Nick Saban opposes geographically incoherent conferences

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The latest round of realignment has certainly created some geographic oddities within conferences.

The most notable example is the Big Ten, which now spans from coast to coast with the additions of the four West Coast teams. The same can be said for the ACC, which now has two teams from the Bay Area and one from Texas in the "Atlantic Coast Conference."

Things will get even wackier this season with movement in the Group of Five ranks as Texas State joins the new Pac-12, Northern Illinois moves to the Mountain West and FBS newcomer Sacramento State plays in the MAC.

This has, understandably, created some headaches — particularly when it comes to travel for non-football sports. During a congressional hearing for the proposed "Protect College Sports Act," former Alabama coach Nick Saban voiced his support for regionally coherent conferences.

"I think it is in the best interest of student-athletes to have regional conferences," Saban said, per Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger.

"I don’t think it’s fair for someone at USC to have to go to Rutgers, whether field hockey or a football game," he added. "That’s crazy."

Conference realignment is nothing new in college football, and the SEC underwent two major expansions during Saban's tenure with the Crimson Tide. However, it could be argued that those moves — which added teams from Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri — still largely preserved the conference's geographic footprint in the southeast.

Saban isn't the only one voicing concern about the increased travel demand in college sports. Still, geographically incoherent realignment moves were made to maximize conference revenue and improve the college football product.

As long as those two things are accomplished, it doesn't seem Saban and others are going to get their way.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Nick Saban wants regional conferences in college sports

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