Home Twitter’s Reaction to the AAC Realignment

Twitter’s Reaction to the AAC Realignment

by cfbmemes_

Photo courtesy of UTSA athletics

With the Big 12 imploding before the 2021 season even started, we knew the conference would act fast to rebuild itself the best that it could.

That rebuild led to invites of Cincinnati, UCF, Houston and BYU. With this taking effect, the recently-poached American Athletic Conference had to act itself.

The American’s legal predecessor was the Big East, which dissolved in 2013. After that, the conference now known as the AAC took a purge of Conference USA. From 2013 to 2014, C-USA schools UCF, Houston, Memphis, SMU, East Carolina, Tulane and Tulsa joined the league. Cincinnati, Temple and South Florida are the only remaining holdovers from the Big East, but for the Bearcats, that won’t be for long.

Fast forward to 2021 and the AAC is reportedly purging C-USA to rebuild its conference once again.

Fun Fact: If this were to go through, that would mean The American would have three teams that sport the nickname, Owls. The SEC is the only other conference with three schools having the same nickname with three sets of Tigers.

Remember when Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby threw a tantrum at ESPN when Oklahoma and Texas were first reported to be transitioning to the SEC? Obviously, Bowlsby has a reason for this.

ESPN is playing a huge part in conference realignment. The American is not considering these teams without the ESPN programming money talking in its ears.

The Reactions

Rumors are that the Sun Belt is slated to take Marshall and Southern Mississippi from Conference USA with the possibility for two other members. A lot of USF fans are not excited about the AAC’s move, and feel like the Bulls are getting lapped by UCF.

Remember in 2007 when USF was No. 2 in the nation? Now, some fans would even consider joining the Sun Belt. The bottom line is that South Florida fans are NOT happy with this potential outcome.

Death to C-USA?

With the AAC potentially poaching six C-USA teams, and the Sun Belt playing clean up, is this the end for Conference USA?

Mixed Feelings

Map of the New AAC