(03-14-2020 05:38 PM)Transic_nyc Wrote: (03-11-2020 02:27 PM)AllTideUp Wrote: (03-11-2020 02:33 AM)Transic_nyc Wrote: I wonder if the foursome would be Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Florida State would that be better than any other combo. Kansas would be a better upgrade to Texas Tech, assuming that UT can leave TT behind. It would come down to between Kansas and Clemson. Clemson is more regional to the original SEC schools but Kansas has that brand power that the SEC would love to boost its basketball acumen and would have to leave K-State and I-State behind, whereas Clemson would double up in a small state.
Not to mention side stepping the second-school issues in Texas and Oklahoma as well.
Also, Florida State has steadily improved their basketball since joining the ACC, so they can slide right into it and compete for titles straight away.
Division-wise, this makes a whole lot of sense:
Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Arkansas
LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Alabama, Auburn, Florida State
Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, South Carolina
All the "newbies" would stay in the West and not have to intrude on the original members until the conference playoffs, basically a truncated Big8/SWC division and regional rivals put together.
Whatever is left of the ACC would look at USF or UCF for potential replacements.
That would be a great combo, but I don't see us cracking both leagues at the same time. That is, unless ESPN is really doing some wheeling and dealing behind the scenes.
I'll throw this out there...
I think we can reasonably assume that Texas will be interested in bringing Texas Tech with them because of political and economic factors. Hopefully, Oklahoma is still an option and Kansas makes a fine traveling partner at that point.
We in the SEC have to consider though what we want from the ACC and whether or not we have a reasonable shot at getting it in the next decade. What if it's a matter that it simply won't happen because ESPN has eyes on maintaining the ACC long term? What do we do then? Do we let it go and just count our money or make a move that would alter our future with regard to economics and politics again?
What if we took South Florida and Central Florida?
We'd have 3 schools in the state of FL, but we'd also have the vast majority of their research-based college enrollment. As the decades pass, these schools might end up becoming more significant than Florida State anyway so should we groom them in the SEC? Or just wait for the ACC to crumble...because by that point those old ACC properties might not be so hot anyway.
This is working on the theory expounded by JRsec that both the Big 12 and ACC would eventually be opened up by the SEC and Big 10, respectively. So if they're going to be opened up and quality programs are leaving then it's possible that the SEC would get something in the East. But if you're right and Disney intends to protect the ACC then you win realignment by the fact that all other options for the Big 10 to add are unavailable.
Cracking both conferences is also the best way to rebuild one. Truly do your study work on Football valuations and you'll see that there are 6 ACC schools below their own conference's average.
Duke, Wake Forest, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Virginia aren't adding value to the ACC, they are taking it away (in terms of football value).
I'd submit that B.C., Pitt, and Syracuse would be happier back in the OBE. Each school has suffered diminished hoops and football in the ACC. The football programs could go independent. Perhaps Wake join them and rebuild a football conference with some of the best of the AAC.
Let's say that Texas and Oklahoma stay put. Florida State, Clemson, Miami, and Georgia Tech joins them. Let's say that Kansas, Missouri, Iowa State, and Virginia move to the Big 10. And let's say that Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State move to the SEC along with Virginia Tech and T.C.U.. Now lets say that Louisville joins the Big 12 and Notre Dame joins them as a partial.
You have the Big 10 looking like this:
Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Virginia
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Wisconsin
Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska
The SEC:
Duke, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, N.C. State, South Carolina
Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky Mississippi State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech
Arkansas, Louisiana State, Mississippi, Texas A&M, T.C.U., Vanderbilt
Why? The Ole Miss game is important to Vanderbilt and Ole Miss is important to L.S.U. and we can keep 1 protected rival.
Big 12:
Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech
Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, West Virginia
The PAC remains at 12.
The Big East re-emerges:
Boston College, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Temple
Central Florida, Memphis, Houston, South Florida, Tulane, Wake Forest
These become the football schools of new Big East but note even the football schools have formidable basketball with minor exceptions.
Now you have 5 conferences of 72 schools. All 5 get an AQ for their champion. 3 at large slots round out a CFP of 8.