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The latest from the dirty south (UNC athletic department sources to Jefferson Pilot to Southland)…

UNC is still bitter about the expansion, but is looking ahead toward the twelfth school dilemma. The overwhelming feeling at UNC is that it is inevitable that Notre Dame will be invited as the twelfth school within the next six months. According to my friend, there would be an understanding that ND would continue as an Independent in football for the remainder of their partnership with NBC, but that the Irish would be obligated to the ACC if their Independence ended.

If the Irish were to accept, his UNC sources have indicated that UNC would push for Temple as a football-only affiliate. The addition of Temple would put the ACC in Philadelphia, give the ACC 12 football schools, and (as he put it – “most importantly”) would avoid any conference lawsuits.

When I asked about ECU… he laughed.

I laughed when you wrote Temple. They can't be serious.

Why all the ND references for ACC? If they wanted to give up independence, the BE can do that for them and be more generous on terms/concessions.

Because the President of Clemson acknowledged that the space has been left for Notre Dame... he is the head of the ACC Presidential Committee.

Temple... that surprised me too, but if the ACC is hell-bent on Notre Dame, they are going to have to take in a school that will accept a football-only affiliation.