Why would the SEC expand?

Easy. Markets for their new TV network: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/fo...index.html

And what market would the SEC love to get their hands on?

IMO, it would be Houston -- 4th largest city in the U.S.

Of course, Texas and Texas A&M would be courted, but Texas is snooty about academics and would decline, and A&M isn't about to jump to the SEC by themselves

so the University of Houston would probably land in the SEC West division

This would require a team be added to the SEC East...Florida State, Clemson, and Virginia Tech would all be mentioned, and probably courted as well, but they'd decline (VT would think long and hard, but would stick with Virginia)

After that crop of schools, Louisville, West Virginia, and East Carolina might pop into the conversation, but none really bring much of a market...& whats the point of having Louisville, when you've already got Kentucky?

That would leave West Virginia and East Carolina, and East Carolina is in a state thats contiguous to the other SEC teams...

So anyways, I don't think its completely unplausable for East Carolina to one day be invited to the SEC...but East Carolina is certainly NOT the first direction the SEC would look for expansion

And this entire speculative scenario is based on the idea that the SEC would be interested in new markets for a TV network, and want an SEC flag planted in Houston