SEC Expansion What If - SDS Article

#51
#51
Please note that Vandy was instrumental in the formation of the SIAA. UT was not an original member, joining in the expansion of 1895. With further expansions, the SIAA/Southern Conference became bloated and unwieldy, and in 1932, 13 members institutions west and south of the Appalachian Mountains formed the SEC. Vandy was among these. Accordingly, I aver that booting Vandy is a non-starter.
 
#52
#52
I understand that most of this is just wishful thinking, but I know two things for sure. Vandy is not leaving and UNC is not coming.

UNC controls the ACC and that will not change.

The best pure fit would be Oklahoma, but I doubt they could come without Oklahoma State and the current thought appears to be one school per state other than those that already have two (pretty much eliminates FL State, GA Tech, Texas, Louisville & Clemson).

West Virginia wanted to come during the last expansion, but my question is what do they truly bring? I see the conference benefiting them much more than they benefit the conference, but I will say that I don't have much to back that opinion up other than my own perceptions as I can't tell you that I have ever really heard much about that programs athletic history.

Virginia Tech, I'll take a pass. They appear to think they are much more than what they truly are and Virginia is for the most part a Northern state and at least in my opinion and look down on the rest of the South.

Of the North Carolina Schools the one that would make the most sense to me would by NC State, but I don't know if they would be able to move much like Oklahoma.

In a perfect (not happening world) I would say that Vandy should move on along to another conference with Missouri going to the Big 10 and that NC State & Oklahoma take their places and the SEC move to a 9 game in conference schedule.

Just my current humble opinion and looking at it all from a fit from both a football and basketball perspective.
 
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#53
#53
Wouldnt make much money so it won’t happen, but I’d like to see:
Memphis take vandys spot
Appy St to the East
Houston to the West
 
#54
#54
GaTech, Fla State, and Clemson...u pick 'em.
All are natural rivals for one reason or another.
 
#55
#55
Percival said:
GaTech, Fla State, and Clemson...u pick 'em.
All are natural rivals for one reason or another.
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Those 3 are the least likely to happen because UF opposes FSU, Georgia opposes GA Tech and SC opposes Clemson joining the SEC.

Best chance for expansion are NC State, Va Tech, West Virginia, or either Oklahoma or Oklahoma State.

TV revenue has much to do with it that’s why we have Mizzou because they bring the St Louis TV market.
 
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#57
#57
dobre_shunka said:
I'd say the A&M - Texas rivalry in any sport was as strong as NCSU - UNC basketball ever was and yet A&M still left.
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I've actually lived through one of them. I attended NCSU for a while. They won't let go under any current or foreseeable circumstance. NCSU has the same kinds of fans that hang on to the UNC v NCSU rivalry as UT has that hang onto the Bama rivalry. They're not going to let it go... and they pay the bills.

The TAM/Texas divorce was different. The "Longhorn Network" and the Big 12's failure to do anything about it really set TAM off. That split had a long history of big and small fractures before they split off.

UNC is never leaving the ACC especially for the SEC who they deem academically inferior to their high standards (in spite of the nearly 2 decades of academic fraud to keep athletes eligible). Living in Charlotte, my experience is they have one of the most conceited fanbases I've ever encountered and have no interest in dealing with their crap.
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Agreed. I have been an ABC (Anyone But Carolina) fan longer than I've been a Vol fan.

While Duke is in NC, they are not a "North Carolina" school and neither is their fanbase.
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You are badly mistaken if you think they do not see themselves as a "Durham" institution. They see themselves as an elite private institution with a national and international student body. But their location is historic and it matters to them.

All three of those schools have a long and intimate history with the ACC. They're not leaving. UVA isn't likely by any stretch but are more likely than any of the 4 NC schools or Clemson.

GT would probably move but there's no way UT, Bama, Aub, or UGA would support it considering all recruit ATL heavily.


I would love to see a NC school in the SEC. NC and VA would be even better. But it would be just as likely for UT to join the ACC as NCSU join the SEC.
 
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#58
#58
I'd say Florida State or Miami in the east, and Texas or Oklahoma in the west. Or maybe Georgia Tech in the east, and the aforementioned in the west.
 
#59
#59
It wouldn't bother me if Tennessee emulated Vandy, i.e., got serious about its academic reputation. My degrees from U.T. have never been enhanced by how many t.d. passes Peyton threw. Tennessee is the flagship university of the state; it needs to act like it.
 
#60
#60
sjt18 said:
There are some folks who somehow think other conferences and schools do not have meaningful, historical ties and rivalries. In the past, the UNC v NC State rivalry was bigger than the UNC v Duke rivalry. There was once a tournament between WFU, UNC, Duke, and NCSU in basketball to determine the "state champion". You would be just as likely to get Auburn to leave the SEC as to get any of those to leave the ACC. WFU would currently have the most reason to leave... but they don't help the SEC.

You will never get OU or OSU. Your only shot would be to take both and that would defeat the purpose of taking either- namely to get into the OKC media market. If you are really "looking" and it has to be a current Power 5 program then you have to go after those who have proven they'll move. Va Tech is one. WVU is another. Pitt doesn't fit geographically but they aren't a natural in the ACC either.

There are group of 5 teams that could work. Houston is a big school with a good history in athletics. Cincy could work but UK wouldn't go for it.

If you have to get someone from NC... then your realistic option is App State and accept that it will take years for them to catch up in terms of fan following, other sports, and facilities. They are the best football program in NC.
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VA Tech and WVA would be the two realistic options. VA Tech brings a big northern VA TV market and WVA would pull in a big chunk of the Pittsburgh TV market. Both would be better fits than Mizzu.
 
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#61
#61
In a dream scenario that will never happen, Texas, Oklahoma, and VA Tech and drop Mizzou.

I like the idea of going back to 10 and play 9 games (and no CCG. Plus I'd like to boot Vandy and keep Arkansas.)

But for the sake of college football, Oklahoma and Texas need to go to the PAC 12 if there is another round of expansion. Also Notre Dame fully joining the ACC would be good.

The SEC and Big 10 are set. Lots of money lots of interest. We need the coasts to stay interested. I don't think it behooves anyone longterm for CFB to become too regionalized to just the south and parts of the Midwest. JMO.
 
#62
#62
hog88 said:
VA Tech and WVA would be the two realistic options. VA Tech brings a big northern VA TV market and WVA would pull in a big chunk of the Pittsburgh TV market. Both would be better fits than Mizzu.
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I think Oklahoma State would be a possibility also.
 
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#63
#63
hog88 said:
VA Tech and WVA would be the two realistic options. VA Tech brings a big northern VA TV market and WVA would pull in a big chunk of the Pittsburgh TV market. Both would be better fits than Mizzu.
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Nobody that interacts with WVU fans, or West Virginia in general, wants anything to do with them. Trust me on that. Their long term rivals of Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Miami, and Pitt lobbied against them getting into the ACC. If not for a desperate Big12, reeling from losing 4 of their best programs, WVU is still in the mid-majors, along with the other beneficiary TCU. Not to mention it's the worst ranked academic school in the Power 5, the weather and recruiting base is flat out terrible, and the stadium sits 2 miles from Pennsylvania - which essentially screams the opposite of "Southeastern".

It's been said by a few already here, the best move is to get a flagship school from NC and VA. I would argue the second best option is to invest in a mid-major school from both states. Selfishly - I want fun road trips (another downfall of Morgantown West Virginia) - but a trip to the Carolina coast... ECU? Sweet. Blacksburg or Charlottesville with a little tour to the Shenandoah National Park - check. Even JMU - a D1AA powerhouse - has 20,000 students and could compete after receiving an SEC paycheck for 5 years. Virginia and North Carolina provide the best all-around potential to the SEC, I'd love to see it.
 
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#65
#65
sjt18 said:
IF I were king.....

I would reduce the top tier of college football to 64 teams divided into 4 conferences of 16 teams. Each of those conferences would be divided into 4 divisions of 4 teams or two divisions of 8 teams.

Each conference would have a one or two round playoff to determine its champion. Those champions would go on to play a two round playoff for the NC.
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The P5 has about 65 teams plus notre dame and maybe a UCF type team, so 2 or more teams would get relegated to the Group of 5 which also has about 64 teams.

Not only would it be great for P5, (eventually P4 with demise of Big 12) but it would also give a National Championship to the usually smaller Group of 5 teams like Air Force, MTSU, and Southern Miss.
 
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#68
#68
tfaircloth08 said:
Wouldnt make much money so it won’t happen, but I’d like to see:
Memphis take vandys spot
Appy St to the East
Houston to the West
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Of all those schools only Appy St owns it own stadium...The SEC won't take a school if it can't generate income and none of those can generate SEC type income for the conference.
 
#69
#69
Further expand the SEC, and you might as well divide the conference in two, and have a naming contest for each.
 
#70
#70
EconVol92 said:
I understand that most of this is just wishful thinking, but I know two things for sure. Vandy is not leaving and UNC is not coming.

UNC controls the ACC and that will not change.

The best pure fit would be Oklahoma, but I doubt they could come without Oklahoma State and the current thought appears to be one school per state other than those that already have two (pretty much eliminates FL State, GA Tech, Texas, Louisville & Clemson).

West Virginia wanted to come during the last expansion, but my question is what do they truly bring? I see the conference benefiting them much more than they benefit the conference, but I will say that I don't have much to back that opinion up other than my own perceptions as I can't tell you that I have ever really heard much about that programs athletic history.

Virginia Tech, I'll take a pass. They appear to think they are much more than what they truly are and Virginia is for the most part a Northern state and at least in my opinion and look down on the rest of the South.

Of the North Carolina Schools the one that would make the most sense to me would by NC State, but I don't know if they would be able to move much like Oklahoma.

In a perfect (not happening world) I would say that Vandy should move on along to another conference with Missouri going to the Big 10 and that NC State & Oklahoma take their places and the SEC move to a 9 game in conference schedule.

Just my current humble opinion and looking at it all from a fit from both a football and basketball perspective.
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finally, a rational though.
 
#71
#71
MikeTheVol said:
I'd say Florida State or Miami in the east, and Texas or Oklahoma in the west. Or maybe Georgia Tech in the east, and the aforementioned in the west.
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Georgia Tech was a founding member of the SEC and left to be an independent...they later joined the ACC...They won't be invited back and UGA would block any chance of it happening anyways.
 
#72
#72
MontyPython said:
This.

Think about it... Vandy is the red-headed stepchild of the SEC. Basically a southern Ivy League school that demphasizes sports. How is that similar to ANY other SEC school?

Vandy doesn't belong in the SEC.
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No argument here. Only argument to keep them is baseball.
 
#73
#73
tfaircloth08 said:
Wouldnt make much money so it won’t happen, but I’d like to see:
Memphis take vandys spot
Appy St to the East
Houston to the West
Click to expand...

Memphis replacing Vandy makes sense from a basketball standpoint, but I would think Kentucky fights that tooth and nail.
Appy State and Houston might be worth a look, but Appy State needs to agree to stop playing the Tennessee waltz.
 
#75
#75
Just move Clemson, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Ohio St in and the SEC Champ will be declared National Champ. No need for the other conferences to continue.
 
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