The first domino has fallen in the college football conference cold war, which is about to turn up the heat. Colorado announced today that it is leaving the Big 12 and heading for the Pac-10. This could be the start of a major reorganization of the college football conferences.
Texas is rumored to bolt from the Big 12 as well, and head either to the Pac 10 or SEC. But that’s not all. Reports have the Pac-10 issuing invites to a total of six Big 12 teams: Colorado (already accepted), Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. If Texas leaves, I’d expect the others to follow suit.
Nebraska, meanwhile, has received an invitation from the Big 10, and all indications are that the Huskers will accept. If all seven of the aforementioned teams leave the Big 12, the conference will not likely survive.
So, where does that leave the ACC? Well, the SEC is reportedly courting Miami, Florida State, Clemson and Georgia Tech – four of the premiere programs in the ACC. If those four teams join the SEC, the ACC will be left with eights teams and guess where it will look to replenish its ranks? The Big East – where it got Miami, Boston College, and of course, the Virginia Tech Hokies in 2004 (Boston College in 2005).
There are multiple reports on the Web that have the Big 10 is eyeing Rutgers and Syracuse. The Orange would be an ideal fit for the Big 10 because it currently lacks a team in the New York TV market. So, if the Big East loses two of it’s bigger named programs (although the SU football program has been stale for years), it would be down to just six teams.
So, a depleted ACC with eight teams (Miami, FSU, GT and Clemson gone to the SEC) and a Big East with six teams (Syracuse and Rutgers to the Big 10)… Looks like an ACC/Big East merger would be in the works. A two division conference, seven teams per division. Here’s our prediction for the new ACC/Big East conference:
North Division
Boston College
Cincinnati
Louisville
Maryland
Pittsburgh
UConn
West Virginia
South Division
Duke
North Carolina
N.C. State
South Florida
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest
Is this ideal? No. Would we rather see the Hokies in the SEC? You betcha. But, this is probably a more likely scenario, should the Big 12 fall apart, as we expect it to do. And if it goes, then the proverbial “dominoes” will fall and the ACC and Big East might have to turn to each other to salvage their conferences.
The only question now, is, what will the name of the new conference be? We nominate the BEACC. No brainer, right?
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