(12-12-2019 11:37 AM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote: Boy, what if...
What if the Big 12 does grab Cincinnati and Louisville (after TCU/West Virginia), and creates a nice little Eastern pod for the Big 12. The ACC is now forced to take UConn to fill Maryland's departure. Does that push FSU/Clemson out of the ACC (and to the Big 12)? Does the B1G go Big and make another attempt at Virginia/Georgia Tech/UNC/Duke? Ironically, the ACC would have then been looking at Boston College, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, UConn, Virginia Tech, NC State, Wake and Miami; Perhaps the SEC then goes after Virginia Tech and NC State? It would have been a weird twist of fate if the ACC left-behinds pair, again, with the basketball schools to try and preserve a best of the rest league.
I certainly remember the FSU and Clemson inquiries into jumping to the Big 12 or SEC due to being unhappy with Tobacco Road not prioritizing football quality. B1G was also exploring expanding with Georgia Tech, FSU and Miami as well as looking into Maryland, Virginia, UNC and Duke.
Timeline up through Louisville's decision:
MWC / BE - TCU agrees to leave for BE
B12 / PAC - Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State waffle over decision to leave for PAC
B12 / B1G - Nebraska to B1G
B12 / PAC - Colorado to PAC
B12 / PAC - Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State decide against PAC
MWC / PAC - Utah to the PAC
B12 / B1G - rejects Mizzou after their president leaks the candidacy
CUSA / B12 - State of Texas pushes for Houston, but doesn't pass
B12 / SEC - loses Texas A&M to SEC
BE / ACC - Pitt and Syracuse to ACC
MWC / BE / B12 - TCU decides to B12 instead of BE
BE / B12 - WVU to B12
CUSA / MWC / BE - BE invites Houston, SMU, Memphis, UCF as full members; and Boise State, SD State, BYU, Air Force, Navy as football only
CUSA / BE - Houston, SMU, Memphis, UCF to BE
BE - Navy to BE
MWC / BE - Boise State and SD State agree to join BE as football only; BYU and Air Force decline offer
MAC / BE - Temple to BE
ACC / B1G - Maryland to B1G
BE / B1G - Rutgers to B1G
ACC / B1G - B1G reaches out to Georgia Tech, FSU, Virginia, UNC and Duke about potential expansion to 20 members, with 20th member TBA (hoping for Notre Dame of course)
BE/ACC - ACC invites Louisville over UConn
CUSA / BE - Tulane (full) and East Carolina (football only) to BE
BE / ACC - Notre Dame leaves conference for ACC, stays independent for football
Here's where things start changing
BE / B12 - B12 jumps in and offers Louisville and Cincinnati
BE / B12 - Cincinnati to B12
BE / ACC / B12 - Louisville chooses B12 over ACC
BE / ACC - UConn to BE
MWC / BE - Boise State rescind their agreement to join.
BE / AAC - The infamous Big East conference split still happens, Catholic 7 take BE name, football schools become The AAC. East Carolina upgrades to full membership.
MWC / AAC - SD State rescind their agreement to join.
CUSA / AAC - Tulsa to AAC
CUSA / AAC - Southern Miss to AAC
ACC / B12 / SEC - FSU, Miami and Clemson ongoing talks with B12 and SEC
ACC / B1G - B1G extends offers Ga Tech, FSU, Virginia, UNC, Duke
ACC / SEC - SEC extends offers to FSU, Miami, NC State, Clemson
ACC / B1G - Ga Tech and FSU to B1G; Virginia, UNC and Duke decline
ACC / SEC - Clemson and Miami to SEC; NC State and Va Tech decline
AAC / ACC - Temple and South Florida to ACC
MAC / ACC - UMass to ACC
CUSA / AAC - Marshall, Rice and UAB to AAC
CUSA / SBC - CUSA and SBC announce merger