I am not trying to predict the 2024 season with a ranking of the XII against the ACC minus 7 ACC members, which is what I see you just did. To me the question is what is best for VT and starting off with assumptions that the ACC in the discussion is minus 7 teams before any comparisons is pretty useless. But, yes, VT, NCSU, Lville and Pitt are way better than Cincy or UCF as league mates in the area VT is in. As I said, WVU is different. Heck, you can even add Wake, Duke and UVA as being better conference mates too that simply because all can go to away games in easy driving distance. Neither Cincy or UCF is that. And for all other XII teams, well they just as well be from another planet. But the other planet thing is probably as true for any of the 4 teams the XII assumes are "in the discussion" for pretty much any of the above assumed ACC league member trying to go play in, create rivalries and interest in Utah, Colorado, AZ, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma Texas or any other XII states I missed. So for the area VT is in, a league that has one of UNC or Miami along with every other ACC team minus FSU and Clemson is a much better option today or in the immediate future than anything a midwest regional conference trying to establish what the local/regional conference already has. And even at the end of say the 2024 season with no real surprises, don't be surprised that the ACC isn't better than the XII just like they were in the NCAA tourney.