really? again? you guys are killing me
the Big Ten supposedly (they're "denying" it) told 4 schools they will extend offers to join their conference
Notre Dame
Rutgers
Nebraska
Missouri
which is weird because that would push their number to 15 and not 16...but I guess they operated as an 11-team league for a long time and like being weird
This means the Big 12 will need to be the first to react...if not they could lose Texas/Texas A&M to the SEC...(maybe Oklahoma?) the only way Texas leaves is if the Big 12 starts to crumble...if Missouri and Nebraska take Big Ten offers and Colorado takes a PAC-10 offer, the Big 12 will need to scramble to add TCU, Utah and one other
PAC-10 will look at adding Boise State and Fresno State, along with Colorado as I mentioned earlier
we talked about it earlier, that the SEC might take Georgia Tech and Clemson...but Georgia Tech is already in a market that the SEC owns and Clemson wouldn't substantially raise the football prowess of the conference, which is what they're looking to do...they could add Texas and Texas A&M and just stop there at 14....what the SEC does will be interesting
I'm really advocating that the ACC take advantage of the opportunity the Big Ten has given them
most speculated that Syracuse and Pitt would be 2 of the teams the Big Ten added, but with Penn State blocking the Pitt bid, and for an unknown reason, they chose Rutgers over Syracuse...this leaves the ACC with a huge opportunity
there is no one the ACC can add to keep up with the Big Ten and SEC in football...that's just the reality of the situation...what they can hope for is that Miami and FSU get back on track and VT and UNC keep trending upward along with solid programs like GT and BC in some years...then a program like Clemson who has had success in the past and might in the future when Swinney is gone
so what the ACC must do is strengthen their bargaining chip, which is and has always been basketball...with new television contract negotiations coming up and a joint ACC/PAC-10 TV Network on the horizon, it would be smart for John Swofford to sell the basketball rights as a package deal with football, so the ACC can continue to play on national television in both sports
there are 5 huge additions left in the Big East for the ACC to scoop up...just select 4 of them and move on
Syracuse
West Virginia
Pitt
Louisville
UConn
all 5 fit the geographic footprint of the ACC and all 5 bring a new untapped market to the conference...not to mention, all 5 are Elite basketball programs
schools like VT, UVa and Maryland might try to block WVU from entering the conference, so it could be Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville and UConn...going the basketball route would also please the Carolina schools, which would be crucial for any additions
the ACC might fall behind in football, but not if you can generate TV contracts...and doing so means playing your hand well
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