Maryland had been the biggest pill in the ACC, but it was more of a peer to other ACC schools and one that could avoid trouble that UL just can’t be as a program.

It was a long time coming, what the ACC did when Maryland tried to slip out. But, the ACC has itself and its governance structure to blame when it comes to what “could have been.” The same obstructionist ways UMD employed to resist change (which, wasn’t just them alone all of the time) are no different than Virginia state politics inserting themselves on behalf of UVA and VT to push a different agenda through.

It’s not UMD’s fault Penn State isn’t in the conference. It’s always been a conference with schools not on the same page with others. Still isn’t, and may never be. And, I suspect that if UConn had not sued the ACC, you would see those tensions boil to the surface, because I doubt you can keep them out of it had they “played nice” once seeing their old mates peace out. They get in at probably Pitt’s expense at the earliest, but Louisville’s spot for sure if not. And it really comes back to FSU, GT, and Clemson to make some hard decisions. FSU maybe more so.