Realignment has come to the College Football Landscape...it's time to go back to basics
In a stunning development this off-season the NCAA realigned and put their foot down after many cries from many fans around the country.
For 2024 and beyond the Pac 12 has been revived after teams were defecting in large numbers.
Also the Governing body for NCAA Division 1 went back to some divisional formats in some of the conferences.
Here is where all 134 teams are!
Pac 12 North Division
Oregon
Stanford
Washington
California
Oregon State
Washington State
Pac 12 South Division
USC
UCLA
Utah
Arizona State
Arizona
Colorado
SEC East Division
Florida
Georgia
Missouri
Kentucky
Tennessee
South Carolina
Vanderbilt
SEC West Division
Alabama
Texas A&M
Auburn
LSU
Ole Miss
Arkansas
Mississppi State
ACC Atlantic Division
Wake Forest
NC State
Clemson
FSU
Syracuse
Louisville
Boston College
ACC Costal Division
NC
Pittsburgh
Duke
Georgia Tech
Miami
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Big 10 East Division
Michigan
Ohio State
Penn State
Maryland
Rutgers
Michigan State
Indiana
Big 10 West Division
Iowa
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Illinois
Minnesota
Nebraska
Purdue
Big 12
Texas
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma
Iowa State
Kansas State
West Virginia
Texas Tech
Kansas
UCF
TCU
Houston
BYU
Baylor
Cincinnati
MAC East Division
Miami Ohio
Ohio
Bowling Green
Buffalo
Akron
Kent State
MAC West Division
Toledo
North Illinois
Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan
Ball State
Western Michigan
American Conference
SMU
Tulane
UTSA
Memphis
USF
Rice
Army
Navy
North Texas
UAB
FAU
Charlotte
Tulsa
Temple
East Carolina
Conference USA
Liberty
New Mexico State
Jacksonville State
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee State
UTEP
Louisiana Tech
FIU
Kennesaw State
Sam Houston
Mountain West
Boise State
UNLV
San Jose State
Air Force
Wyoming
Fresno State
Utah State
Hawai'i
Colorado State
Nevada
New Mexico
San Diego State
Sun Belt East Division
James Madison
Appalachian State
Costal Carolina
Old Dominion
Georgia State
Marshall
Georgia Southern
Sun Belt West Division
Troy
Texas State
Arkansas State
South Alabama
Lousiana
Southern Mississippi
UL Monroe
FBS Independents
Notre Dame
UConn
UMass
Conferences with divisions will have each division champ by record play in the conference title game. All conferences will have 8 conference games annually.
Fans welcomed the return of the proper Pac 12 as well as the divisional format for the SEC, ACC and Big 10.
New NC State Wolfpack Head Coach Coach Phillip Rivers is Introduced to the Media
" I really look forward to getting to know all the boys and get this program to the National Championship" said Rivers. "I have a great idea of what needs to be done here to turn our program into a perennial winner in the ACC. Rivers is married to his Junior High School sweetheart Tiffany and have 10 children. 7 daughters and 3 sons. Asked if his oldest son Gunner would be a future Wolfpack player Phillip replied "Gunner is working hard this year.....it's his senior year in high school and great things are ahead for him".
Rivers shattered virtually all of NC States and the ACC's passing records.
The fans were thrilled with this hire and expect a swift rise to the top!
Week 1 #22 Wolfpack takes on La Tech in Season Opener
The Wolfpack and new HC Phillip Rivers will face LA Tech in their season opener. This game will be our first look at HC's Rivers newly installed Air Raid offense and SR Transfer QB Grayson McCall pulling all the levers. Coach Rivers has raved about McCall's grasp of his playbook and feels highly confident he is the guy to run the offense this season.
The Wolfpack will also look to get Jordan Waters involved early and often. We should also see Freshman (RS) RB Hollywood Smothers and Kendrick Raphael get some touches as well. The passing game is spearheaded and runs thru Senior star WR Kevin Concepcion and Senior TE Justin Joly.
Defensively Senior LE Davin Vann and JR MLB Caden Fordham lead the defense. Senior CB Aydan White leads the secondary.
#21 Wolfpack Pulls Out Thrilling Opening Week Win 42-38 vs a Feisty Louisiana Tech Team
It was a wild debut for HC Phillips Rivers and his Wolfpack. Unranked LA Tech came out and served notice this was going to be a real football game. They were both tough on the ground as well as thru the air en route to taking a 21-13 halftime lead into the locker room.
However after 3 quarters we had a 21-21 game heading into what would be an outrageous 4th quarter. It was there that SR QB Grayson MCCall took over along with Sophomore Superstar WR Kevin Concepcion. The Wolfpack would outscore the Bulldogs 21-17 to pull out a huge home win in week 1
Some Key Stats
Passing
LA Tech Passing
Jack Turner - 26/35 408 yards 4TD
NC State Passing
Grayson McCall - 26/43 382 yards 4TD int
LA Tech Rushing
Marquis Crosby - 19/118 TD
Jack Turner - 6/33 fumble lost
NC State Rushing
Jordan Waters 20/82 TD
Kendrick Raphael 5/21
LA Tech Receiving
Marlon Jackson - 6/135 TD
Tru Edwards - 4/102 2TD
Eli Finley - 3/63 TD
Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim - 3/38
NC State Receiving
Kevin Concepcion - 7/173 3TD (83 Yard TD)
Dacari Collins - 7/106
Justin Joly - 5/57 TD
#21 NC State Blown Out in Week 2 at Va Tech 41-10
It was a rainy long day for HC Rivers Wolfpack as his offense could get nothing going and his defense simply was bowled over the Hokies of Virginia Tech. The Ghosts of Frank Beamer were everywhere as VA Tech dominated on the ground and in special teams. VA Tech ran for a whopping 288 net yards and passed for 198. NC State was never in this one down 38-0 thru 3 full quarters.
"We just need to rinse this game away and move forward. We have a game in Charlotte vs App State and we will bounce back" said Coach Rivers.
Wolfpack Rolls in Week 3 vs The Mountaineers 34-13 to Rebound from Week 2 Blowout Loss vs The Hokies.
Senior QB Grayson McCall lit up the Bank Of America Stadium Scoreboard tonight throwing for 419 Yards and 3TD en route to a huge bounce back win vs the Mountaineers of Appalachian State. HE hooked up with Sophomore sensation WR Kevin Concepcion 7 times for 198 yards and 2 TD's. Red Shirt Freshman RB Hollywood Smothers who has fast become a fan favorite scored his first TD of the season and chipped in 35 yards on the ground on just 7 carries. Dacari Collins also had fun hauling in 6/88 yards and Junior TE Justin Joly caught his first TD and had 3/86 yards.
Now the Wolfpack head on the road to take on the #6 team in the nation in rival Clemson. This will be a huge test for Rivers and his Wolfpack. Can they pull out a road upset of this perinial ACC power? We shall find out!
# 21 Wolfpack Upend #6 Clemson in Coach Rivers First Signature Win 28-24 In front of a Stunned Death Valley Crowd!
Senior Transfer QB Grayson McCall led his NC State Wolfpack to a huge win on the road in front of a highly hostile Clemson crowd. McCall would lead an efficient attack finishing 36/46 for 328 Yards and 2TD. Superstar Sophomore WR Kevin Concepcion would lead all receivers hauling in 12 receptions for 115 yards and a TD. He was battling a bruised Sternum in the second half and would ultimately not evn be able to finsh the game in the final 6 minutes. McCall even led all of State's rushers gaining 32 yards on 11 scrambles and also scoring a TD on a huge 4th quarter QB Draw play where he wa able to walk in from 12 yards out.
The first half saw this game as a major defensive battle and the Tigers only led 10-7 heading into the tunnel. IT would then climb to 17-7 before the Wolfpack would cut it to 17-14. The Tigers would answer in the beggining of the 4th quarter and extend their lead again to 24-14 before Grayson would lead his team to 14 unanswered to pull off the huge signature victory for this Wolfpack team.
Statistically this game was nip and tuck and a cleanly played game. Only one turnover and that was an early interception thrown by Clemson. Penalties were a non factor with only 3/45 for the Tigers and 2/10 on the Wolfpack. Total yards were virtually even with 396 for NC State and 401 for the Tigers. The real difference was the 4th quarter and the ability of NC State to convert 3rd downs. They finished 13/18 (72%) in comparison to Clemson who finished 5/9 (55%) . Also NC State was able to severly limit Clemsons hurry up offense and NC State domianted TOP 2-1. NC State held it 30:31 to Clemsons 17:29.
"I could not be prouder than I am today of NC State Football" said Coach Rivers". "We circled this game in Spring practice and said to each other this is the gam we gotta have....and show the country we have arrived and are gonna make some real noise in the ACC and National rankings."
The Wolfpack head home to face a feisty Northern Illinois University Huskies team hungry for a big win vs a ranked team.
#13 NC State Pulls Out OT Thriller vs Unranked NIU Huskies 40-34
Coming off Phillip Rivers first signature win as the Head Coach of the Wolfpack the team found itself down 21-7 to NIU by the end of the first half this past Saturday in Carter Finley Stadium in Raleigh NC. A last second FG made the score 21-10 heading into the tunnel. An early pick 6 thrown by McCall helped NIU storm out to a two TD lead. However at the start of the second half Grayson McCall who transferred to NC State from Coastal Carolina Went off and by the end of the 3rd quarter we had a tie game at 24-24. Both teams would trade a FG each to end regulation at 27-27. The Wolfpack then pulled it out in double OT winning 40-34.
The game proved tough. Grayson continues to light uop the stat sheet. He finished 33/43 for 432 Yards and 3TD with the lone pick 6 being his only mistake. Senior RB Jordan Waters had a great game going 17/82 yards and 2TD and 1 TD Reception. Junior WR Dacari Collins led all with 13/149 and Kevin Concepcion adding 4/138 and 2TD including a huge 61 yard TD.
NIU gave NC State all it can handle in the ground game as Antario Brown rushed for 148 yards and a TD.
"This was a game where we were tested in our focus and the ability to come from behind at home coming off a huge...emotionally draining conference win". I am really impressed by the poise Grayson has shown this season thus far as he continues to grow into a great QB.".
"The reason I transferred here was Coach Rivers and the Ai Raid Attack he implemented". I knew after talking to coach Rivers he would take my career to new heights. I want to be a 1st round selection in the NFL draft next year and Coach Rivers and my teammates are in full support of my long term goals. My short term goals are clear. help my team win a National Championship and help NC State return to the top of college football".
The Wolfpack take on Wake Forest in another big ACC conference game in Week 6.