Yes the BIG and SEC will expand...assuming they can get it done without Congress blocking it. But after that, who says the ACC and B12 have to expand or die? They will both definitely change, and definitely earn less money going forward, but they don't have to die. ESPN owns the ACC contract, ESPN and FOX split the B12 contract. So there is an opportunity to make a new P5 conference. And there is a lot of benefit to keeping the ACC and B12 alive (think jobs tied to those conferences and the events they put on). Assumption #1: BIG poaches UNC and Georgia Tech. SEC poaches FSU, Clemson, Miami, and Colorado Assumption #2: B12 and ACC can exist with just 9 teams each (round robin scheduling and still meets playoff criteria). If either one wanted to expand, the top three targets would be Tulane, Memphis, South Florida. Assumption #3: Data clearly shows which schools have averaged the best viewership over time. If we take those top 10 teams to make a new conference, it could become the #3 earning conference immediately with the backing of ESPN and FOX. Hypothetical 10 teams (based on actual viewership data) to form a new football conference. VT Pitt Louisville Iowa St Kansas St Oklahoma St TCU WVU Utah The other teams to be considered based on viewership data would be NC State, Syracuse, BYU. There is clearly pushback against conferences getting too big, plus survival instincts will kick in and prevent any kind of merger between the B12 and ACC. So the logical next option is controlled shuffling to create something new while leaving minimal disruption behind. This would be especially true in the ACC where the remaining teams would be heavily academic and olympic sports/basketball focused. ** Edited by HokieAl at 7/28/2026, 11:43:43 PM