(09-08-2025 09:52 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(08-29-2025 06:53 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  I realize Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and even Kentucky aren't always considered southern states, but who will be the first school to join the SEC that is truly outside the south? Would the Big Ten expanding into the southeast possibly drive the SEC to look northward or westward?

The question could have been posed as which would be the first school from a state that sided with the Union in the Civil War. In that case, Kansas is the obvious first choice. They are more or less equally north compared to Missouri, but Missouri, while officially remaining in the Union, was more supportive of the Confederacy, and launched frequent guerrilla style raids into Kansas.

Kentucky and Missouri sided with the Union. Confederate regiments did form there, but they also formed in places like Kansas and Illinois.

(08-29-2025 06:53 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  I realize Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and even Kentucky aren't always considered southern states, but who will be the first school to join the SEC that is truly outside the south? Would the Big Ten expanding into the southeast possibly drive the SEC to look northward or westward?

Someone from the B1G most likely, probably a couple of them at once. Michigan and USC seem as likely a pair as any right now.

(11-15-2025 06:29 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(08-29-2025 06:53 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  I realize Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and even Kentucky aren't always considered southern states, but who will be the first school to join the SEC that is truly outside the south? Would the Big Ten expanding into the southeast possibly drive the SEC to look northward or westward?

Someone from the B1G most likely, probably a couple of them at once. Michigan and USC seem as likely a pair as any right now.

(11-10-2025 05:30 AM)XLance Wrote:  There is little economic gain to the SEC regarding cable subscriptions by adding North Carolina and Virginia.
The dominant cable provider (Spectrum) has been broadcasting the SEC network for years, and has recently added the B1G network (as well as multiple streaming options) in an attempt to keep subscribers.

Assuming the B1G can't pacify Michigan and USC, would the SEC adding them do much for the SEC Network? I guess USC could give them the occasional 10:30/11:00 PM Eastern kickoff when they play some Pac-12 or Mountain West school at home, not to mention a lot of late night basketball games.

You almost wonder if the SEC would take a school like Stanford or Cal off the ACC's hands (considering the B1G would probably add one of them to partner with UCLA), or perhaps just to have sufficient West Coast inventory, and make travel slightly more bearable.

If Michigan jumps and gets Ohio State or Penn State to flip, that would be irreparable damage to the B1G.

(11-15-2025 08:59 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(11-15-2025 06:29 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(08-29-2025 06:53 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  I realize Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and even Kentucky aren't always considered southern states, but who will be the first school to join the SEC that is truly outside the south? Would the Big Ten expanding into the southeast possibly drive the SEC to look northward or westward?

Someone from the B1G most likely, probably a couple of them at once. Michigan and USC seem as likely a pair as any right now.

(11-10-2025 05:30 AM)XLance Wrote:  There is little economic gain to the SEC regarding cable subscriptions by adding North Carolina and Virginia.
The dominant cable provider (Spectrum) has been broadcasting the SEC network for years, and has recently added the B1G network (as well as multiple streaming options) in an attempt to keep subscribers.

Assuming the B1G can't pacify Michigan and USC, would the SEC adding them do much for the SEC Network? I guess USC could give them the occasional 10:30/11:00 PM Eastern kickoff when they play some Pac-12 or Mountain West school at home, not to mention a lot of late night basketball games.

You almost wonder if the SEC would take a school like Stanford or Cal off the ACC's hands (considering the B1G would probably add one of them to partner with UCLA), or perhaps just to have sufficient West Coast inventory, and make travel slightly more bearable.

If Michigan jumps and gets Ohio State or Penn State to flip, that would be irreparable damage to the B1G.

Stanford and Cal were added to the ACC at Notre Dame's behest.
If for some reason that Michigan and USC choose no to continue in the B1G, I would imagine that both would end up in the ACC with Clemson like contracts to play the Irish every year.

Kansas would be the next logical expansion of the footprint, so that would answer the OP question. By the time things get to the point of adding Dorothy-Clark Kent turf, Colorado could have a P2 choice and use it to choose the SEC.

After that, the Arizona schools. Realistically it will be a while before the New Mexico Lobos would also be on the SEC’s board, but the land bridge to Arizona—and Colorado, if needed—is nice.

As these southwestern schools literally are southern in latitude, their sports interests already fit well. Baseball and softball happen, and no one is playing much hockey. Common athletic interests like these are the main practical reason to watch latitude.

(11-14-2025 08:10 AM)Crayton Wrote:  

(09-08-2025 09:52 AM)ken d Wrote:  The question could have been posed as which would be the first school from a state that sided with the Union in the Civil War. In that case, Kansas is the obvious first choice. They are more or less equally north compared to Missouri, but Missouri, while officially remaining in the Union, was more supportive of the Confederacy, and launched frequent guerrilla style raids into Kansas.

Kentucky and Missouri sided with the Union. Confederate regiments did form there, but they also formed in places like Kansas and Illinois.

Let’s keep in mind that when historical sources report certain territories ‘support’ for this or that, they were not counting votes as we would count them today. Not every adult could vote then. There’s a built-in skew.

For those interested in the history, Ride with the Devil (1999) is a movie set on the Kansas/Missouri border during pre-Civil War tensions, and Lincoln (2012) shows the political map a few years further downstream. Both very much worth a look.