So I've
learned that a change in the alignment of the ACC's football divisions would only take a majority vote, not a 3/4 vote. This means only 8 schools need to approve rather than 11 -- much more surmountable. In this light, let's examine two of my favorite alternatives to the current alignment:
(1) Near-geographic alignment:
ATLANTIC/COASTAL
Clemson/Louisville
Duke/Syracuse
Florida State/Miami-FL
Georgia Tech/Pittsburgh
NC State/Boston College
North Carolina/Virginia
Wake Forest/Virginia Tech
Where would the schools stand?
Boston College: Yea (gains Miami, avoids Clemson and FSU)
Clemson: Yea (fewer games vs. northeast teams)
Duke: Nay (UVA no longer annual, doesn't avoid Clemson and FSU)
Florida State: Yea (gains GT, fewer games vs. northeast teams)
Georgia Tech: Yea (gains FSU)
Louisville: Yea (gains potential rivals Pitt and VT)
Miami-FL: Yea (gains BC and Syracuse)
NC State: Yea (better recruiting by gaining GT)
North Carolina: Nay (doesn't avoid Clemson and FSU)
Pittsburgh: Yea (more games vs. northeast teams)
Syracuse: Yea (gains Miami, avoids Clemson and FSU)
Virginia: Nay (Duke and GT no longer annual, more games against ex-Big East teams)
Virginia Tech: Yea? (gains WF)
Wake Forest: Yea (gains UNC and VT)
So that's 10 "Yea", 1 "Yea?", and 3 "Nay". I'd say it passes.
(2) Compromise alignment:
ATLANTIC/COASTAL
Clemson/Georgia Tech
Florida State/Miami-FL
Louisville/Boston College
NC State/Wake Forest
North Carolina/Duke
Pittsburgh/Syracuse
Virginia/Virginia Tech
Where would the schools stand?
Boston College: Yea (gains Miami, avoids Clemson and FSU)
Clemson: Yea (gains UNC and UVA, fewer games vs. northeast teams)
Duke: Nay (UVA no longer annual)
Florida State: Yea (fewer games vs. northeast teams)
Georgia Tech: Nay (UNC and UVA no longer annual, more games vs. northeast teams)
Louisville: Yea (gains potential rival Pitt)
Miami-FL: Yea (gains BC and Syracuse)
NC State: Yea (better recruiting by gaining Pitt and UVA)
North Carolina: Nay (GT no longer annual, doesn't avoid Clemson and FSU)
Pittsburgh: Nay (GT, Miami, and VT no longer annual)
Syracuse: Yea (gains Miami, avoids Clemson and FSU)
Virginia: Nay (Duke and GT no longer annual, doesn't avoid Clemson and FSU)
Virginia Tech: Yea? (gains WF)
Wake Forest: Yea (gains VT, avoids Clemson and FSU)
That's 8 "Yea", 1 "Yea?", and 5 "Nay". So it could fly, but it's a tougher sell than the near-geographic alignment.
If anyone has a better sense of how each of the schools would feel, please let me know!