no expansion talk?

[gcdevil22]

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

[1inStripes]

There has been talk of a PAC-10/Big-12 Network alliance as well. This could get really interesting. They say that the reason the Big 10 is looking at Rutgers more than the Cuse is because they control more of the NY fanbase than the Orange do. Sort of surprising, but it makes sense. I would think the SEC will go to 16 once the SuperBig 10 or Big 16 or whatever they will call it, adds their teams. I would tend to believe they will add Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Okie State.

[gcdevil22]

a guy I talked to, whose father used to be the commissioner for the SEC...said there were some within the conference who wanted Texas, Texas A&M, Florida State and......Virginia Tech

I'm not as inclined to think that would actually happen...but there's really no doubting VT has carried the ACC flag in football since their entry in 2004...and if you're going to take any ACC teams, and want to do so for football purposes, there's not too much better you can do

it will be interesting to compare the conference landscape...say, a year from now, as compared to right now...there are a big number of possibilities that could happen...or nothing at all could happen...who knows

[1inStripes]

The Oklahoma state teams could get caught in quite the pinch if the SEC goes a different route. I dont think they really want to get caught in a lesser conference, and if Texas and Nebraska are gone, thats basically what would happen to the Big 12. It would be a glorified Mountain West or Conference USA. I don't think the Pac-10 would want to reach that far East to pick them up even though it would be a nice addition for them in the pigskin games. Colorado is as far west as they will go I think.

I would be fine with those 4 teams you mention joining the SEC. That would definitely make it interesting every year in these parts whenever the UT/VT matchup came about.

[CPF]

Listening to the rivals network today on sirius xm, there was a report that the SEC had preliminary discussions about expansion with Georgia Tech,Miami, Florida State and believe it or not West Virginia about joining the SEC. This is about to get really interesting.......

[CP7]

I have been hearing Arkansas to the Big 12 and FSU to the SEC for at least a year.

I guess this is assuming a Big 12 team joins the Pac-10 or Big 10.