Division 1 College Conference Realignment

[Geoff]

Where are the other Great West Conference members going?

The WAC with the exception of NJIT and Houston Baptist. HBU is headed to the Southland.

The WAC should just take NJIT. NJIT needs a home, the WAC needs bodies.

[Island_Style]

The Big10 is not done. I think the SEC shares this vision.

[ESTONES6]

The Big10 is not done. I think the SEC shares this vision.

Nothing we didn't know. We may be able to infer something though. The B16 TEN may be getting closer to 16 sooner than we think. Its kind of insane to think the premier sports outlet is reporting news from an athletic director of a school within the Conference that has pretty much started all this. If that $40 million dollar figure is anywhere close to being accurate, then its pretty obvious why Maryland hit the road so fast without thinking twice.

Interesting to hear about NC State saying they weren't happy about Maryland leaving. I'm curious to see if they are positioning themselves for an SEC jump or if they are posturing for more support with in the ACC.

I had anticipated the B16 TEN expansion effort to be something like a 5 year plan. If there is already an AD from a major school in a major conference talking about 16... then I think the B16 TEN already has a handful of schools they have contacted and have received commitments from. It just comes down to who they want to poach. I think its safe to say that Virginia will probably get an invite. The only question is 16.

I love the little snipet from Mizzou at the end. I thought the B16 TEN really dropped the ball when they didn't invite Missouri. I think Mizzou would have added to the football and basketball competitiveness, but they have a historic rivalry with Nebraska, especially for a conference who prides itself on history and tradition.

[rams80]

The Big10 is not done. I think the SEC shares this vision.

OITGDB1G

I love the little snipet from Mizzou at the end. I thought the B16 TEN really dropped the ball when they didn't invite Missouri. I think Mizzou would have added to the football and basketball competitiveness, but they have a historic rivalry with Nebraska, especially for a conference who prides itself on history and tradition.

Nebraska does not consider Missouri a rival.

[Island_Style]

Gator Bowl Executive Director had this to say. Anyone surprised? Duke??

[Chicageaux]

Gator Bowl Executive Director had this to say. Anyone surprised? Duke??

Not the first time, I heard Duke's name brought up in jumping over to the SEC. I don't know about UNC though and I believe they'll be the one to go with UVA to the BI6.

[DarkJourney]

Duke & North Carolina going their separate ways. $Greed$ just keeps on destroying college sports.

[Saint Zephyr III]

That $40M is insane; that's a new building a year per school!!

Duke & North Carolina going their separate ways. $Greed$ just keeps on destroying college sports.

That'd be up there with Texas/Texas A&M; just heartbreaking.

[Island_Style]

He might be dead on. I would think that he is a connected man.

[Chicageaux]

Or he may not be, I have reason to believe Virginia Tech will be one of two teams to join the SEC. I'd rather not say as much as I did two summers ago, just to make sure I don't get anyone in trouble as well as right now, there is so much up in the air.

Obvious facts are if one Viriginia school bolts, the other will as well but won't follow the other. The SEC is looking to expand up the east coast, they want a North Carolina school and while NC State has been thrown around, the SEC would prefer Duke. I can confirm that through a Texas A&M booster who is in the know. But, Duke doesn't necessarily prefer the SEC. The SEC also isn't looking to double up in a state. When they offered Oklahoma two summers ago, its why they didn't take OK State.

I'm pretty much going to tell everyone what they already know and tell you that the SEC wants one North Carolina school and Virginia Tech. I can also tell you the SEC doesn't want to be the conference to make the next move. They're waiting on the Big Ten to see what they do and who they take and that'll determine who they go after. I'd be surprised if anything happens before the bowl games.

[ESTONES6]

Or he may not be, I have reason to believe Virginia Tech will be one of two teams to join the SEC. I'd rather not say as much as I did two summers ago, just to make sure I don't get anyone in trouble as well as right now, there is so much up in the air.

Obvious facts are if one Viriginia school bolts, the other will as well but won't follow the other. The SEC is looking to expand up the east coast, they want a North Carolina school and while NC State has been thrown around, the SEC would prefer Duke. I can confirm that through a Texas A&M booster who is in the know. But, Duke doesn't necessarily prefer the SEC. The SEC also isn't looking to double up in a state. When they offered Oklahoma two summers ago, its why they didn't take OK State.

I'm pretty much going to tell everyone what they already know and tell you that the SEC wants one North Carolina school and Virginia Tech. I can also tell you the SEC doesn't want to be the conference to make the next move. They're waiting on the Big Ten to see what they do and who they take and that'll determine who they go after. I'd be surprised if anything happens before the bowl games.

It seems about right. It seems most schools and conferences want to blame the B16 TEN for the NWO as people are calling it... and rightly so. Although I don't think EVERY move has been a knee jerk reaction to the B16 TEN's expansion, I think the conferences just want a finger to point and the B16 TEN is happy to be the scapegoat as long as that $X million per school figure keeps going up. Call me nieve, but there had to be SOME sort of talks between conferences and schools before the B16 TEN added Nebraska. I just can't believe the Colorado, Utah, Texas A&M, and Missouri just all jumped because the B16 TEN went hunting.

[Chicageaux]

I don't think it's so much, "Let's make the Big Ten look like the bad guys," as it is these conferences trying to be more persuasive once something happens. Virginia Tech becomes easier to persuade if UVA bolts as much as Duke would become easier to persuade if UNC were to leave for the Big Ten.

[ESTONES6]

I don't think it's so much, "Let's make the Big Ten look like the bad guys," as it is these conferences trying to be more persuasive once something happens. Virginia Tech becomes easier to persuade if UVA bolts as much as Duke would become easier to persuade if UNC were to leave for the Big Ten.

I can't believe a football dominated conference like the SEC would be more interested in Duke over North Carolina or NC State. I'll take your word for it. I've been patiently waiting for your posts to start showing up on this thread.

[McCall]

Here's my rough prediction.

Clemson/Florida St to Big 12

Georgia Tech/Virginia to Big 10

Virginia Tech/NC State to SEC

Now, from an ACC standpoint, they're best option is to immediately add Cincinnati and UConn (both discussed before adding Louisville) and maybe South Florida just to finish off the relevancy of the Big East and to get membership up. Next get Navy and Army. Now you've set up a good chance at making Notre Dame happy and getting them to become a full member. And assuming, a big hypothetical, they do, they'd be fine at 14. Put ND and BC in a division (a traditional game for ND) so they play every year. Army-Navy in a division so they're big game becomes and annual ACC conference game (more money for the conference?). Make that the opposite division for ND and it allows them to keep Navy as a permanent cross-division rival (or put all 4 schools in the same division I guess). Then, with 4 non-Conf games available, 3 can be taken up by USC, Michigan and Michigan St.

The ACC's key to success isn't fending off the other conferences. It's making Notre Dame as happy as possible.

[Island_Style]

The ACC's key to success isn't fending off the other conferences. It's making Notre Dame as happy as possible.

ND is already happy. The ACC gave them a sweet deal. That isn't the key. The only way for the ACC to survive is for ND to be a full time member.

[Geoff]

Here's my rough prediction.

Clemson/Florida St to Big 12

Georgia Tech/Virginia to Big 10

Virginia Tech/NC State to SEC

Now, from an ACC standpoint, they're best option is to immediately add Cincinnati and UConn (both discussed before adding Louisville) and maybe South Florida just to finish off the relevancy of the Big East and to get membership up. Next get Navy and Army. Now you've set up a good chance at making Notre Dame happy and getting them to become a full member. And assuming, a big hypothetical, they do, they'd be fine at 14. Put ND and BC in a division (a traditional game for ND) so they play every year. Army-Navy in a division so they're big game becomes and annual ACC conference game (more money for the conference?). Make that the opposite division for ND and it allows them to keep Navy as a permanent cross-division rival (or put all 4 schools in the same division I guess). Then, with 4 non-Conf games available, 3 can be taken up by USC, Michigan and Michigan St.

The ACC's key to success isn't fending off the other conferences. It's making Notre Dame as happy as possible.

One big problem with that is that Army-Navy is always held after the conference championships. If they both joined the ACC, that game would have to come before the ACCCG due to a possible impact on who plays in the game.

[rams80]

Still can't believe Duke would join the SEC. They might as well drop football if that were to happen, and I don't think the SEC wants a non-football member.

[McCall]

The ACC's key to success isn't fending off the other conferences. It's making Notre Dame as happy as possible.

ND is already happy. The ACC gave them a sweet deal. That isn't the key. The only way for the ACC to survive is for ND to be a full time member.

That's kind of my point. Make them as happy as possible so they'll want to become a full-time member.

[Chicageaux]

I don't think it's so much, "Let's make the Big Ten look like the bad guys," as it is these conferences trying to be more persuasive once something happens. Virginia Tech becomes easier to persuade if UVA bolts as much as Duke would become easier to persuade if UNC were to leave for the Big Ten.

I can't believe a football dominated conference like the SEC would be more interested in Duke over North Carolina or NC State. I'll take your word for it. I've been patiently waiting for your posts to start showing up on this thread.

Still can't believe Duke would join the SEC. They might as well drop football if that were to happen, and I don't think the SEC wants a non-football member.

The SEC isn't going after Duke for it's football power. The thing is, Duke is going to do what Duke wants to do, the ball is in their court so to speak. What's interesting and this is from my understanding, Duke and UNC are a packaged deal (If anyone can confirm or deny that on here, that'd be great). Duke won't bolt without UNC, but there's an off-chance UNC would leave Duke. If UNC isn't picked up by the Big Ten, then I don't know if the SEC would want Duke because they don't want two schools in the same state when they can increase their footprint elsewhere.

[rams80]

I don't believe for a second UNC and Duke would be a package deal if the chips are down. Duke-UNC can always be a non-conference game in the sports that it is a relevant rivalry for (i.e. not football) and Duke is a private school and therefore the North Carolina state legislature is not obligated to look out for it.