BIG ? to add UNC and possibly UVA or Gtech?

[JD]

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2013-02-20/big-ten-expansion-north-carolina-virginia-georgia-tech-acc


It's not the bleecher report, not sure how credible this is, but this would be interesting

[Groin_pull]

We've been hearing whispers about this happening. I'll say it again...it's very interesting that the fourth best football conference...located in the dying Rust Belt...is able to call all the shots and hold all the power.

[MUlegends]

If UNC bolts.......Duke to C7?

[Galway Eagle]

If UNC bolts.......Duke to C7?

Duke has Football.

[JD]

If UNC bolts.......Duke to C7?

I wish, but they do have football.

[MileHigh]

Duke has Football.

Drop the program

[Pakuni]

If UNC bolts.......Duke to C7?

Not unless they drop football.
The C7 provides MU and its other members a comfortable buffer from all this nonsense.

Edit: As a side note, there are many, many reasons not to jump the gun on this, perhaps most prominently the status of the litigation against Maryland. If the ACC wins that, methinks the people of North Carolina and Virginia might hesitate just a bit about having to ante up $50 million apiece so their universities can change conferences.

[jficke13]

Duke has Football.

Duke has an atrocious football team. Not that it would ever happen, but they'd be better off torpedoing their football than getting stuck in CUSA just to keep the football team alive.

[Niv Berkowitz]

Despite their struggles the last couple years, the Big Ten is still an incredibily powerful conference with two/three of the biggest 'brands' in the sport. So...the fact they can call the shots over the ACC from a football standpoint should not surprise you. The SEC and Big Ten are the two most powerful conferences out there. Period.

The ACC football-wise, has two things compared to the B10 and SEC: Jack and shite

[NavinRJohnson]

Whether these rumors are true at the moment or not, this action is going to happen sooner or later. The ACC will not survive as is, and I suspect the rumblings around some sort of alignment/merger with the Big 12 is the most likely long-term scenario.

[TJ]

We've been hearing whispers about this happening. I'll say it again...it's very interesting that the fourth best football conference...located in the dying Rust Belt...is able to call all the shots and hold all the power.

And then people will keep replying to you that it is more importantly (sadly) the richest conference.  No one gives a crap about the results on the field; all that matters is money (sadly).  When you understand that it will no longer be interesting to you at all, just sad.

[Aughnanure]

Despite their struggles the last couple years, the Big Ten is still an incredibily powerful conference with two/three of the biggest 'brands' in the sport. So...the fact they can call the shots over the ACC from a football standpoint should not surprise you. The SEC and Big Ten are the two most powerful conferences out there. Period.

The ACC football-wise, has two things compared to the B10 and SEC: Jack and crape

By "struggles" I assume you don't mean monetarily.

Pac-12 and B1G > SEC. The academic advantages they provide to their schools are so far beyond anything the SEC can match. SEC is powerful. . .in one sport.

[Warriors10]

You guys need to get over yourselves.  Duke is never going to be in the C7.

[PBRme]

Duke has Football.

Duke has football

[jficke13]

You guys need to get over yourselves.  Duke is never going to be in the C7.

I agree with that.

I also want to make the larger point that I think that it's better to have a strong basketball team and no football at all than it is to have a strong basketball team and a terrible football team that none of the BCS conferences want.

I say this because UCONN is on the outside looking in. If they scuttled their football and asked to join the C7 would we take them? Yes. However, because they're scrambling for BCS money, a team that has been on the premier basketball programs (including women's) in the nation is stuck in CUSA 2.0. Cincy, though somewhat removed from Oscar Robertson or Huggins era greatness, and with a marginally better football program than UCONN, is in essentially the same boat.

Without being forced to find a home for bad football, schools have the freedom to create a great basketball league.

[MUMountin]

We've been hearing whispers about this happening. I'll say it again...it's very interesting that the fourth best football conference...located in the dying Rust Belt...is able to call all the shots and hold all the power.

Picking off teams from the #5 and #6 football conferences, doesn't necessarily mean they are calling all the shots.  While great schools and strong brands, UNC, UVA, and GT are not great football programs (GT is probably the best of the group, and they are only a BCS-bowl caliber team every half-decade or so).  Similarly neither Rutgers or Maryland are top flight programs.  None of those teams would be likely targets for the SEC (who could instead try to pick up a FSU or Clemson).  So, for those programs the B1G is probably the best shot for them to move up in the football world--even if "#4", B1G is still a better football conference than the ACC or Big East are, plus has way more resources.

If the B1G was truly "calling all the shots", then I think we'd see them convincing ND to join in football.  Instead, they are making the most out of their situation and picking off the strongest brands (overall, not just in football) that they can acquire.  

[Pakuni]

By "struggles" I assume you don't mean monetarily.

Pac-12 and B1G > SEC. The academic advantages they provide to their schools are so far beyond anything the SEC can match. SEC is powerful. . .in one sport.

In the last 20 years, the SEC has won six men's basketball championships. The Big 10 has won one.
The SEC has won five women's basketball championships. The Big 10 has one.
The SEC has seven baseball championships. The Big 10 has zero.
The SEC has four golf championships. The Big 10 has one.
The SEC has eight swimming championships. The Big 10 has one.
The SEC has 12 women's gymnastics championships. The Big 10 has zero.

But the Big 10 has been far stronger in men's soccer and women's volleyball, and each have one softball championship.
So, er, way to go Big 10!

[77ncaachamps]

UNC, VA, GT are flagship state schools with large alumni bases and high academic profiles.

Perfect for Big???.

Still doesn't explain Northwestern.

[TinyTimsLittleBrother]

We've been hearing whispers about this happening. I'll say it again...it's very interesting that the fourth best football conference...located in the dying Rust Belt...is able to call all the shots and hold all the power.

Because the midwest isn't dying, isn't entirely the "rust belt," has a ton of people, and has a bunch of schools with enormous alumni bases.

[Bricky]

Drop the program

They've got the best punter in the nation though.

[Tugg Speedman]

If UNC bolts.......Duke to C7?

No ND to C7 ... renamed the C8

[Benny B]

I sure hope the ACC schools saved the first (and perhaps only) installment of their $3.6B contract.

http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:arc:video:southparkstudios.com:1989758a-ed01-11e0-aca6-0026b9414f30

[bradley center bat]

Duke did go to a bowl game this season.

[LAZER]

In the last 20 years, the SEC has won six men's basketball championships. The Big 10 has won one.

You think the SEC is a better basketball conference than the Big Ten?

[ChicosBailBonds]

We've been hearing whispers about this happening. I'll say it again...it's very interesting that the fourth best football conference...located in the dying Rust Belt...is able to call all the shots and hold all the power.

4th best but richest by far, largest alumni base and best tv ratings.