tkalmus wrote:
SEC + UNC and Duke
Big Ten + KU and UVA
PAC12 + Texhoma 4
ACC + NDfb, UConn, Cincy, WVU and ?Temple?
Good to point to this tkalmus.
Such may have been beyond a suggestion. Some version of this could, perceivably, be a pursuit. Months back, I believe something like this was on the table close to the later stage before the ACC's GoR initiative. Some respectable sports figures in the Carolinas and Georgia were floating the UNC/Duke to the SEC idea during that time period, perhaps to see what reaction happens (or the other incentive, maybe taking a chance to show how clever one could be at predicting).
There was also the impression that after Maryland announced its ACC departure, the B1G was seeking to move too fast and too deep into the ACC. The B1G leadership did not exactly discourage the speculation. It did trigger the ACC's defensive mode, and got the SEC into re-uping their own 'just in case' plan, with a couple of those schools of interest to both the B1G and the SEC. Meanwhile, the Big12 was hoping for nice left-over (but some of the very best fb types) picks in FSU, Clemson, and perhaps more. The FSU and Clemson rumors related to the B12 started before Maryland announced it was leaving. The evidence was weak though. All (B1G and company) this fell short of being a master plan; and if it really was a 'collective initiative' to pursue, the failed effort was poorly executed.
I can see those B12 schools potentially cooperating in the above format. As to ACC schools such as UVA and UNC moving, and separately at that, to the extreme ends of new host power conferences, seems so unrealistic. And, conceiving that ND would go all-sports in the ACC after schools such as UVA, UNC, and Duke left, is difficult to imagine.
The schools that hold the huge play cards to generate major movement: Texas, Oklahoma, UVA, UNC, FSU, Kansas, and Notre Dame. Some of those absolutely don't want to change...for now.
Perhaps the plan now is to create this super-division, and then shift within.