ACC GOR

[GRGB]

Big Ten would never take UConn or West Virginia. They simply are not in the league of the current B1G members or SEC, for that matter. I would have preferred Mizzou in the Big Ten, but that ship has left the dock. Perhaps stability will reign for the short and mid-term?

I've learned you can never say never with respect to college realignment. If you told me 6-7 years ago that Rutgers and Maryland would be in the Big Ten, or Louisville in the ACC, I would've laughed in your face.

I agree with UConn and WVU by themselves. But if Mizzou expressed interest (which I think is highly unlikely, but just for the sake of the argument) as a 15th member, then the B10 would be in a position where they might have to settle somewhat on their 16th member with the ACC teams off the table. I think they'd take UConn way before WVU- WVU will pretty much assuredly never be a B10 member- but like I said, never say never.

Dude what are you smoking. WV to B10? If not for being good in FB, they aren't even a B12 academic team. No way B10 takes the local yokals and their banjos.

[GRGB]

Pretty significant...but can ACC public universities still leave and claim "sovereign immunity" like Maryland has in attempting to avoid the $50m exit fee? Assuming they can't, yeah, this pretty much shuts down any more ACC schools going to the B10 for awhile, or, as I had previously and consistently predicted, VT and NC State going to the SEC.

How does this apply to ND? The article I saw said the "15" ACC schools were subject to this, so I'm assuming ND is as well? If not, they go back to once again being B10 target #1, although that's unlikely to happen - ND doesnt want to regionalize (is that a word?) themselves to the Midwest.

Who would be the B10's targets now? UConn? They would add to their draw in NYC and add Hartford. Hartford isn't LA but it's another market. Not an AAU member, though (not sure how much that matters anymore)

Could they convince Mizzou to leave the SEC, given the SEC's looming massive new TV network? The only reason I even mention them is that their admin previously wanted B10 membership over the SEC when the B10 ultimately took Nebraska a few years ago. Mizzou would make sense for the B10 from an academic (AAU member) and geographic standpoint, and it gives them more a foothold in the STL market as well as new market exposure in KC. If they get pummeled in the SEC again this season, does their fanbase start to think they perhaps they've bitten off more than they can chew? Remember, it was the near-revolt of the Mizzou fanbase which helped convince their admin to seek SEC membership in 2011.

West Virginia would make sense geographically, but academically they're a mess and I can't see the B10 powers that be signing off on that. Ultimately, I think the B10 is stuck at 14 for the foreseeable future; they really have to stretch to get to 16 now and it's probably not worth it for them unless they can convince Mizzou to bolt.

What about the SEC? Maybe EJ Holland can fire up those SMU to the SEC rumors again. I guess VT and NC State are out. West Virginia could be a target if they really want to go to 16, but again, they don't add a whole lot. Looks like they're stuck at 14 for awhile, too. The idea of four 4-team pods with a two round SEC championship would be a ratings/revenue bonanza for the conference, though.

Props to Jim Swofford for putting a grinding halt to all of this ridiculousness. Long live the American!

If the ACC is out for B1G, B12, and SEC expansion, then the remainders are:

CIncy, UConn (ACC?)
SMU, Houston (ACC, PAC12, B12, SEC, B1G?)
UCF/USF (not academic, but large schools in Florida)
Not much else.

ACC14, B1G14, B12(Ten), SEC14

All are unstable numbers. PAC12 is sitting pretty in league balance right now. It's looking like 80 teams will be "saved" (5x16).
My guess is that there's a fight to move to S. Central time zone...

Earlier I thought it was between ACC and B12 to make the 4th 16 team conference, but with ACC stabilized, is the B12 unstable at 10?? Does Maryland go back?

Pac12 is in a wait and see and if a few years pass (to let grant of rights expire), then UT/OU+2 opens up for another run at Pac16.

Earlier it was mentioned that B1G wanted to get to 16 or 18 asap for a cable deal...and if SEast was out, then Southern expansion was in... Mizzou makes sense and would be a free move. Then what?

[smubrooks]

We just need to win, win, win. Start consistently kicking butt in both Basketball and Football, use the exposure to build brand awareness, then we will be a good option for future expansion. We are on the verge of something special, let's just not drop the ball.... again.

[EastStang]

The TV transfer rights only lasts the length of the ESPN contract. Once that ends, it will be open season again. At least this creates a hiatus on all of this mischief.

[leopold]

All this does is push additional realignment back a few years.

I have said this before many times and I will say it again:

The Big XII is still the weakling of the group.

There are massive divisions within the conference, worse than in any other. It's major drawing card STILL wants out - in fact, long term, EVERY school would go if they could. The conference is not built to compete for TV markets when compoared to the other major conferences.

If FSU, Clemson and so on were going to create an Eastern Wing to the Big XII, that idea is now gone, at least for a decade.

And the clock is now ticking on the Big XII's own transfer rights. Give it five years - they will all take another look to get out.

This just reaffirmed what we already knew.

[StallionsModelT]

I wonder if Kansas would be a target for the Big 10. They are an AAU institution and would fit in their geographic footprint.

[East Coast Mustang]

Big Ten would never take UConn or West Virginia. They simply are not in the league of the current B1G members or SEC, for that matter. I would have preferred Mizzou in the Big Ten, but that ship has left the dock. Perhaps stability will reign for the short and mid-term?

I've learned you can never say never with respect to college realignment. If you told me 6-7 years ago that Rutgers and Maryland would be in the Big Ten, or Louisville in the ACC, I would've laughed in your face.

I agree with UConn and WVU by themselves. But if Mizzou expressed interest (which I think is highly unlikely, but just for the sake of the argument) as a 15th member, then the B10 would be in a position where they might have to settle somewhat on their 16th member with the ACC teams off the table. I think they'd take UConn way before WVU- WVU will pretty much assuredly never be a B10 member- but like I said, never say never.

Dude what are you smoking. WV to B10? If not for being good in FB, they aren't even a B12 academic team. No way B10 takes the local yokals and their banjos.

Yeah, that's why I said it's pretty much next to impossible.

[East Coast Mustang]

If the ACC is out for B1G, B12, and SEC expansion, then the remainders are:

CIncy, UConn (ACC?)
SMU, Houston (ACC, PAC12, B12, SEC, B1G?)
UCF/USF (not academic, but large schools in Florida)
Not much else.

ACC14, B1G14, B12(Ten), SEC14

All are unstable numbers. PAC12 is sitting pretty in league balance right now. It's looking like 80 teams will be "saved" (5x16).
My guess is that there's a fight to move to S. Central time zone...

Earlier I thought it was between ACC and B12 to make the 4th 16 team conference, but with ACC stabilized, is the B12 unstable at 10?? Does Maryland go back?

Pac12 is in a wait and see and if a few years pass (to let grant of rights expire), then UT/OU+2 opens up for another run at Pac16.

Earlier it was mentioned that B1G wanted to get to 16 or 18 asap for a cable deal...and if SEast was out, then Southern expansion was in... Mizzou makes sense and would be a free move. Then what?

Maryland won't go back. They'll make a killing with the new Big Ten TV deal. I highly doubt that Mizzou would jump the SEC at this point with their new TV contract that will shatter all previous records, but like I said, their admin would prefer it from an academic/geographic standpoint.

When does the B12 deal expire? 2018? At that point I think Texas and OU move west with Tech and Okie State. The Stanfords and Berkeleys will really hold their noses at those last three to play with Texas.

Kansas is an intriguing possibility for the B10, but I don't think they could make that move politically without KSU. Maybe they go as a package deal to get the B10 to 16 when the current B12 deal is up? I doubt it, but anything's possible I suppose.

[East Coast Mustang]

Also, not sure who the B12 expansion candidates are at this point if they wanted to get back to 12 ASAP. I always thought that DeLoss, Mack, and the Whorns opposed 12 because it creates the need for a champ game which makes their path to the national title game harder. Of course, when you're starting David Ash at QB, that path isn't very promising to begin with.

I've always thought BYU would make sense for the B12, and then after that I don't know. Colorado State? Cincinnati? Louisville was a favorite for awhile but now it doesn't look like they're going anywhere. Maybe USF/UCF? I don't see them adding anymore Texas teams unfortunately, unless we have a Boise State-esque run in the next couple of years and are packing and expanding Ford.

[RGV Pony]

Aside from uconn and cinci the most attractive now seem like usf and byu. Strange bedfellows all around.

[East Coast Mustang]

I kind of feel for UConn. They've been an elite basketball program for 20 years, make a sizable investment in 1-A football, build a new 40,000 seat stadium and draw well, make several bowls including one BCS appearance, and still no love from the major conferences.

[StallionsModelT]

Screw UConn.

[MV pony]

Sounds to me like SMU is going to be stuck at the mid major level for a long, long time even should it turn in stellar performances on the field and court. BTW, where's the exciting SMU announcement? Did I miss it?

[PonySnob]

We'll certainly need to start doing better than 6-6 regular seasons. At least we have some time to start winning 10+ games a year.......

[dr rc]

If the ACC is out for B1G, B12, and SEC expansion, then the remainders are:

CIncy, UConn (ACC?)
SMU, Houston (ACC, PAC12, B12, SEC, B1G?)
UCF/USF (not academic, but large schools in Florida)
Not much else.

ACC14, B1G14, B12(Ten), SEC14

SMU and Houston have zero chance at the SEC. The SEC is no longer taking schools in the same geographic footprint. The only AAC schools that have a shot at the SEC are East Carolina and Cincinnati and that is purely b/c of the states they reside in.

The Big 12 will only expand if a conference championship becomes important in the 4 game playoff. Otherwise they will stay at 10. If they do expand, schools like Cincinnati, Memphis, USF, and UCF are who they will court. They might look at BYU and Boise St if they could get them as a package deal but the TV issues with BYU would probably nix that.

The ACC is done expanding for the time being. The only way they expand is if they somehow lose schools again. That does not seem likely in the near future with the GOR. However, the ACC is the most realistic destination for SMU and Houston if they do want to make a move. Cincinnati, UConn, and potentially Memphis would be targeted first though.

The Big Ten is like the SEC in that it wants to add new states to its geographic footprint. They are going to want a school to be AAU and will probably only make an exception for very few schools who aren't. UConn and Notre Dame are the two they might take that aren't AAU. Regardless, they want UNC, UVA, Georgia Tech type schools and are probably willing it wait the ACC out.

The Pac 12 also MIGHT consider Houston and SMU but I think they would probably consider UNLV first b/c their AD actually does fairly well for itself monetarily and it's much closer geographically. They also would probably end up moving their championship game to Las Vegas if they took UNLV. Also, they might look to Hawaii before going all the way to Texas. Boise State would have to do massive improvements in their other sports programs to ever get a sniff of the Pac 12 but they seem to be determined to land in a big conference so I wouldn't count them out.