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This one could be fun! Don't cheat or search right away! Give an honest guess!

without looking it up...I am going to say ..

oldest ACC
2nd oldest MAC
3rd big ten

Oldest...Big Ten(18 something, University of Chicago was a founding member!)
second oldest, ACC?
Third MAC-1946
fourth the SEC...I guess.

When do we get the definitive answer?

MAC is third: 1946.

First is the Big Can't Count Conference: formed in the 19th century

Next is the SEC in the early part of the 20th century.

ACC was in the 50's.

Pac 10 wasn't finalized until the 70's. Pac 8 was formed from the old Pacific Coast Conference (or something) in the late 60's.

C-USA came into existence about the same time as the compact disc.

Big 12th - who cares? Bring back the Southwest Conference!

The rest: No idea nor do I care.

Well, I checked it against the 2005 Division I football NCAA record book, because I was curious about your take on the Pac-10:

Big Ten: Founded in 1895 as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives, better known as the Western Conference. Charter members (7): Chicago, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin.

Pacific-10: Founded in 1915 as the Pacific Coast Conference by group of four charter members. Charter members (4): California, Oregon, Oregon St. and Washington.

Southeastern: Founded in 1933 when charter members all left the Southern Conference to become the SEC. Charter members (13): Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi St., Sewanee (!), Tennessee, Tulane and Vanderbilt.

Mid-American: Founded in 1946. Charter members (6): Butler, Cincinnati, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Western Mich. and Western Reserve (now Case Reserve).

Atlantic Coast: Founded in 1953 when charter members all left the Southern Conference to form the ACC. Charter members (7): Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina St., South Carolina and Wake Forest.

Western Athletic: Founded in 1962 when charter members left the Skyline and Border Conferences to form the WAC. Charter members (6): Arizona from Border), Arizona St. (from Border), Brigham Young (from Skyline), New Mexico (from Skyline), Utah (from Skyline) and Wyoming (from Skyline).

Big East: Founded in 1991 when eight charter members all went from independent status to form the Big East. Charter members (8): Boston College, Miami (Fla.), Pittsburgh, Rutgers (football only), Syracuse, Temple (football only), Virginia Tech (football only) and West Virginia (football
only).

Big 12: Founded in 1996 when 12 charter members combined eight members of Big Eight Conference with four former Southwest Conference members. Charter members (12): Baylor, Colorado, Iowa St., Kansas, Kansas St., Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

Conference USA: Founded in 1996 when five charter members went from independent status and one former Southwest Conference member combined to form Conference USA. Charter members (6): Cincinnati, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Southern Miss. and Tulane.

Mountain West: Founded in 1999. Charter members (8): Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado St., UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego St., Utah and Wyoming. All left the Western Athletic Conference after two years of 16-team league.

Sun Belt: Founded in 2001 when four former members of the Big West Conference combined with three former Division I-A independents. Charter members (7): Arkansas St. (from Big West), Idaho (from Big West),
La.-Lafayette (independent), La.-Monroe (independent), Middle Tenn. (independent), New Mexico St. (from Big West), North Texas (from Big West).

...

Anyway, I'm a little surprised the Big 12 doesn't get credit for the Big 8's long history: (Originally founded in 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association with five charter members: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Washington-St. Louis.).

We must assume a new league was officially formed, with all eight Big 8 members leaving the old one behind.

Maybe the old Big 8 owed somebody in Youngstown some money.

Schadenfreude wrote:Well, I checked it against the 2005 Division I football NCAA record book, because I was curious about your take on the Pac-10:

Big Ten: Founded in 1895 as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives, better known as the Western Conference. Charter members (7): Chicago, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin.

Pacific-10: Founded in 1915 as the Pacific Coast Conference by group of four charter members. Charter members (4): California, Oregon, Oregon St. and Washington.

Southeastern: Founded in 1933 when charter members all left the Southern Conference to become the SEC. Charter members (13): Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi St., Sewanee (!), Tennessee, Tulane and Vanderbilt.

Mid-American: Founded in 1946. Charter members (6): Butler, Cincinnati, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Western Mich. and Western Reserve (now Case Reserve).

Atlantic Coast: Founded in 1953 when charter members all left the Southern Conference to form the ACC. Charter members (7): Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina St., South Carolina and Wake Forest.

Western Athletic: Founded in 1962 when charter members left the Skyline and Border Conferences to form the WAC. Charter members (6): Arizona from Border), Arizona St. (from Border), Brigham Young (from Skyline), New Mexico (from Skyline), Utah (from Skyline) and Wyoming (from Skyline).

Big East: Founded in 1991 when eight charter members all went from independent status to form the Big East. Charter members (8): Boston College, Miami (Fla.), Pittsburgh, Rutgers (football only), Syracuse, Temple (football only), Virginia Tech (football only) and West Virginia (football
only).

Big 12: Founded in 1996 when 12 charter members combined eight members of Big Eight Conference with four former Southwest Conference members. Charter members (12): Baylor, Colorado, Iowa St., Kansas, Kansas St., Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

Conference USA: Founded in 1996 when five charter members went from independent status and one former Southwest Conference member combined to form Conference USA. Charter members (6): Cincinnati, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Southern Miss. and Tulane.

Mountain West: Founded in 1999. Charter members (8): Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado St., UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego St., Utah and Wyoming. All left the Western Athletic Conference after two years of 16-team league.

Sun Belt: Founded in 2001 when four former members of the Big West Conference combined with three former Division I-A independents. Charter members (7): Arkansas St. (from Big West), Idaho (from Big West),
La.-Lafayette (independent), La.-Monroe (independent), Middle Tenn. (independent), New Mexico St. (from Big West), North Texas (from Big West).

...

Anyway, I'm a little surprised the Big 12 doesn't get credit for the Big 8's long history: (Originally founded in 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association with five charter members: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Washington-St. Louis.).

We must assume a new league was officially formed, with all eight Big 8 members leaving the old one behind.

Maybe the old Big 8 owed somebody in Youngstown some money.

Nerd.

Anybody interested in a useless bit of irrelevant trivia? The NWOAL is Ohio’s oldest High School athletic conference. The conference was formed twenty years before the MAC in 1926.

I'll tie that into Bowling Green football by mentioning that at one point we were recruiting a receiver from Patrick Henry named Mark Krauss. Also, former Bowling Green star and All MAC offensive lineman Joe Wyse was a graduate of Archbold. Carry on.......

I thought the SCOL was the oldest? It was formed in 1922.

Hillsboro, Clinton-Massie, London, Greenfield-McClain, Washington Courthouse, Miami Trace are in the current SCOL.

Old members include Wilmington, Zane Trace, Chillicothe... Circleville, and a few others.

MiamiBando wrote:I thought the SCOL was the oldest? It was formed in 1922.

Hillsboro, Clinton-Massie, London, Greenfield-McClain, Washington Courthouse, Miami Trace are in the current SCOL.

Old members include Wilmington, Zane Trace, Chillicothe... Circleville, and a few others.

Pure poppycock kid!

Actually that is an interesting question. All the trophy's and plaques that we received always claimed the NWOAL was Ohio's oldest conference. I did a quick internet search and came up with a link that shows they are still claiming to be Ohio's oldest:

http://156.63.149.74/bhs/letter/index.html

Perhaps my entire life I have been living a lie! I'd be interested in finding out which league is truly the oldest, so if you find something out let me know.

Actually, I thought the Ivy League was the oldest

I KNOW the SCOL was formed in 1922, my alma mater won it's first and only SCOL football title in 1930.

But I think they may not count the SCOL because they were disbanded during the 90's.

CapitalFalcon wrote:Actually, I thought the Ivy League was the oldest

It's I-AA -- and, according to the NCAA, it formed about 1955.

Big East: Founded in 1991 when eight charter members all went from independent status to form the Big East. Charter members (8): Boston College, Miami (Fla.), Pittsburgh, Rutgers (football only), Syracuse, Temple (football only), Virginia Tech (football only) and West Virginia (football
only).

----------------------------------------

I know this thread is about the age of "football conferences", but since you mentioned "football only" next to some of the Big East members, I thought I should add that the Big East was founded in 1979 as a "non-football conference":

The BIG EAST became a reality on May 31, 1979, following a meeting of athletic directors from Providence College, St. John', Georgetown and Syracuse Universities. Seton Hall, Connecticut and Boston College completed the original seven school alliance.

CapitalFalcon wrote:Actually, I thought the Ivy League was the oldest

Capital Falcon: You beat me to it! I would have to bet that the Ivy league is older than the Western Conf.(Big 11).....only based upon history of who played FB FIRST, and where the majority of the teams came from.

OTOH, if we're only counting current D-1 conf., then The Big 10 would have the edge.