(06-16-2019 12:53 PM)bigblueblindness Wrote:  JR, thanks for the thoughtful and provoking post about the SEC's future in light of the Big 12. I tend to agree that the whole can be greater than the sum of the parts when considering Texas Tech and Oklahoma State joining the fray. With more and more concern about actual viewership and attendance to ball games, it is high time that conference leaders consider compelling partnerships and competitions rather than forced ventures (see American Athletic Conference).

I am fully behind your strategy to getting to 20 schools out of the Big 12 as long as Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas all come together, but I think we have got to keep a strategy open for Florida State, Clemson, and perhaps a few others from the ACC to join in the coming decades as the opportunity arises. As public education continues to consolidate, I believe we will see more "State" schools rise to prominence and serve as a complementary partner to the flagships.

I think 24 is a good end game. I also think that should the SEC move to 20 with the aforementioned that the Big 10 might well look at taking 6 from the PAC's West Coast: The 4 California schools, Oregon and Washington.

Then along about 2035 (2 years prior to the ACC GOR exipiring) that they would Eyeball UNC, Virginia, and Notre Dame and at that time they would probably take Colorado as a bridge. That would be their 24.

The SEC would take Florida State, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina State.

I also believe that if that happened Miami, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Duke, Boston College, Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Louisville would join with Kansas State, Baylor, T.C.U., and Iowa State. And that Brigham Young, Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, Oregon State and Washington State would form a Pacific 6 for a new conference. Add U.S.F., Cincinnati, U.C.F., Houston, Memphis, and possibly Connecticut to form the final 24 member conference.

Central Florida, Georgia Tech, Memphis, Miami, South Florida, Wake Forest
Boston College, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Duke, Pittsburgh, Syracuse
Baylor, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas State, Louisville, T.C.U.
Arizona, Arizona State, Brigham Young, Oregon State, Utah, Washington State

Make no mistake the B1G and the SEC would be the money makers. This new conference would be a better paid and enhanced version of the AAC supplanting the entirety of the G5 and become the new inbetween conference.

So yes BBB, there would be 4 slots left for the ACC. And if UNC and UVa would rather be in the new SEC then both Virginia Tech and N.C. State fit the Big 10 profile as well as any inasmuch as both are nearing AAU quality and both are large land grant schools.