Hearing all these what-ifs and possibilities never ceases to let the irrational hope well up inside me. FWIW, my realignment wet dream (other than a straight up UConn to B1G move) is this:
**Prepare for delusion**
- The Longhorn Network folds (losing tons of money right now), and Texas begins discussions about a conference move
- B1G decides 16 is the future, adds Missouri (no grant of rights) and Kansas
- Oklahoma beats Texas to the punch and joins the SEC to fill Missouri's place
- SEC also adds West Virginia and Virginia Tech to match the B1G at 16 (two new markets)
- Texas panics without their network and OU, and ends up in the Pac-12 (now 14) with Texas Tech as a travel partner
- 5 defecting Big 12 schools sue over GOR, they win and the Big 12 has officially blown up
- In a blockbuster move, the football-centric ACC schools jump ship to join the five remaining Big 12 schools
- New Big 12: Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, TCU, and Baylor, with Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, NC State and Miami from the ACC, plus Cincinnati from the American
- ACC is left with 7 full members, adds UConn as a full member plus Army and Navy football only
- The ACC gives the Catholic 5 (sorry Marquette/DePaul) a sweet offer, they join for non-football sports with Notre Dame
- ACC: BC, PC, UConn, SJ, SHall, Cuse, Pitt, ND, Nova, GTown, UVA, UNC, Duke, Wake
- ACC is a middling football conference but a basketball powerhouse, just what UConn always deserved
As you can see it gets more and more unlikely as it unfolds. But a kid can dream right?
Taking them in order....
The LHN folds.
I think Texas, Tech, OU and OSU join the Pac12.
Kansas, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State and West Virginia start scrambling.
There's really nothing in that bunch that would appeal to the SEC, so they pass. There's nothing for the ACC and they're stuck with ND as an odd appendage so they pass.
The Big 10 could take Kansas, but what else is in there? Do they take Kansas and UConn? I'd guess that might be too basketbally a bite for the B10 football powers, so I guess not.
So welcome to the American, folks!
Or the six dead Big 12 members meet UConn, Cincy, Temple, UCF and Houston at diner and they Facetime BYU, Boise and SDSU and become the Big 12+2 American West Conference.