<p>Will FSU, UM GT go to the SEC???? Will the fourth team be VT or Clemson?</p>
<p>Nebraska is going to the Big 10 which is at 11, now 12--announcement due out tomorrow. ND has an invitation but trustees can't agree on taking it. UT, TA&M, OU rumored to be going to Pac-10. There may be 4 power conferences with 16 teams, each with 2 divisions of 8. </p>
<p>How will all this shake out? What do you think will happen, and would you be happy with FSU in the SEC?</p>
<p>FSU should stay in the ACC.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>That might not be much of an option, unfortunately. </p>
<p>Damn you Big Ten, look what you started!</p>
<p>^^ … umm … the ACC stole 3 Big East teams about 10 years ago … and at about the same time the Big 8 swiped 4 of the teams from the Southwest conference (Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech) and killed the conference … and ever since the conference structure have been unstable</p>
<p>True, I don’t really remember back then, but there was not a need to join a 16 team super conference to win NC like it appears there will be now.</p>
<p>I was just going to make this topic. :D</p>
<p>I love being in the ACC, but as coollege suggested, that’s unfortunately not an option. In simple terms, here’s how I see it going down:
[ul]
[<em>]The Pac and part of the Big 12 will combine to form one conference.
[</em>]The Big 10 and other part of the Big 12 combine to form another conference (and possibly the ACC’s Maryland).
[<em>]The SEC takes the better teams from the ACC and/or Big East to form another conference.
[</em>]Whatever is left of the ACC and Big East combine to form the final conference.
[/ul]</p>
<p>That last conference is going to be incredibly weak. The Big East and ACC are already considered football’s weakest conferences. Now combine the weakest teams from the ACC and Big East to make one conference; it’s something we shoudn’t want to be apart of. Given the opportunity to join the SEC, we need to take it.</p>
<p>^And then the US Congress steps in.</p>
<p>The SEC should do nothing. The conference is already the best in the nation, so why take the risk of diluting the conference by adding inferior teams. </p>
<p>Florida uses their SEC status as recruiting advantage over FSU and Miami. Additionally, while the PAC-10 are struggling with the logistical issues of fitting 16 teams into a schedule, Florida will be beating up on Charleston Southern and still continue to vie for BCS contention. </p>
<p>The SEC should only add teams like Texas, which is a long-shot but totally worth it, and Virginia Tech, which would add a strong ACC football program while expanding geographical viewer population, thus more money. </p>
<p>There is nothing to gain from adding FSU.</p>
<p>In the long run, the SEC will hurt greatly by not expanding, assuming all the other conferences do. In the short run, you are correct.</p>
<p>That said, the SEC has plenty to gain by adding FSU. Strengthening their Florida market, large fanbase (national draw), elite football program, etc…</p>
<p>You’re confusing the SEC and the Gators when you say there’s nothing to gain. ;)</p>
<p>Ultimately, FSU may prefer to stay in the ACC because of academics. The academic reputation of the ACC exceeds the SEC’s. Athletic director Swarbrick of Notre Dame University recently outlined the importance of academics in athletic conference affiliation and realignment stating:</p>
<p>Among the myths growing in the information vacuum is that this is an athletic issue – all about the TV revenue, right? The reality, Swarbrick said, is that this is being driven much more by the academic side of campus at most schools than by the athletic side. Presidents and chancellors see this as a rare opportunity to change their educational neighborhood and better their universities in the process.</p>
<p>“If there’s anything about this I think is widely misunderstood, it’s the extent to which academic decisions are influencing this,” Swarbrick said. “They sort of underline the very discussion here in a way the general sports fan can’t really appreciate.”</p>
<p>[Notre</a> Dame Fighting Irish, AD Jack Swarbrick ensnared in irrational time - ESPN](<a href=“LIVE Transfer Talk: Al Ittihad to postpone £200m Salah chase? - ESPN”>Notre Dame Fighting Irish, AD Jack Swarbrick ensnared in irrational time - ESPN)</p>
<p>Nebraska is going to the Big 10 (now 12 teams.) Colorado is going to the Pac 10 (now 11.) Texas and A&M meet tomorrow to discuss their mutual move to the Pac 10 that is rumored to also be asking Texas Tech, OU and OSU. That makes 16. Baylor wants to keep all the Texas schools in the same conference, but Pac 10 wanted the Denver market and that leaves Baylor out of the Pac 10 soon to be 16. Missouri, on the outs with the Big 12 had wanted an invite to the Big 10 but has NOT received one and is not likely to. </p>
<p>UT and A&M however are asking the Big 10 for an invite and may spurn the Pac 10. </p>
<p>Oklahoma wants an invite to the SEC but may go with Texas to PAC 10 if the Big 10 doesn’t work out. . OSU will likely announce they will take the invite to the PAC 10.</p>
<p>The SEC and ACC will be changing to keep up and keep the balance of power. What happens next? ACC may offer invites of four SEC teams is the latest rumor, so the ACC expands at the cost of the SEC!!!</p>
<p>Latest rumor, ACC is asking FL, GA, Bama and Auburn to join the ACC.</p>
<p>The SEC to ACC rumor is due to strength of ACC Academics, Baseball and Basketball.</p>
<p>Sunnyflorida, where are you getting this from?</p>
<p>There is no way schools like FL, GA, Bama and Auburn will leave the SEC. The common denominator for this entire conference realignment has been money, of which, these schools would only lose by joining the ACC. </p>
<p>The only school that would consider something as petty as ACC “academics” would be Vanderbilt, a school not as entrenched in the football culture of the south.</p>
<p>I’d like to know where the SEC -> ACC rumor is coming from as well.</p>
<p>This time I agree with Ryan82. It seems very unlikely that the top schools from the SEC bolt for the ACC.</p>
<p>ND’s Swarbrick is full of it. What a disingenuous, pompous a__. Academics are a distant second to THE MONEY. Does the Big 10 really need Nebraska to fulfill their academic mission? Is the Big 10 talking to Rutgers and UConn for a presence in the NY academic market? Or is it perhaps the football TV $$? Has ND remained independent so far because Big 10 academics are not up to ND’s standards, or is it because ND has so far been able to dictate its own TV deals? And the PAC 10 is talking to OK State and Texas Tech to establish debate team rivalries? Give me a break.</p>
<p>By the way, are AAU invitations based in any way on conference affiliation? Of course not. FSU needs to proactively move to the conference with the best MONEY potential - like everybody else.</p>
<p>^Money is certainly important, but which university presidents would turn down a formal invitation to the Ivy League Athletic Conference?</p>
<ul>
<li>Almost all, if they cared about continuing to receive alumni contributions. No athletic scholarships in the Ivy League. And the Ivy league specifically prohibits its football teams from participating in Div II football playoffs. Seriously. (How would FSU alums react to being told FSU would never play in a bowl game again? And never be on network TV.) Might have better fencing and squash teams, though.</li>
</ul>
<p>The Patriot League had prohibited its member institutions from giving athletic scholarships, too - until that idea proved a failure. Lafayette was the last holdout clinging to that concept, but also had to give in 2 years ago, and now they all offer athletic scholarships.</p>
<p>I think Lizard is being sarcastic. ;)</p>
<p>Hmmm, you may be right. Swarbrick, too?</p>
<p>No, I’m not trying to be sarcastic. I’m just saying the academic side should be kept in mind when colleges make ANY decisions or choices; the athletics’ boosters shouldn’t be running the colleges.</p>
<p>Unless the ACC is totally busted up with a sledgehammer, I think FSU should sit tight in the ACC. The ACC is not just sitting on its hands now, the decision makers for the conference are used to competition and I’m sure they are working right now to keep the ACC viable and strong enough and profitable enough for its member institutions.</p>
<p>As far as FSU in the SEC, I don’t see it happening. I can’t imagine UF athletic director Foley, president Marston, and Bullgator boosters wanting to share any SEC action ($$$) in the state of Florida with any other colleges. Too, SEC contracts have a standard clause that SEC fans must wear jorts and I don’t see that being acceptable as a good fit for FSU. </p>
<p>With all the scenarios and rumors now with conference realignment, anything could happen, nothing is out of the question, nobody is off limits–it’s every cullege for themselves.</p>