Spitballing while we wait for The Alliance to come and to go ...
1. UNC-Both: Greg Sankey and Kevin Warren (with Jim Delany lurking in the back seat) each would leave their respective offices right now for Chapel Hill with the papers and pen in hand. The Belle of the Ball.
2-3.Clemson and FSU-SEC: A BOGO as my wife tells me its called. Don't wanna go to the B1G, SEC wouldn't let 'em go to the B1G and the B1G ain't sending invites to schools -- AAU or otherwise -- they know wouldn't accept. A done deal at some point.
4. UVA-B1G: Believe the SEC would take the Hoos (and No. 5 as well) in a hot minute if that ensured the Heels would come, too. BUT the University of Virginia joining the SEC would be akin to Harvard becoming part of the Big East. Not a fit in the past, now or in the future.
5. Duke-B1G: Duke might be in the South, but — as anyone who lives near The Triangle would tell you — Duke is not of the South. Would be an even more of a square peg in a round hole in the SEC than Vanderbilt, which is saying something. Devils can be the Northwestern of the B1G's "Eastern Division" with a much better basketball program and a much worse football program.
6. Miami-Maybe both. Maybe neither: Okay, here's where it gets interesting.Still a name brand in College Football, albeit a bit weathered (don't get me started
). A good school academically, probably would fit in the top third of the SEC and somewhere near the middle of the B1G. But it's a smallish private institution with a mostly indifferent fan base playing football in an NFL stadium 21 miles from campus. Hardly the SEC or B1G ideal going forward. Howeverrrrr ... could envision ESPN and in particular FOX pushing to add a big name program with a storied history to its inventory. Personally, I'm hoping for the SEC knowing full well UF and FSU will throw a collective fit and probably the only way it happens is because the SEC/ESPN doesn't want the B1G/FOX to have us.
7. Georgia Tech-Maybe both. Maybe neither: Similar boat to the Canes, but with different circumstances. Located in ground zero for the SEC, but without the national appeal of Miami. Probably got a shot if the SEC and/or B1G goes to 20 teams and a much better one if Sankey and/or Warren decide to make it an even two dozen.
8-9. Virginia Tech and NC State-SEC or bust. The B1G ain't happening for the Hokies or Pack. Both schools should be on their knees praying each morning that if the ACC implodes, UNC is going to the B1G. That oughtta get the dominoes falling in the right direction. I think they'd be solid fits, too. SEC doesn't need every new addition to be a three-time National Champion like FSU or Clemson. Somebody gotta take some lumps.
10. Louisville-SEC longshot. Don't see it working out for the Cards unless somehow the SEC was determined to get to 24 and a few of Sankey's targets ended up elsewhere.
11. Pitt-Neither.Too far in the shadows of both the Steelers and Penn State. That day 22 years ago the Panthers vacated Pitt Stadium and left campus for an NFL facility was the day they dropped off the radar of a conference like the B1G.
12-13. BC and Syracuse-Neither. Did you know the Eagles are only 6 games under .500 in the ACC since joining in 2005? Better than I would've thought. Cuse has been much less successful at 20-46 since getting promoted from the Big East in 2013. Maybe BC could get a miracle invite to the B1G, but that seems less likely than another Hail Flutie.
14. Wake-Neither. If a draft was held for the "Power 5" schools, it seems like a fairly safe bet the Deacs would go 65th and last. Be interesting to see how things shake out for WF if/when the ACC is picked apart.