Your Ideal ACC expansion | Syracusefan.com

Your Ideal ACC expansion

walsh2012

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notre dame and WVU are the obvious candidates for ACC expansion, but I would love to see Cincy end up in the conference too.

you would need to bring in an even number if schools, and with that in mind I think Memphis would also be a good fit.

i doubt it happens because 16 teams is way easier to schedule than 18, but considering the way things are going an aggressive mindset here is definitely the best option.

ND
WVU
Cincy
Memphis

they make sense geographically, three fit traditionally, and all are serious about basketball.

who would you like to see join the conference?
 
The ideal scenario is one that makes ACC the best conference, this guaranteeing SU some new recruiting uptick as well as a crap ton of additional money so that would be

Alabama
LSU
Ohio State
Notre Dame

clearly that is extraordinarily unrealistic. If you want something with an element of realistic, your scenario makes plenty of sense, even if I just don’t see ND ever joining the ACC full on
 
notre dame and WVU are the obvious candidates for ACC expansion, but I would love to see Cincy end up in the conference too.

you would need to bring in an even number if schools, and with that in mind I think Memphis would also be a good fit.

i doubt it happens because 16 teams is way easier to schedule than 18, but considering the way things are going an aggressive mindset here is definitely the best option.

ND
WVU
Cincy
Memphis

they make sense geographically, three fit traditionally, and all are serious about basketball.

who would you like to see join the conference?

Need teams that add value (see revenue and TV eyes) to the conference so your last 3 are misses despite the geographical fit.

Give me Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, and Tennessee (for one that we can compete with). Adds big football money and some for basketball as well. If we can cut BC and add Notre Dame I'd do that as well
 
The ideal scenario is one that makes ACC the best conference, this guaranteeing SU some new recruiting uptick as well as a crap ton of additional money so that would be

Alabama
LSU
Ohio State
Notre Dame

clearly that is extraordinarily unrealistic. If you want something with an element of realistic, your scenario makes plenty of sense, even if I just don’t see ND ever joining the ACC full on
Why does it have to be “the best” conference? Seriously. Why can’t it be just a really good conference - and to paraphrase HCDB, have teams that are consistently good?

I will add… if the SEC is smart, they won’t seek to destroy other conferences. CFB is the golden goose. They can position to remain at the top without tearing down the entire structure.
 
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If we’re just pie in the skying here, give me ND, PSU, Maryland and WVU and yes, maybe even Buttgers. Call me a traditionalist, but I’d like to see a Northern Division of the ACC that included:
Syracuse, Boston College, Notre Dame, PSU, WVU, Pitt, Maryland, Rutgers. (And some combination of Temple, Army, Navy or Cincy.) Let’s set right what should have been done way back in the 60s or 70s.

Let the South ACC be whatever it wants to be.
52DBBC3A-2C68-46CC-8D00-CF8311A16A12.jpeg
 
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If Notre Dame does not come on a full football member, and do so rather quickly, the ACC will find itself in trouble, deep trouble. I say that because I do not think that the SEC will stop at 16 members, unless it cannot get the schools it now desires.

The reason I must now accept that the SEC is ready to expand to 20 or even 24 is based in how and what I learned about the SEC's plan to expand to 12 and then play a Conference Championship Game. I am a Tennessee native, and a friend from high school was the son and grandson of UT Vols boosters. They certainly were not the super powerful boosters, but they were well connected.

This friend was part of the media, then working on TV. He called me at just before midnight, all excited. He was thrilled to let me know that he knew something very important about college sports that I did not; he'd just gotten home from a soiree with some of the biggest Tennessee boosters, and other SEC team boosters living near Nashville. He told me about that essentially unknown NCAA rule that would allow a league to play a CCG if it had at least 12 members. He said the SEC would be expanding to 12.

He also told me that the SEC intended to expand to 12 by ruining either the SWC or the ACC. If the SEC decided to go after the SWC, the offer would be made to Texas and A&M, and if either refused to join the SEC, they would make it clear that they would take Arkansas with the one TX school.

He said that if the SEC decided to ruin the ACC, it would offer UNC and UVA, and threaten to take Clemson if one of them would not budge. He also said that the 'Dream Team' pair for the SEC would be Texas and UNC, but that the SEC people knew that they had to go either east or west and use leverage to get anyone they really wanted badly.

My friend and I agreed that the target would be state of TX, because of its size and super abundance of football talent. And so it started, but Texas flat refused to give serious consideration, and A&M balked. The SEC indeed offered Arkansas, and the Hawgs jumped at it ASAP.

By that point, the ACC knew all that had been discussed, and knew that the SEC would not add any other SWC team and so would look to its east side. The ACC prepared not just to defend its 8, but to expand in order to keep pace. JoePa had screwed over northeastern football by going BT. If he had not done so, Gene Corrigan almost certainly would have led the ACC to add 4 schools to match the SEC's planned 12: FSU, PSU, Syracuse, and Pitt. As PSU was off to the midwest, the ACC had to decide between adding 1 or 2 schools, and then which 1 or 2. FSU was agreed upon, and Syracuse would have been the next offer, but the lack of PSU meant that many people felt that Syracuse would not leave BE basketball without having a single old northeastern football rival in its new league. So the ACC decided to go for FSU only.

The SEC also had decided to go for FSU. FSU had been told that it was a matter of formality. The ACC slipped into Tallahassee and won over the administration quickly and then sold Bowden on FSU starting out with total domination over ACC football without being seen as Florida's little brother.

The BT adding PSU was THE reason that the SEC wanted to expand to 12; the CCG was the way to guarantee new money and excitement to cover the loss of some rivalries. The BT added PSU to try to 'own' the northeast for CFB TV dollars. So the SEC was forced to think of new regions for its TV dollar growth. That is the reason that the SEC never gave up on adding the state of TX. That is the reason that the SEC was very happy that the BT stupidly rejected Mizzou to take Maryland and Rutgers: the SEC could get St Louis and Kansas City TV markets.

And that is the reason that the SEC certainly already has a plan to get VA and NC. So if ND does not become a full football member, soon, the SEC almost certainly will offer Clemson and FSU, which would ruin ACC football and thereby make it very easy for the SEC to get into VA and NC.

If ND does not go full ACC football member, then before long ND either will join the BT or join the Super SEC or else get reduced and become BC-midwest.
 
Notre Dame
West Virginia

If ND comes on full member, the ACC will have the cache to potentially go after disenchanted B1G/SEC schools.

Penn State
South Carolina (If Clemson gives the ok)

This assumes an attempt to stick with a geographic conference footprint that makes sense.
 
If Notre Dame does not come on a full football member, and do so rather quickly, the ACC will find itself in trouble, deep trouble. I say that because I do not think that the SEC will stop at 16 members, unless it cannot get the schools it now desires.

The reason I must now accept that the SEC is ready to expand to 20 or even 24 is based in how and what I learned about the SEC's plan to expand to 12 and then play a Conference Championship Game. I am a Tennessee native, and a friend from high school was the son and grandson of UT Vols boosters. They certainly were not the super powerful boosters, but they were well connected.

This friend was part of the media, then working on TV. He called me at just before midnight, all excited. He was thrilled to let me know that he knew something very important about college sports that I did not; he'd just gotten home from a soiree with some of the biggest Tennessee boosters, and other SEC team boosters living near Nashville. He told me about that essentially unknown NCAA rule that would allow a league to play a CCG if it had at least 12 members. He said the SEC would be expanding to 12.

He also told me that the SEC intended to expand to 12 by ruining either the SWC or the ACC. If the SEC decided to go after the SWC, the offer would be made to Texas and A&M, and if either refused to join the SEC, they would make it clear that they would take Arkansas with the one TX school.

He said that if the SEC decided to ruin the ACC, it would offer UNC and UVA, and threaten to take Clemson if one of them would not budge. He also said that the 'Dream Team' pair for the SEC would be Texas and UNC, but that the SEC people knew that they had to go either east or west and use leverage to get anyone they really wanted badly.

My friend and I agreed that the target would be state of TX, because of its size and super abundance of football talent. And so it started, but Texas flat refused to give serious consideration, and A&M balked. The SEC indeed offered Arkansas, and the Hawgs jumped at it ASAP.

By that point, the ACC knew all that had been discussed, and knew that the SEC would not add any other SWC team and so would look to its east side. The ACC prepared not just to defend its 8, but to expand in order to keep pace. JoePa had screwed over northeastern football by going BT. If he had not done so, Gene Corrigan almost certainly would have led the ACC to add 4 schools to match the SEC's planned 12: FSU, PSU, Syracuse, and Pitt. As PSU was off to the midwest, the ACC had to decide between adding 1 or 2 schools, and then which 1 or 2. FSU was agreed upon, and Syracuse would have been the next offer, but the lack of PSU meant that many people felt that Syracuse would not leave BE basketball without having a single old northeastern football rival in its new league. So the ACC decided to go for FSU only.

The SEC also had decided to go for FSU. FSU had been told that it was a matter of formality. The ACC slipped into Tallahassee and won over the administration quickly and then sold Bowden on FSU starting out with total domination over ACC football without being seen as Florida's little brother.

The BT adding PSU was THE reason that the SEC wanted to expand to 12; the CCG was the way to guarantee new money and excitement to cover the loss of some rivalries. The BT added PSU to try to 'own' the northeast for CFB TV dollars. So the SEC was forced to think of new regions for its TV dollar growth. That is the reason that the SEC never gave up on adding the state of TX. That is the reason that the SEC was very happy that the BT stupidly rejected Mizzou to take Maryland and Rutgers: the SEC could get St Louis and Kansas City TV markets.

And that is the reason that the SEC certainly already has a plan to get VA and NC. So if ND does not become a full football member, soon, the SEC almost certainly will offer Clemson and FSU, which would ruin ACC football and thereby make it very easy for the SEC to get into VA and NC.

If ND does not go full ACC football member, then before long ND either will join the BT or join the Super SEC or else get reduced and become BC-midwest.
ND will try to keep the status quo.
They won’t do chit.
They will go to the Big Ten and get treated worse than Penn State when they made the jump.
Penn State fans by a majority hate the leadership of the Big Ten because they know it’s Ohio State and Michigan with true power.

Notre Dame deserves that. They won’t join the ACC full time nor would I expect them too.

The ACC just needs Disney to pay them enough money where the conference stays together. Nobody is going to be in the Big Ten or SEc financial ballparks.
 
Notre Dame
West Virginia

If ND comes on full member, the ACC will have the cache to potentially go after disenchanted B1G/SEC schools.

Penn State
South Carolina (If Clemson gives the ok)

This assumes an attempt to stick with a geographic conference footprint that makes sense.
West Virginia should never happen.

Again Syracuse fans don’t get the cyber rattling WVU has done to the ACC.
If you put WVU fanbase at Pitt’s school then you could get WVU in the Big Ten, SEC or ACC.

However WVU isn’t getting added they are likely headed to the AAC in the end.
 
West Virginia should never happen.

Again Syracuse fans don’t get the cyber rattling WVU has done to the ACC.
If you put WVU fanbase at Pitt’s school then you could get WVU in the Big Ten, SEC or ACC.

However WVU isn’t getting added they are likely headed to the AAC in the end.
I mean, the thread is “ideal”… I have no idea what will happen, and it certainly seems like the ACC wants nothing to do with WVU (which is really bad news for WVU)… but, for me personally, adding ND full member, WVU, PSU and South Carolina would be a conference that jumps the B1G in line behind the SEC and maintains a “somewhat” Atlantic Coast footprint.

And as a Syracuse fan, I’d like to have them in our conference.
 
notre dame and WVU are the obvious candidates for ACC expansion, but I would love to see Cincy end up in the conference too.

you would need to bring in an even number if schools, and with that in mind I think Memphis would also be a good fit.

i doubt it happens because 16 teams is way easier to schedule than 18, but considering the way things are going an aggressive mindset here is definitely the best option.

ND
WVU
Cincy
Memphis

they make sense geographically, three fit traditionally, and all are serious about basketball.

who would you like to see join the conference?
Not to be disrespectful, but Saint Tristan has a better chance of being named a moderator here than Memphis has a chance to be asked to join the ACC.
 
Pie in the sky dream merger with BIG

Big 10 East
Notre Dame
Boston College
Syracuse
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
Penn St

Big 10 South
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
Duke
Georgia Tech
Miami

Big 10 Midwest
Northwestern
Ohio St
Michigan
Michigan St
Indiana
Purdue

Big 10 West
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Illinois
Iowa
Iowa St
Nebraska
 
ACC/SEC merger
SEC Southeast
Florida
Florida St
Georgia
South Carolina
Clemson
North Carolina St

SEC Mid South
Vanderbilt
Tennessee
Virginia Tech
West Virginia
Kentucky
Louisville

SEC Deep South
Alabama
Auburn
Mississippi
Mississippi St
Arkansas
LSU

SEC Great Plains
Kansas
Missouri
Oklahoma
Oklahoma St
Texas
Texas A&M
 
ACC/SEC merger
SEC Southeast
Florida
Florida St
Georgia
South Carolina
Clemson
North Carolina St

SEC Mid South
Vanderbilt
Tennessee
Virginia Tech
West Virginia
Kentucky
Louisville

SEC Deep South
Alabama
Auburn
Mississippi
Mississippi St
Arkansas
LSU

SEC Great Plains
Kansas
Missouri
Oklahoma
Oklahoma St
Texas
Texas A&M
So… no Duke, Wake or WVU. Who else is missing?
 
So… no Duke, Wake or WVU. Who else is missing?
The UNC-Dook basketball rivalry is easily the largest, and therefore most valuable, in the country. Both BT and SEC know that and know that the schools are twined in every way. If both now plan to be 24 team Super Conferences, both are probably going to offer UNC and Dook along with UVA. The most low brow type SEC guy will assume that the DSEC is now above such an offer, but it will be made to keep the BT from getting UNC and UVA. The BT with UNC and UVA has a huge chance to get Clemson and FSU, as then certainly ND, into the BT.

The only move that the BT now can make to cause major for the SEC down the line is for ND, UVA, UNC, Dook, Clemson, and FSU to be in the BT.

Both BT and SEC already decided No to Wake and WVU.
 
nice plans here, now reality
2026 FBS playoff

sec # 2 vs sec #3.
Sec # 1 Vs Group of 9. Semi

ND vs ND for their separate title (Blue vs Gold)
( ND fans felt no conference was worthy for their participation)
 
There are few scenarios that change the calculus for the ACC. Best outcome would be to convince ND and Penn State to join. That would be a game changer but difficult to pull off.

For debate: Is adding Cincinnati, Baylor, Houston, Oklahoma State to get to 18 bold and valuable enough to preserve the ACC?

Edit: WVU could also replace Cinci in that scenario.
 
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There are few scenarios that change the calculus for the ACC. Best outcome would be to convince ND and Penn State to join. That would be a game changer but difficult to pull off.

For debate: Is adding Cincinnati, Baylor, Houston, Oklahoma State to get to 18 bold and valuable enough to preserve the ACC?
would not generate enough money from espn to even bother
 
For those posters choosing Cincinnati as a team the ACC should target, why? I'm genuinely asking why them over a UCF or WVU. Is it recruiting, a sentimental pick? Just curious.
 

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