ESPN.com has an animated, interactive slideshow on the history of conference realignment (link). The exhibit goes beyond merely presenting factual information, also analyzing larger trends that brought us to where we are today. The 1984 Supreme Court ruling that the NCAA could not limit the amount of weekly college football telecasts stands out as a major turning point. This decision, along with formation of the College Football Association (CFA), preceded, if not directly caused, a number of East Coast independents seeking conference memberships and existing conferences expanding their numbers of schools.
