We got caught up in real-life realignment stuff that kept us from updating y'all on the Conference Re-Draft Project, but it wrapped up last week. We used our final three picks on USF, Hawaii, and Fresno State. All three are pretty good at football, and Fresno's baseball isn't too bad. Plus thanks to Hawaii, we've got the best locale for conference meetings of anyone.
Here are the final conference lineups. Remember that it was a snake draft, so when you get to the end of a line, drop down a row and go back in the opposite direction to get the draft order:
| BCI | BHGP | TSK | BECB | HOS | RCR |
| Texas | Florida | Alabama | Ohio St. | USC | LSU |
| Georgia | Penn St. | Oklahoma | Florida St. | Notre Dame | Michigan |
| UCLA | Virginia Tech | Nebraska | Louisville | Oregon | North Carolina |
| Wisconsin | Miami (FL) | Texas A&M | Michigan St. | Tennessee | Stanford |
| Washington | Auburn | Arizona | West Virginia | Syracuse | Arkansas |
| Duke | Kansas | Cal | Maryland | Kentucky | Iowa |
| Clemson | Illinois | UConn | Missouri | Pitt | Oklahoma St. |
| Virginia | TCU | Arizona St. | Utah | BYU | South Carolina |
| Boston College | Colorado | Oregon St. | Boise St. | Vanderbilt | Ole Miss |
| Minnesota | Indiana | USF | Cincinnati | NC State | Georgia Tech |
| Purdue | Texas Tech | Hawaii | Mississippi St. | Air Force | FAU |
| Northwestern | Villanova | Fresno St. | Kansas St. | Georgetown | UCF |
I find it interesting that two conferences took basketball schools that don't play I-A football, yet neither was Big East Coast Bias, who took Louisville way too early for basketball reasons.
Anyway, to help out with this project, I developed a power rating for schools based on five criteria: "BCS" bowl appearances since 1992, football winning percentage since 1980, March Madness appearances of at least the Elite Eight, College World Series appearances, and finishing in the top-100 of the Director's Cup. Varying levels of success in each were given different weights, and then I converted each category to a zero-to-one scale to make sure each one was weighted the same. Football gets two categories because it's the most important sport. We also prioritized football, basketball, and baseball in our strategy, with Director's Cup performance factoring in the entire athletics department.
I focused on what I considered these "high end" feats because, while there are plenty of schools who are good at these sports, only a few teams regularly win championships. I used this chart in all of my arguments behind the scenes, though not everyone else in the group did as well. Anyway, after the jump is the list of all 120 I-A football-playing teams and how they stack up on this scale.
I think we did quite well in getting schools that rate highly in this system. We have seven of the top 25 schools; no other conference has more than four. Our lowest two schools happen to own a pair of CWS titles and prime location in California, respectively. I feel very comfortable with this group.
| Rank | School | BCS Bowls | FB Win Pct. Since '80 | Basketball | Baseball | Director's Cup | Combined |
| 1 | Florida | 0.31 | 1.00 | 0.19 | 0.10 | 0.94 | 2.07 |
| 2 | Florida St. | 0.34 | 1.00 | 0.02 | 0.18 | 0.69 | 1.89 |
| 3 | Miami (FL) | 0.24 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 0.57 | 1.82 |
| 4 | Ohio St. | 0.28 | 1.00 | 0.09 | 0.00 | 0.83 | 1.79 |
| 5 | Texas | 0.17 | 0.83 | 0.07 | 0.25 | 0.92 | 1.771 |
| 6 | LSU | 0.14 | 0.83 | 0.03 | 0.35 | 0.81 | 1.765 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 0.25 | 1.00 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.67 | 1.725 |
| 8 | Nebraska | 0.28 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.78 | 1.722 |
| 9 | Michigan | 0.11 | 1.00 | 0.10 | 0.00 | 0.91 | 1.66 |
| 10 | USC | 0.20 | 0.83 | 0.02 | 0.13 | 0.89 | 1.63 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.35 | 0.12 | 0.92 | 1.60 |
| 12 | Tennessee | 0.11 | 1.00 | 0.02 | 0.05 | 0.79 | 1.58 |
| 13 | Penn St. | 0.07 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.86 | 1.50 |
| 14 | UCLA | 0.04 | 0.67 | 0.22 | 0.06 | 0.94 | 1.45 |
| 15 | Alabama | 0.14 | 0.83 | 0.02 | 0.08 | 0.67 | 1.40 |
| 16 | BYU | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.68 | 1.34 |
| 17 | Notre Dame | 0.09 | 0.83 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.77 | 1.32 |
| 18 | Arizona | 0.02 | 0.67 | 0.19 | 0.02 | 0.84 | 1.31 |
| 19 | Auburn | 0.07 | 0.83 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.70 | 1.29 |
| 20 | Arizona St. | 0.02 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.15 | 0.84 | 1.25 |
| 21 | Georgia | 0.05 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.10 | 0.19 | 1.25 |
| 22 | Texas A&M | 0.02 | 0.83 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.69 | 1.233 |
| 23 | Clemson | 0.00 | 0.83 | 0.00 | 0.11 | 0.58 | 1.230 |
| 24 | Boise St. | 0.04 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 1.18 |
| 25 | Connecticut | 0.02 | 0.67 | 0.25 | 0.00 | 0.46 | 1.17 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | 0.07 | 0.67 | 0.05 | 0.00 | 0.71 | 1.143 |
| 27 | Virginia Tech | 0.15 | 0.83 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.31 | 1.140 |
| 28 | West Virginia | 0.05 | 0.83 | 0.05 | 0.00 | 0.39 | 1.130 |
| 29 | South Carolina | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.13 | 0.66 | 1.127 |
| 30 | Arkansas | 0.02 | 0.67 | 0.08 | 0.04 | 0.66 | 1.123 |
| 31 | Oklahoma St. | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.08 | 0.05 | 0.63 | 1.117 |
| 32 | Stanford | 0.04 | 0.33 | 0.03 | 0.22 | 0.94 | 1.093 |
| 33 | Virginia | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.77 | 1.085 |
| 34 | Washington | 0.04 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.73 | 1.07 |
| 35 | Fresno St. | 0.00 | 0.83 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.35 | 1.062 |
| 36 | Oregon | 0.10 | 0.67 | 0.03 | 0.00 | 0.53 | 1.060 |
| 37 | Georgia Tech | 0.02 | 0.67 | 0.04 | 0.08 | 0.46 | 1.04 |
| 38 | Colorado | 0.05 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.62 | 1.03 |
| 39 | Duke | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.28 | 0.00 | 0.78 | 1.00 |
| 40 | Iowa | 0.04 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.57 | 0.99 |
| 41 | Syracuse | 0.05 | 0.67 | 0.09 | 0.00 | 0.26 | 0.941 |
| 42 | Utah | 0.04 | 0.67 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.35 | 0.936 |
| 43 | Kentucky | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.29 | 0.00 | 0.61 | 0.93 |
| 44 | NC State | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.50 | 0.92 |
| 45 | South Florida | 0.00 | 0.83 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.15 | 0.91 |
| 46 | Louisville | 0.02 | 0.67 | 0.08 | 0.02 | 0.24 | 0.91 |
| 47 | TCU | 0.04 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.33 | 0.89 |
| 48 | Michigan St. | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.24 | 0.00 | 0.57 | 0.862 |
| 49 | Kansas St. | 0.04 | 0.67 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.28 | 0.857 |
| 50 | Boston College | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.85 |
| 51 | Pittsburgh | 0.02 | 0.67 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.28 | 0.84 |
| 52 | Mississippi | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.833 |
| 53 | Texas Tech | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.833 |
| 54 | Hawaii | 0.02 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.24 | 0.80 |
| 55 | Kansas | 0.02 | 0.33 | 0.23 | 0.02 | 0.35 | 0.77 |
| 56 | California | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.82 | 0.76 |
| 57 | Maryland | 0.02 | 0.33 | 0.08 | 0.00 | 0.60 | 0.74 |
| 58 | Air Force | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.13 | 0.731 |
| 59 | Minnesota | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.03 | 0.00 | 0.72 | 0.728 |
| 60 | Illinois | 0.04 | 0.33 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.58 | 0.72 |
| 61 | Indiana | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.08 | 0.00 | 0.61 | 0.714 |
| 62 | Central Michigan | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.09 | 0.713 |
| 63 | Miami (Ohio) | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.685 |
| 63 | Nevada | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.685 |
| 65 | Southern Miss | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.680 |
| 66 | Bowling Green | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.667 |
| 66 | Marshall | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.667 |
| 66 | Toledo | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.667 |
| 66 | Troy | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.667 |
| 66 | Western Michigan | 0.00 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.667 |
| 71 | Wake Forest | 0.02 | 0.33 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.57 | 0.655 |
| 72 | Purdue | 0.02 | 0.33 | 0.03 | 0.00 | 0.54 | 0.653 |
| 73 | Oregon St. | 0.02 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.12 | 0.35 | 0.650 |
| 74 | Southern Methodist | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.56 | 0.62 |
| 75 | Rice | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.16 | 0.24 | 0.612 |
| 76 | Northwestern | 0.02 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.52 | 0.610 |
| 77 | Missouri | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.05 | 0.00 | 0.43 | 0.60 |
| 78 | Baylor | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.44 | 0.59 |
| 79 | Iowa St. | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.37 | 0.54 |
| 80 | Mississippi St. | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.03 | 0.05 | 0.22 | 0.53 |
| 81 | New Mexico | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.37 | 0.52 |
| 82 | Vanderbilt | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 0.48 |
| 83 | Rutgers | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.26 | 0.463 |
| 84 | Cincinnati | 0.04 | 0.33 | 0.07 | 0.00 | 0.06 | 0.463 |
| 85 | Washington St. | 0.04 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.19 | 0.461 |
| 86 | Kent St. | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.24 | 0.45 |
| 86 | UNLV | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.24 | 0.45 |
| 88 | Houston | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.44 |
| 88 | Tulsa | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.44 |
| 90 | Colorado St. | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.19 | 0.43 |
| 91 | Memphis | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.08 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.418 |
| 92 | Navy | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.17 | 0.417 |
| 93 | Tulane | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.09 | 0.41 |
| 94 | San Diego St. | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.13 | 0.40 |
| 94 | UTEP | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.13 | 0.40 |
| 96 | Temple | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.09 | 0.38 |
| 97 | Army | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.07 | 0.37 |
| 97 | UCF | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.07 | 0.37 |
| 99 | LA-Lafayette | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.36 |
| 99 | San Jose St. | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.36 |
| 101 | FIU | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.06 | 0.358 |
| 102 | Akron | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.35 |
| 102 | Ball St. | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.35 |
| 102 | Louisiana Tech | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.35 |
| 102 | MTSU | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.35 |
| 102 | FAU | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.35 |
| 102 | W. Kentucky | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.35 |
| 108 | Eastern Michigan | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.34 |
| 108 | Idaho | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.34 |
| 108 | UAB | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.34 |
| 108 | Utah St. | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.34 |
| 112 | Arkansas St. | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 |
| 112 | Buffalo | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 |
| 112 | East Carolina | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 |
| 112 | LA-Monroe | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 |
| 112 | New Mexico St. | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 |
| 112 | North Texas | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 |
| 112 | NIU | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 |
| 112 | Ohio | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 |
| 112 | Wyoming | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 |