... schools as possible to stick together. I'd like to see VT & UVA stay with UNC, NC State, Clemson, GT, and FSU; all of the southern public ACC schools. Going to the SEC would keep them all in a mostly regional conference with other made to order rivalries waiting to happen in that league.

most obvious motivation for the SEC to expand with VA and NC being the best choices for states.

We have that pesky exit fee and GoR until 2036. Virginia: go after ODU, George Mason, Richmond, Liberty, JMU, W&M, or VCU North Carolina: go after ECU, or Charlotte, etc. Many of these schools already compete well. And obviously, with B1G/SEC monies, they will get even better. And this will serve to further dilute the ACC. That will weaken them at the next look in, negotiation, etc. We, the ACC, is already considering doing the same with SMU, Tulane, and South Florida. And Connecticut is still on the board. And regarding giving FSU/ND extra money. Never, they will take it and still leave. I'll go back to lurking now, since I am an unknown (undesirable) here. 🤣👍

give any of those other schools the time of day.

VCU and GMU don't even have football teams, Richmond and William & Mary play FCS football, and ODU and JMU are so far from the makeup of those 2 conferences' schools. Every school invited to the SEC in the past 35 years has been a flagship university of their state, JMU and W&M are not. The Big10 has also mostly added flagship schools in their expansion. While UCLA isn't the flagship school of California, it is close to being on par with Cal, and UCLA has a medical school while Cal does not. Location of schools is important, but those 2 conferences will not reach down into the G5 conferences to add schools.

...any more than CUNY football would bring the NYC TV market or King University brings the TN TV market. Just because a school is in a state doesn't mean anyone there cares if they live or die.

ODU is popular now. Just because Blacksburg doesn't like them sure won't make them go away. Up until the fallout with ECU, I enjoyed the games with them. If I was B1G, I would certainly think about those two. And maybe they are. Just like we think about SMU and Tulane. ...rant over.

ODU is going to start looking pretty good. They are not an AAU school, but that has not helped Stanford.

It was right after the PAC exodus. Sankey said no schools were now available that the SEC would desire. I think that just positively means the SEC is not going west. No PAC & Big 12 raiding. However I also think it means no ACC schools are now available. Not FSU or anybody else. I do know this.The B1G going to 18 has created an imbalance between the P2 never before exactly seen like this. With the B1G having more schools than the SEC. It has always been the B1G reacting to SEC expansion in the past. The thing to note in that. Is the B1G always did surely react. History shows that. I think the SEC is now itching to react as well. I think you can kinda compare FSU possibly being desired by the SEC to Oklahoma. Oklahoma was a big brand in a small state. The SEC surely desired that brand while Texas would have got the nod just on that HUGE fan base. I think the SEC would want FSU & Clemson for brands. A Virginia & North Carolina school would be specifically for the SEC footprint. I think the SEC will never go beyond 20. I think all this expanding is already a big mistake that will eventually bite the college football game in the butt.

like Florida and South Carolina give them all they need from those states. I’m bias though, I want Virginia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, and North Carolina State in the SEC if the ACC implodes. The Academics in the SEC are way better than it used to be, NIL brings the paying athletes above the table, and most of all I like a regional conference for the non-revenue“Student” Athletes. I know we might have to find another conference for some sports, but as long as it is regional too, I don’t see the big deal. Put them in the CAA for instance and I would go see those games in second, I have lots of friends and colleagues that went to CAA schools, it would be fun to watch most if not all of those games. ** Edited by Stech at 8/12/2023, 1:57:16 PM

If UNC, NCSU, UVA, Tech, FSU and Clemson joined the SEC, women's lacrosse would have Vanderbit, Florida, UVA, Tech, Clemson and UNC. Wrestling would have Tech, UVA, UNC, NC State, Missouri and Oklahoma. Men's soccer would have South Carolina, Kentucky, Tech, UVA, UNC, NC State and Clemson. Tech doesn't have field hockey and men's lacrosse which would most likely be effected by conference change.

Conferences to join nearby for those other sports that the SEC doesn’t have.

Maybe they would join w/VT, UVa, UNC and NCSt if they arrived in the SEC. Not sure. Pitt and Duke would still need homes too.

I am still not sure that Duke would not be part of the SEC. I think that ESPN wants the Duke UNC basketball games and they would have a lot of these sports too.

take them. A defensive move, so to speak. And ESPN would want this and pay for it (to keep them out of the B1G and Fox). If FSU was free and clear (and that's a massive IF), I could see a P2 bidding war for FSU. Also, the more teams that are added, the less legacy members of a conference get to play one another. So while playing FSU sounds cool, if it means SEC team playing Tennessee less often, or a B1G team playing Michigan less often, it might not be as cool. Look for ESPN to pay the SEC for a 9th conference game if SEC takes CU and FSU.

The SEC might not need Clemson or FSU but if the B1G were to get them, they might all of a sudden be at a disadvantage. States of NC and VA could also play in this as each border both conferences without either having a flag planted.

be huge for ratings since both conferences' fans would be interested and inter-conference results would affect conference reputation come selection time by the CFP selection committee. I kinda hope it goes down that way.

I also think college football needs as many large schools at the highest level to generate interest. And the P2 are about to be the highest level. The Big XII and ACC can’t keep up for long.