that should is that USF is now one of only 69 universities in the United States accredited by the prestigous Association of American Universites. Neither Clemson, FSU, nor UCF can make that claim and, after all, colleges do exist to provide an education.

Let’s not forget that university presidents have the final say in who gets into their conferences. College football analyst Greg Swaim noted that the Big Ten doesn’t want FSU or Clemson because they aren’t AAU schools.

It matters.

However, games are played on the field, and USF has picked up its game on that front since the last rejection. University leadership has devoted an unprecedented level of funding to its athletic program. The men's basketball team was one of best stories in the country last season. Football, under new coach Alex Golesh, made massive strides.

USF will break ground in October on a $340 million on-campus stadium. There’ll be no more driving 12 miles to Raymond James Stadium to watch the games. There’s already a top-shelf indoor practice facility on campus and upgrades for just about every program.

Now, where would the Bulls go?

The Big 12 could swoop in and take USF for several reasons. UCF’s closest Big 12 neighbor is Houston – about 850 miles away. USF is 90 miles from UCF, which means teams could double up on baseball, softball, and other trips to Florida.

Besides, the two schools already have a fierce rivalry called “The War on I-4.” It makes for compelling television.

If the Atlantic Coast Conference remains largely intact, USF would also be a great fit there. The Bulls already have a history with several ACC teams.

Yes, it’s all speculation now.

But if the decision-makers in these conferences are paying attention – and they are – ignoring USF the next time around would be an epic blunder.