by ponyscott » Mon Jan 02, 2012 1:44 pm
They didn't but have extensively lobbied for it, but the ACC may just stay at 14 schools when Syracuse and Pitt eventually join. But from the Conn governor as below says if they don't get into the ACC...'you fall back to the BE':
"Dannel P. Malloy, the Connecticut governor, has now weighed in on conference realignment.
I think there was expectancy built up initially that this was quickly going to be resolved. That's clearly not the case. The ACC has the first decision to make and that's whether they're going to stay at 14 teams or stay at 16. I know that there's one team, one school that they would like to get into the ACC that would guarantee them going to 16 teams and that's been speculated to be Notre Dame. I suspect that that's true. I don't know how likely that is to happen or not happen. Although, I tend to think it's not terribly likely."
But, if the ACC sticks at 14, what do you do if you are UConn? as Malloy quoted: "Beyond that you fall back to the Big East."
Boston College will continue to talk about 'territorial exclusivity' and make it difficult for U Conn to get accepted. A block by Boston College to the ACC is really no different than USF's block of UCF to the Big East, Kentucky's block of Louisville or Florida, Georgia and South Carolina's supposed "Gentlemen's Agreement" that would prevent Florida State, Georgia Tech and Clemson, respectively, from joining the SEC. If SMU, UCF and Houston bring good programs to the BE, the U Conn talk may settle down.