Disclaimer: I’m not saying the ACC should expand or even have UCF as their first choice. This is more or less for fun and to stimulate conversation.

UCF, truly one of the fastest rising athletic programs in the country. In a brief time they made the jump from Div.1AA, to C-USA, to AAC and soon to the Big12 leaving many of their peers who have a much longer history. Let’s break it down to see what makes UCF so valuable:

-Football drives the bus and they have committed big time into their program including “recruiting violations and lack of institutional control” per the NCAA in 2012. While this may seem like a bad thing, it illustrates that they are serious about competing with the big boys. “If you ain’t cheating, then you ain’t trying.” Has their commitment payed off? Yes. They have easily been one of the 2 best football programs in the AAC including a undefeated season (2017) and 2 one loss seasons (2013,2018). Their fan commitment is equally impressive, they have been tops in the AAC attendance since UL’s last and only season (2013) and their 40k+ per game would fit in the ACC’s average.

-Basketball, unlike many so called “football first” schools, basketball would not be a complete drag. They routinely have had winning seasons and have been to the NCAAT in the last 5 years. They have beaten FSU and Miami a few times during that span.

-Orlando in itself is a family fun city located in the middle of Florida. Not a hard sell for visiting fans convincing their families to come with them to watch a game while possibly also seeing the many other tourist options in the area. Coaches will also like the more frequent recruiting visits and exposure into Florida, helping all ACC members to maintain a competive edge against OOC opponents.

I like UCF for the ACC.
- football is very good
- other sports are not horrible
- new tv market (Orlando)
- new recruiting area (Central Florida)
IF FSU and Miami are ok with it, I'd add then tomorrow (along with Cincinnati)

I'd be ok with the Central Florida Golden Knights.

We've played 4 times -- 3 after they jumped to FBS. We're 3 and 1, losing to Blake Bortles 35 - 38 in our only year in the AAC. This kept us from playing in back-to-back BCS 6 bowls and led to the unusual scenario where we played Miami in back-to-back games, both wins -- in the Russell Athletic Bowl and in the 2015 season opener, our first ACC contest.

I’d rather add Villanova as an all-sports member.

If we lose FSU and Miami sure.
If we lose one or the other, I'd rather have a Texas school or Cincy or WVU.

I would rather the ACC to take all three of WVU, Cincy and UCF. I don’t think a Texas school helps the conference nor them playing on an island just as West Virginia has been doing in the Big12. I’m sure at some point the conference is going to get raided much like what we witness with the Big East, but till then nothing is happening. A lot will change with time, and last I looked the ACC has about 12-13years till this terrible deal with ESPN expires.

(10-02-2022 09:39 PM)BigOwensboroCard Wrote:  I would rather the ACC to take all three of WVU, Cincy and UCF. I don’t think a Texas school helps the conference nor them playing on an island just as West Virginia has been doing in the Big12. I’m sure at some point the conference is going to get raided much like what we witness with the Big East, but till then nothing is happening. A lot will change with time, and last I looked the ACC has about 12-13years till this terrible deal with ESPN expires.

With 16 teams you have a 3-6 scheduling format. With 17 you have a 2-7 scheduling format except you can't have an odd number of games and an odd number of teams with all teams playing the same # of games. Someone's going to have to play 8 games or one team is going to have to play 10 games. I'd rather have an even number of teams.

The moment that UCF is added to the ACC they will sprout a basketball program that will be a top 45-70 program. If Miami can not get back to reliability in football you might need to do that.

The ACC can play with 15, 16, or 18 members quite easily but do you get a profit of any kind adding a school? West Virginia can really only be backfill for losing VT, UVa, or Pitt.

Only TCU/Houston/Ok State actually put the ACC into a new market for the ACC.

(10-02-2022 08:13 PM)esayem Wrote:  I’d rather add Villanova as an all-sports member.

Vallanova is in top 50 academically according US News & World Report. UCF is outside top 100. Also Philadelphia is much more populated than Orlando.

(10-03-2022 03:42 PM)ArQ Wrote:  

(10-02-2022 08:13 PM)esayem Wrote:  I’d rather add Villanova as an all-sports member.

Vallanova is in top 50 academically according US News & World Report. UCF is outside top 100. Also Philadelphia is much more populated than Orlando.

Academics?? That's irrelevant. College athletics is semi pro ball now.

While Philly has a lot of people, Villanova doesn't own it. If they did, then it'd be a different story.


Central Florida is a huge university, in the second largest state in the country. Villanova is a private school, with a sixth of the student population of the Golden Knights. Central Florida graduates one and a half times the entire student body at Villanova each year.

This isn't a fair fight.

(10-03-2022 04:37 PM)Pervis_Griffith Wrote:  

(10-03-2022 03:42 PM)ArQ Wrote:  

(10-02-2022 08:13 PM)esayem Wrote:  I’d rather add Villanova as an all-sports member.

Vallanova is in top 50 academically according US News & World Report. UCF is outside top 100. Also Philadelphia is much more populated than Orlando.

Academics?? That's irrelevant. College athletics is semi pro ball now.

While Philly has a lot of people, Villanova doesn't own it. If they did, then it'd be a different story.


Central Florida is a huge university, in the second third largest state in the country. Villanova is a private school, with a sixth of the student population of the Golden Knights. Central Florida graduates one and a half times the entire student body at Villanova each year.

This isn't a fair fight.

https://twitter.com/ScoutNickP/status/11...7268827138

FFS

(10-02-2022 03:38 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  I like UCF for the ACC.
- football is very good
- other sports are not horrible
- new tv market (Orlando)
- new recruiting area (Central Florida)
IF FSU and Miami are ok with it, I'd add then tomorrow (along with Cincinnati WVA)

https://twitter.com/FR_FrontRow/status/1...2589378563

rivalry rekindled ...

PASSION PLAY

No thanks

UCF has an endowment of only $155 million.

Who cares how fun Orlando is. ACC fans don't typically travel to their home games, much less an away game.

UCF has some decent wins in football, but that is it. I don't imagine their current winning average will be sustainable in the Big 12.

(10-03-2022 06:33 PM)Ramblin Wreck Wrote:  No thanks

UCF has an endowment of only $155 million.

Who cares how fun Orlando is. ACC fans don't typically travel to their home games, much less an away game.

UCF has some decent wins in football, but that is it. I don't imagine their current winning average will be sustainable in the Big 12.

ok pallie ...
what’s your solution to gaping deficit & discord ...
I gave mine ...
you and yours ...

THIS SHOULD BE GOOD

If the ACC adds UConn and UCF, that will add the 100th most popular football rivalry game. That should at least add 10 more eye balls.

(10-03-2022 05:37 PM)green Wrote:  

(10-02-2022 03:38 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  I like UCF for the ACC.
- football is very good
- other sports are not horrible
- new tv market (Orlando)
- new recruiting area (Central Florida)
IF FSU and Miami are ok with it, I'd add then tomorrow (along with Cincinnati WVA)

https://twitter.com/FR_FrontRow/status/1...2589378563

rivalry rekindled ...

PASSION PLAY

Certainly no problem with that.

(10-03-2022 07:09 PM)Garrettabc Wrote:  If the ACC adds UConn and UCF, that will add the 100th most popular football rivalry game. That should at least add 10 more eye balls.

Ah, I see what you did there...

(10-02-2022 09:39 PM)BigOwensboroCard Wrote:  I would rather the ACC to take all three of WVU, Cincy and UCF. I don’t think a Texas school helps the conference nor them playing on an island just as West Virginia has been doing in the Big12. I’m sure at some point the conference is going to get raided much like what we witness with the Big East, but till then nothing is happening. A lot will change with time, and last I looked the ACC has about 12-13years till this terrible deal with ESPN expires.

I agree with taking all 3 and just for fun and old time sakes adding Memphis. We should forget about Notre Dame ever joining for Football but we still can enjoy their Basketball

None of these options make money and they water down the basketball product. If UNC is playing a conference game against UCF?

(10-04-2022 09:11 AM)esayem Wrote:  None of these options make money and they water down the basketball product. If UNC is playing a conference game against UCF?

I doubt the ACC is willing to add what is essentially an academic community college, even a good one. That's where Memphis is right now compared to the average ACC school.

I think one of the big problems with UCF is USF. It's in the tale of the tape:

USF
Endowment - Almost 1 Billion
ARWU - 63-85 (Same as VT, NC State, etc)
Students 37 Undergrad, 11K Grad
NSF Funding - 77th
PhD Making - 54
Number of Grads 42nd
Admission Rate 49%
Intangibles - Gulf Coast, Tampa

UCF
Endowment - Just 200 Million
ARWU 86-106
Students 54 Undergrad, 10K Grad
NSF Funding 105th
PhD Making 74th
Number of Grads 55th
Admission Rate 31%
Intangibles - NASA, Disney

USF is already in the lower third ACC quality level for education, research, and financials now. UCF is 15 years behind USF in that respect. What you actually gain by adding them on the way to 15, 16, or 18 I do not know. Now if you are going to 20 or 21 that might be different, but again, I don't know.