PonyFans.com

Mention has been made that UConn may soon be joining the ranks of the ACC. Undoubtedly, if they are invited, they will be joined by another program. This will bring the ACC's membership to 16. This is important to SMU for the reasons of how it affects the SEC.

The SEC wishes to attain a possible third BCS bid. If another conference outnumbers the SEC, then that conference is more likely to send a greater number of teams. Thus, the more programs the ACC adds, the more the SEC will be compelled to add so as to not fall behind.

If one accepts that Missouri is to join the ranks of the SEC, then that leaves two remaining openings in a 16 program SEC. Although its market is small, West Virginia still offers a successful flagship program with a familiar culture. This leaves one available opening.

Louisville is a candidate, for certain, but will be struck down by Kentucky. The state is too small, and Kentucky is by far the state's most dominant program, which would make Louisville an unnecessary redundancy.

Cincinnati is too far north, both in geography and culture. Its market does not justify those differences.

That leaves SMU, the benefits of which have been stated in other threads and I do not feel the need to repeat here. At 16, SMU has a chance.

ummm..Rutgers?

I think the Big 12 would still be more likely. If not us, the SEC would still grab someone to get to 16. They Big 12 will pretty much be forced to get to 16 at some point, along with the Pac whatever.

RGV Pony wrote:ummm..Rutgers?

It is my assumption that Rutgers will be taken with UConn, so as to control the New York market with the combination of Syracuse-Rutgers-UConn. I apologize for not having stated this in my initial post.

I'd love for this to be true, and i do like the enthusiasm/positivity, but i just dont see it. pipedream.

this is the only way to analyze realignment-3 jumps ahead. From Top to Bottom conferences. If you are focusing on one conference then you are not seeing the big picture

Agreed. Today's pipedream is tomorrow's reality. Just ask TCU. SEC should be our long-term goal.

Maybe SMU and UH could be a package deal to the Big East to get the Dallas and Houston markets.

SMU 86 wrote:Maybe SMU and UH could be a package deal to the Big East to get the Dallas and Houston markets.

That is the only way SMU to Big East happens at this point.

This is what i am hoping for.

Samurai Stang wrote:Mention has been made that UConn may soon be joining the ranks of the ACC. Undoubtedly, if they are invited, they will be joined by another program. This will bring the ACC's membership to 16. This is important to SMU for the reasons of how it affects the SEC.

The SEC wishes to attain a possible third BCS bid. If another conference outnumbers the SEC, then that conference is more likely to send a greater number of teams. Thus, the more programs the ACC adds, the more the SEC will be compelled to add so as to not fall behind.

If one accepts that Missouri is to join the ranks of the SEC, then that leaves two remaining openings in a 16 program SEC. Although its market is small, West Virginia still offers a successful flagship program with a familiar culture. This leaves one available opening.

Louisville is a candidate, for certain, but will be struck down by Kentucky. The state is too small, and Kentucky is by far the state's most dominant program, which would make Louisville an unnecessary redundancy.

Cincinnati is too far north, both in geography and culture. Its market does not justify those differences.

That leaves SMU, the benefits of which have been stated in other threads and I do not feel the need to repeat here. At 16, SMU has a chance.

Or...or...

Their are 4 16-team conferences:

B10
Acc
Sec
Pac

best of B12 goes to Pac12 or SEC

Who says they stop at 16 teams? What in history tells us that these conferences will simply stop? Nothing. The landscape will never be set in stone...never.

Samurai, you may be on to something here.

Also, was I the only one who chucked at the mention of West Virginia's "culture?"

I started a thread for it, because it's too damn funny not to about WVU.

http://wvgazette.com/Sports/todayssport ... 1110064312

smu has a shot at the sec but
tulane is lucky to be in cusa and the big 12 blowhards know it.
zero respect for the big 12.
dragging tulane's name through this when they know they don't have a chance. pathetic posturing.