Just curious what are the opions out there if the BE had agreed to break away, do you think that Miami - the key driver in all of this - would have stayed?

I still don't see any of those teams staying just for the simple fact of money. A 12-team all sports conference BE wouldn't have been able to generate the same revenue compared to a 12-team all sports conference ACC. This is assuming of course that the BE added 4 teams from the following: Temple, USF, Louisville, Cinn, USM, ECU, and Memphis (I don't think they would have been able to pry away FSU, GT, Clemson, or Maryland from the ACC).

Just look at the TV contracts of the BE and ACC before the expansion. The ACC had bigger contracts in BB and FB. One of the reason Miami cited for leaving (and probably the main reason) was monitary. In those years where Miami may not get the BCS berth, they would make about half in revenue from the conference. It was too hard to run an athletic budget not knowing what your conference check would be.

Thoughts?

No way they stay. They had wanted in the ACC for years. It just makes too much sense even w/o financial issues.

Miami and Florida State should both be the 11th and 12th SEC members.

As it now stands they both changed two perfectly good conferences that probably could have done without either teams.

Sooner or latter college sports is going to settle down because the money is just not there without a playoff.

Miami is in the ACC for money or stability which ever term you prefer.

More thoughts!

If Miami had remained in the Big East, the conference would have three ranked teams in Miami, Va Tech, and WVU. Boston College and Pitt are close to being ranked.

No wonder the ACC expanded with two teams left in Florida State and Virginia, the Big East was the better conference.

With Maryland, Clemson, NC State all fading from the pre season hype, the BE would have been ranked much higher than the ACC at this point in the season.

The Miami game at Virginia would have been a conference game with WVU.

Playing in Morgantown over Charlottesville would have put Miami in a higher, colder, louder football game.

A loss in Morgantown would have put the Hokies right back in the mix of the conference championship game.

Come to think of it, with only one ACC lose, the Va Tech game at Miami in December may be for the ACC/BE championship game.

Congratulations Bunting! UNC defeats Miami. Maryland defeats FSU this same weekend.
Those who thought Miami & FSU would rarely lose to other ACC teams in fb may be wrong!
The ACC expansion actually may offer more balance for the long term.