Thanks, Freaked.

The CBSsports announcement referenced L'ville as still top among future B12 expansion possibilities. Also, ND, even w/o fb coming, is a considered option.

Bridging quality geographic/travel/market links to WVU would be important to the B12, and adding L'ville and/or certain ND accommodations would support the process.

If L'ville does leave the BE, it is another blow to BE bb (and fb). It could add a little bit more motive for ND to shop elsewhere for placing their non-fb sports. The B12 would appear the best option while the conference would expect some regular partial fb scheduling.

While the B12 may be best for a one-team hybrid accommodation, would ND feel comfortable being the only one in this setup? With such a move, the pressure shall start immediately for the school to give the conference its all (fb). On the other hand, it may give the ND administration a foothold for eventual full conference fb membership, reducing the pressures from big donors and alumni to remain fb independent even though the tide may be heading the other direction per the playoff-related situations.

Could BYU be offered the same deal to balance partial scheduling? Of course BYU brings another whole plate of issues.

It all shall get interesting when Bowlsby settles into the job, and more clarity is reached on playoff/bowl formats. Some major conference again will set new shifts in motion, and it may not be long off.

ND does make plenty of sense.

Add Louisville to bridge the bulk of the Big 12 to WVU. Add ND for non-football as an additional bridge. And then decide on someone for #12 football, albeit Boise St., BYU, Cincy, etc. Memphis will be interesting over the next few years. Give them 5 years in the Big East: if they improve, they might be a worthwhile B12 candidate then.

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I thought ND was all about playing eastern schools, thus wanting ACC for all sports over B1G for all. So if they go to the B12 for all but fb they lose the eastern games. BE isn't great but still has all those eastern catholic bball schools that don't have fb.

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I really don't see ND going all in on the Big 12, ever.

They'd go all-in on Big Ten or ACC, and Swofford has long been an advocate of ND joining the ACC.

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I'm saying I don't think they'd go to the B12 even if they dont have to bring fb because they want to play games on the east coast. WVU isn't enough of an east coast conf schedule for them.

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Yeah, going to the B12 would be the worst of ND's options. Basketball will get lost in the heartland, with the Big Ten controlling everything around the Chicago area, and football would lose most of those rivalries.

The B1G is pulling a Wal-Mart on ND. Deal with us, or we'll make you irrelevant. And, honestly, their pitch is loud and clear. The hockey league is going to be the best in the sport. The deal with the PAC preserves the games with USC and Stanford. There's no reason the B1G wouldn't take another eastern school to maybe ease one of those Pitt/BC losses (this assumes UMD as #14, but could still be Pitt or BC).

The B12 should take comfort that they will get some nice schools, even if they wish them bigger or better. Missouri and Nebraska hurt, A&M too, UC not so much, but there's still UT-OU-Kansas as a base...they can build off that. TCU adds a little. WVU will pay off immensely. BYU or Louisville will be paydirt. They could do worse than Cincinnati, USF, or UNM. They just have to stay away from Rice and Tulane, no matter how "safe" they look.

Big 12 Pro and Con
Pro-Notre Dame keeps their football independence and exposure to Texas recruits
Con-exposure to Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma and West Virginia does little to help recruiting which is the life blood of college football. The
Irish probably makes the least amount of money in this conference

Big 10
Pro-in the B1G, Notre Dame gets to keep the most rivals, Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue plus the B1G has an agreement with the
PAC allowing the Irish to at least keep their USC rivalry. In the B1G Notre Dame could make the most money.
Con-joining the B1G doesn't increase the Irish's recruiting base

ACC
Pro-in the ACC, their's no real super power team, VT is the closest while FSU and Clemson constantly tease so Notre Dame may have
an easier path to the new national playoff. Even though the Irish recruits on a national scale, playing every year in the southeast
would give more exposure to southern recruits, playing every other year in Florida would help recruiting and playing in the ACC
keeps Notre Dame not only in the Northeast but the entire East Coast. the ACC has some of Notre Dame's rivals in Pitt and BC.
Con-Notre Dame would only have 3 out of conference games and would lose some rivalry games. could keep Navy, USC and Michigan
but would lose Stanford, Michigan State, and Purdue.

What will Notre Dame do? Try to stay independent.
What would I do? Join the ACC to give myself a better shot at the National Championship. You win, the money and recruiting will take care of itself.

Conference affiliation is really the wave of the future and ND is going to have to decide sooner than later. Their most ideal fit is with the Big Ten. The traditional rivalries with Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue already tie them to the conference while Navy would be an easy OOC game to schedule as would possibly rotating between Stanford and USC every other year (something could be worked out).

Also, ND vs Wisconsin, Penn State, and Nebraska would likely receive huge tv ratings. Big Ten expansion is all about finding the best national product and/or one that would bring in the most ratings to increase the viewership of the Big Ten Network. The B1G wouldn't stop at ND in order to get an even number of teams to help with scheduling. Rutgers fits the mold with their history as being one of the two teams to compete in the first intercollegiate football game and their proximity to the NYC market. It's an enticing carrot with the ability to schedule ND, Michigan, Nebraska or Ohio State in the NYC market. The numbers alone would increase revenue. Not to mention that Rutgers possesses the types of academics the B1G likes.

It's a thought...

UConn and Temple could then be brought to the ACC. They may not get the NYC market but could still play in Philadelphia with their huge basketball following and have a bball tourney consisting of Cuse, Pitt, Temple, UConn, UNC, and Duke. There's ratings right there.

The Big 12 then expands with Louisville and Cincinnati, and get footholds into the B1G and SEC recruting country while adding solid athletic programs.

Seems like a win/win for everyone.

I don't think Temple has the right allies to ever break into the ACC. You can thank UMFL, Pitt, and BC for Temple getting kicked out of the Big East the first time. Villanova has a much better chance of breaking in, and even that is nuts.

The fear I have of the UL-Cincy B12 move is for Cincy. Even before the formation of the Big East, where "eastern independents" in football wandered the eastern banks of the Mississippi almost aimlessly, Cincy clung to the North Atlantic more than Louisville. I know Louisville thinks themselves an eastern school, but Cincy has the actual evidence of building its programs in the east (and north). Now, UL-Memphis would be a good pairing for the B12, but I'm convinced UL is a pretty spiteful and political mover, and wouldn't let that one through.

Diabsoule, liking your post, the problem with this is that it has real logic, seems very orderly, and possesses common sense specifics. Looking at the landscape of recent shifts/expansion, some of those things often have been tossed aside. However, I largely agree with your premise.

ND has to give up something to join an all-sports conference. Folks say they must have their eastern rivals, keep their ethnic Irish subway fans happy (1940s' era style); continue to play two California teams for west coast recruiting and exposure; keep Navy, and continue to play Purdue, Michigan, MSU, etc. but shed any thought of themselves being tied to the midwest mantra. Neither the ACC or B1G can appease for all of this.

Penn State, South Carolina, FSU, GT, Miami, Texas A&M, Mizzou, and a dozen or so more are among high profile schools that substantially/radically changed their regular schedules when they joined/changed conferences. Any lofty conference interested in ND needs to hang firm and convey "this is what we offer, take it or leave it".

Report on Clemson site saying Clemson and Florida State are headed to the Big 12.

http://www.cemetery-hill.com/2012-artic ... merge.html

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This story is BS. It's not happening.

Absolute hogwash. Not worth the time to read it.

Such is someone's blog site with no affiliation with Clemson University.

It's not the Greenville News, The State (Columbia), the Charleston Courrier, or the Charlotte Observer.

This rumor was dismissed months ago by Clemson spokesmen.

I don't know if this story is BS or Hogwash, the one thing for certain is this rumor simply will not die or go away. It is not just limited to one ore two websites that was once thought to have fabricated the story.

A lot of coincidences as well with Florida State announcement of having financial issues and is eerily similar to how U of Miami eventually made the case to exit the old Big East.

If there is any shred of a fact in a Big 12 TV contact's ability to generate 30 million dollar per school, then it is hardy BS to think any school would not at minimum consider a move to improve financial stability. That is why employees that may be perfectly happy in a company made a decision to move to another company based on money.

It is also interesting the new Big 12 commissioner wants to ensure the Big 12 remains on the same footing as his counterparts in the Big Ten, SEC, and Pac 12. No mention of the ACC or Big East with his comments.



Florida State may be promoting the rumors as well to convince the SEC to consider dropping the gentleman agreement an expand with a strong football school in the same footprint.