I'm thinking ESPN should buy the B12 rights out.

Then merge these ACC schools with the SEC:

Deep South Protection: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami

Market & Brand Adds: North Carolina, Virginia/Virginia Tech, N.C. State/Duke, Notre Dame or Kansas/Louisville.

If the Irish are, as rumored, encouraging the B1G to take TCU (a school not remotely within B1G metrics) then they are worried about having no access to heavy recruiting grounds outside of Los Angeles and are making a demand with which to break a deal and not make one.

That means they are weighing exposure in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas against Los Angeles and realizing the limits the Big Ten will impose upon their pipelines.

If the SEC takes the 4 Deep South schools, we effectively slam the door on Warren's large metro game plan: Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Miami, and that would mean DFW would be too little too late and with too much controversy. And if Notre Dame can be flipped the party's over anyway!

ESPN should then merge the remaining ACC schools with the Big 12 and pickup the 4 Corners schools. That's 23 leaving room for San Diego State or South Florida.