SEC Expansion & Realignment Thread

The Bishin Cutter · **Joined:** Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:41 am **Posts:** 543

I don't know what Villanova wants to do, but there's no way the ACC takes them before they upgrade to FBS, whether that decision is made by ACC officials or its member schools.

A program I watch with interest is Cincinnati. I remember watching the 81-0 beatdown they took from Penn State...if someone told me right after that this program would go to two BCS bowls, have multiple 10+ win seasons, and have a better overall record than Louisville, the "it boy" so many of the BEF'ers wanted, in their Big East tenure, I wouldn't have believed it.

What happens if, over time, Cincy remains this way? They won't ever touch the Big Ten, but could they be a "next-in" ACC school? Could they be SEC-worthy? Is the Ohio River Valley "south?"

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Sun Jun 10, 2012 6:08 pm

The Bishin Cutter wrote:

I don't know what Villanova wants to do, but there's no way the ACC takes them before they upgrade to FBS, whether that decision is made by ACC officials or its member schools.

A program I watch with interest is Cincinnati. I remember watching the 81-0 beatdown they took from Penn State...if someone told me right after that this program would go to two BCS bowls, have multiple 10+ win seasons, and have a better overall record than Louisville, the "it boy" so many of the BEF'ers wanted, in their Big East tenure, I wouldn't have believed it.

What happens if, over time, Cincy remains this way? They won't ever touch the Big Ten, but could they be a "next-in" ACC school? Could they be SEC-worthy? Is the Ohio River Valley "south?"

If Cincy ever got into another conf. I'd think it would be the B12 w/ Louisville. I hate the the B12 is the only power conf w/o a conf title game. All of the FSU/Clemson talk has raised B12s image of itself so I doubt they'll settle for Louisville, BYU, or Cincy now. That sucks.

sec03 · **Joined:** Sat May 20, 2006 2:09 pm **Posts:** 1231

Fresno St. Alum wrote:

The Bishin Cutter wrote:

I don't know what Villanova wants to do, but there's no way the ACC takes them before they upgrade to FBS, whether that decision is made by ACC officials or its member schools.

A program I watch with interest is Cincinnati. I remember watching the 81-0 beatdown they took from Penn State...if someone told me right after that this program would go to two BCS bowls, have multiple 10+ win seasons, and have a better overall record than Louisville, the "it boy" so many of the BEF'ers wanted, in their Big East tenure, I wouldn't have believed it.

What happens if, over time, Cincy remains this way? They won't ever touch the Big Ten, but could they be a "next-in" ACC school? Could they be SEC-worthy? Is the Ohio River Valley "south?"

If Cincy ever got into another conf. I'd think it would be the B12 w/ Louisville. I hate the the B12 is the only power conf w/o a conf title game. All of the FSU/Clemson talk has raised B12s image of itself so I doubt they'll settle for Louisville, BYU, or Cincy now. That sucks.

Bishin, funny you mention that PSU-Cincy game, I was in the stands that day when living in PA at the time. The irony is, I believe Cincy went on and had a decent season that year, and PSU did not have such a great year overall. Cincy showed no defense, and their offense could not complete a drive.

I remember when Furman beat So. Carolina; Miss. State lost to Maine; but the classic game was Appl. State upseting Michigan. That stuff is "coaching change" games. Someone said, don't schedule anyone if you cannot handle losing to them.

A few years later, was the game in which Toledo pounded Penn State. The Toledo coaching personnel in the pressbox seemed quite amused.

Cincy to the B1G? I won't happen, but Ohio State could use some lofty in-state competition.

tute79 · **Joined:** Fri Jun 23, 2006 4:25 pm **Posts:** 1493

Toledo also beat Pitt in 2003 or so (whatever year was Larry Fitzgerald's last year in college).

Toledo was pretty good for a while. They had Brude Gradkowski (who has been an NFL journeyman QB, and played fairly well for several teams).

Not sure on the timing, but somewhere back then, Toledo was coached by Gary Pinkel, who parlayed his success to move on to Missouri.

sec03 · **Joined:** Sat May 20, 2006 2:09 pm **Posts:** 1231

Now that Texas A&M and Missouri are officially onboard in the SEC, there are articles from both in-coming regions noting the transitions.
The Monday, July 2, 2012 issue of The State (accessible online @ http://WWW.THESTATE.COM/SPORTS - registration required) had reprints of two artilces, one per each school.

Different World, Not Just a Conference, on Tap for Missouri (Kent Babb, The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, MO.)

Tough Road Awaits Aggies (Kevin Sherrington, The Dallas Morning News)

The Mizzou piece focused on the challenge ahead in a new, tough conference.

The piece on the Aggies mentions Texas A&M in facing a new league, has a new fb coach, a new AD, and a need to remodel Kyle Field.
Included also, was criticism of the remarks by the A&M President, as if he was, instead, suppose to articulate the specifics of the conflicts that caused A&M to leave the B12 .
What I gathered, the article was judgmental, in a negative way, as to A&M's motives, and delivered from a pro-UT (& maybe B12) point-of-view.
To have this printed on the front page of the sports section in the most eastern SEC locale, as one of the "welcoming" articles, seems akin to picking your bitter enemy to sing your praises.

Maybe in Dallas & some other sports in Texas, it shall dawn on them the SEC is now there, and deal with it.
No wonder certain schools, particularly T A&M were ready to get away from every UT whim.

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7063

Article out of Cape Girardeau with comments from SEC Commish regarding various topics at http://www.semissourian.com/story/1871293.html

seanbo · **Posted:** Sun Jul 22, 2012 9:59 am

Tuscaloosa article about the SEC in the future

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/2 ... ?p=1&tc=pg

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7063

SBJ article(previously posted in another thread)with update on SEC TV Network situation at http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Jour ... a/SEC.aspx

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7063

Article out of Birmingham(previously posted in another thread) with comments from SEC Commish regarding various topics at http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012 ... uture.html

sec03 · **Joined:** Sat May 20, 2006 2:09 pm **Posts:** 1231

On Conference Realignment.....

The State, Columbia, SC WWW.THESTATE.COM
Fri., Nov. 30, 2012
Neil White
Analysis: SEC VS. ACC

"The SEC has reached the stage where it is selectively choosing which schools will join if expansion continues to trend toward four 16-team mega conferences".

"No schools are looking to to leave the SEC, but various media outlets report that other key ACC members are exploring the possibility of joining the Big Ten, SEC, or Big 12."
_______________________
ACC Championship game ticket cost: Priced as low as $3.66
SEC Championship game ticket cost: On sale starting at $323.99

lash · **Posted:** Tue Dec 18, 2012 3:04 pm

If the SEC expanded to 16 the conference could split into four pods or simply split into the followoing eight team divisions.

East: Florida, Florida State, Georgia, South Carolina, Clemson, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee

West: Alabama, Arburn, Ole Miss, Miss State, LSU, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas A&M

Everyone assumes the SEC would go for markets by expanding into Virgina and North Carolina for teams. I do not necesarily see this as the SEC is all about football and Florida State and Clemson are both more SEC like compared to a Virginia Tech and North Carolina State combo.

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1036

lash wrote:

If the SEC expanded to 16 the conference could split into four pods or simply split into the followoing eight team divisions.

East: Florida, Florida State, Georgia, South Carolina, Clemson, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee

West: Alabama, Arburn, Ole Miss, Miss State, LSU, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas A&M

Everyone assumes the SEC would go for markets by expanding into Virgina and North Carolina for teams. I do not necesarily see this as the SEC is all about football and Florida State and Clemson are both more SEC like compared to a Virginia Tech and North Carolina State combo.

So Mizzou was an all about football move? Heck A&M wasn't even an all about football move, they were 6-6 in the Big 12 last year, the SEC had no idea they'd be good. It was always and will always be about markets the only move not about markets by the Safe 3 (PAC/B1G/SEC) was Nebraska and that was about eyeballs which FSU might bring but Clemson most likely will not.

I wrote a big thing on the ACC board in reply to you lash but real quick VA Tech has been of one top fb big dogs of the ACC over the last decade lpaying in the ACCCG 5 times in its 8 year exsistence and has won the conference 3 times. Only FSU and GaTech are even close both w/ 3 appearances and FSU w/ 2 championships to GT's 1. Yes Clemson made the CCG twice but so has BC, and Clemson even won 1 but so has Wake.

To say that the SEC doesn't want VPI because they'd rather take a real football school like Clemson is just silly.

Now if you want to talk about NCSU vs Clemson I agree with you, Clemson fb product is better but it still comes down to the markets. A&M and NCSU are very similar, both 2nd fidle to big brother in well populated recruiting states. I don't think NCSU will run into the SEC like A&M did but I bet NCSU would be competitive (moreso than Mizzou) however even if they're not the SEC doesn't want to be a .500 league or it'd be boring and noone would watch. The Big 12 had a good competiive year (all bowl eligible but Kansas) but noone cared it lost its cache after OU/UT/WVU lost and nobody really cared about anyone in the conference but KSU and when they lost the whole conference became irrelevant. The only thing people wanted to know was if they'd get 2 BCS bids or not.

An SEC w/ Vandy, Kentucky, and NCSU on one side and Mizzou, Ole Miss, MSU on the other is balanced and allows the big boys to pad their schedule and push 6 teams into the top 10. If they grow past 16 I think competitiveness re-emerges in the league but still markets are king.

Quinn · **Joined:** Thu Oct 17, 2002 8:05 am **Posts:** 3757

I like the ACC as it is. But I do see a potential ACC addition of VA Tech and NC State as a homerun. The cultures of both schools seem to fit the SEC more than their counterparts, UNC and Virginia. It's not to say they are bad schools, just that they seem to fit the culture more. I think both schools would do quite well in the SEC with huge recruiting benefits. NC State is further down the recruiting pecking order now. Put them in the SEC and that changes. And for VA Tech, the culture and support is there and should carry over with even a future coaching change.

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Tue Dec 18, 2012 7:52 pm

Quinn wrote:

I like the ACC as it is. But I do see a potential ACC addition of VA Tech and NC State as a homerun. The cultures of both schools seem to fit the SEC more than their counterparts, UNC and Virginia. It's not to say they are bad schools, just that they seem to fit the culture more. I think both schools would do quite well in the SEC with huge recruiting benefits. NC State is further down the recruiting pecking order now. Put them in the SEC and that changes. And for VA Tech, the culture and support is there and should carry over with even a future coaching change.

I just think it would be a mistake to leave Florida St. out of the SEC. National brand, like Nebraska is for the B1G. Then VT could be #16.

Quinn · **Joined:** Thu Oct 17, 2002 8:05 am **Posts:** 3757

Fresno St. Alum wrote:

Quinn wrote:

I like the ACC as it is. But I do see a potential ACC addition of VA Tech and NC State as a homerun. The cultures of both schools seem to fit the SEC more than their counterparts, UNC and Virginia. It's not to say they are bad schools, just that they seem to fit the culture more. I think both schools would do quite well in the SEC with huge recruiting benefits. NC State is further down the recruiting pecking order now. Put them in the SEC and that changes. And for VA Tech, the culture and support is there and should carry over with even a future coaching change.

I just think it would be a mistake to leave Florida St. out of the SEC. National brand, like Nebraska is for the B1G. Then VT could be #16.

I agree. I dont' know exactly what the SEC was thinking when they opted for Missouri as #14 when they could have gotten FSU. Only reason that comes to mind is the tlak of the "no instate rivals for expansion", which excluded FSU, GA Tech and Clemson.

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