murrdcu
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RE: I Know Nobody Thinks So, But What If Texas Decided the SEC Was Best for Them?
(03-16-2015 08:40 PM)JRsec Wrote: (03-16-2015 08:19 PM)IR4CU Wrote: (03-15-2015 06:37 PM)JRsec Wrote: (03-15-2015 06:26 PM)IR4CU Wrote: Look, I just don't see Texas going to the ACC without an entourage. One is not an entourage. This is why I still think an ESPN workaround might be in the offing at some point. I think one thing Xlance alluded to is true, they are still trying to wade through the math and implications of the various options. Personally I only see one set of solutions that would be received by the SEC, Big 10 and less so, but in the best interest of the ACC.
Kansas, Iowa State, Connecticut and Oklahoma to the Big 10
Oklahoma State, Kansas State, N.C. State and Virginia Tech to the SEC
Texas, T.C.U., Baylor, Texas Tech and West Virginia to the ACC
Notre Dame joins in full.
The Big 10 gets Kansas and Oklahoma for the West with the price being Iowa State and Connecticut.
The SEC gets into North Carolina and Virginia but the price is Kansas State and Oklahoma State.
The ACC gets Texas and Notre Dame full time and West Virginia to reconnect the footprint. The price is T.C.U., Baylor, and Texas Tech.
Now the SEC stands at 18, the Big 10 stands at 18, and the ACC stands at 18.
SEC:
Arkansas, Kansas State, Louisiana State, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Texas A&M
Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, N.C. State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech
Big 10:
Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Wisconsin
Connecticut, Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers
ACC:
Boston College, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, West Virginia
Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest
Baylor, Florida State, Miami, T.C.U., Texas, Texas Tech
Texas gets a guaranteed 6 games in the state of Texas per year (the home schedule). Seven if they get A&M as an OOC rivalry game. Eight if they keep OU as the other OOC rivalry game. Plus they get 1 guaranteed game in recruit rich Florida per year with this divisional breakdown. They travel East out of the division no more than twice per year. That's the kind of entourage they want. That would be a deal sealer.
The Big 10 won't object as they get three national brands two in basketball, one in football, and two more AAU schools. Iowa State finds a home at home so to speak.
The SEC gets 4 new states including the two they want most. They get 3 mid tier football programs that will be competitive and make runs from time to time. And they get two decent basketball programs in Oklahoma State and N.C. State along with a Kansas State team that rises to the hoops occasion from time to time.
I still believe that some version of this compromise is the best way to complete this process. Otherwise, if Texas can't carry enough friends to the ACC to play most of their games in Texas they aren't going. If they can't stay viable in the Big 12 then Texas and Oklahoma wind up in the SEC with old rivals. And, given their value they might both be able to carry 1 partner with them. But that would be closer to the end of the GOR if all of the other schools of the Big 12 aren't placed in some new P5 home.
I know this is all conjecture, but if this came to pass, it may be good for the ACC but from a Clemson football perspective it would be terrible. Of the teams listed in our pod, only one generates mild interest (Ga Tech) for Clemson fans - the rest just do not generate much enthusiasm.
I agree that none of it would be good for Clemson. As the #2 football power in the ACC nothing good happens for you if Texas comes into the league with friends and that includes the division of the pods.
The best thing that could happen to Clemson would be for the Big 10 to pull off a successful raid against the ACC North and to take schools with it like North Carolina and Virginia. Should that happen there are 2 scenarios that help Clemson. The first would be for the SEC to take Virginia Tech, N.C. State, Clemson, and Florida State to lock up the best content, football, and attendance schools in the conference. They might even move to 20 with Louisville and Georgia Tech which IMO would be a wonderful way to consolidate the South and to keep the Big 10 out of it (the Deep South that is). The other would be for the Big 10 to take North Carolina, Virginia, Duke, and Notre Dame. Then similarly the SEC would take the same four and both would stop at 18. If the Big 10 takes just two then depending upon who the SEC takes the Big 12 becomes an option. Florida State, Clemson, N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Louisville and Pitt would be a great way for the Big 12 to move to 16. Throw in Miami and one more for 18 (possibly Notre Dame). In any of those scenarios Clemson gets the respect, the kind of schedule they want, and the money they need to compete.
JR ..... Who knows for sure what (if anything) will happen and when. I could be happy with Clemson staying in the ACC under some of the many proposed realignment scenarios - there are others that would be very bad (from a Clemson perspective). My personal dream would be for Clemson to join a 20 team SEC and be in a 5 team pod with UGA, FSU, Auburn, and Texas A&M with a permanent cross over rival of South Carolina. That of course will never happen. But, assuming that the scenario that you mentioned above came to pass (Clemson, FSU, GA Tech, NC State, Va Tech, UL to the SEC) - what teams do you think would comprise the pods or divisions in this new SEC? I could see a land grant/tech division (Clemson, Auburn, A&M, FSU, Miss St, Vandy, UL, Ga Tech, NC State, Va Tech) and a flagship division (Bama, UGA, USC, UF, Ark, Mizzou, Ole Miss, Kentucky, UT, LSU). This line up would be interesting.
At 20 I think we have 4 five team divisions.
Arkansas, Louisiana State, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas A&M
Alabama, Florida State, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech
Kentucky, Louisville, N.C. State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech
It would stay regional for the cost of minor sports.
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I've always preferred schools selecting a number of annual rivals as apposed to set pods if a conference went above 14 members.
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