dayooper
It's what I do. I drink and I know things.
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If the Maryland/ACC lawsuit goes to trial, we will find out exactly what happened with the Northwestern/Penn State to the ACC rumors. Whether it's a rumor or fact, there is a snowballs chance in hell that either program would leave the B1G. The goal of conference realignment is promotion to a better conference, not demotion to a lesser one. In the B1G, Penn State is Pitt's superior. In the ACC, Penn State is Pitt's equal.
Those two schools were the best chance they had. Many PSU fans have been disillusioned with the Big10 for various reasons and the extra Sandusky punishment put down by the Big10 made things worse. PSU has always saw themselves as East Coast and The ACC has many East Coast schools.
NW is a small, highly acclaimed, private school who may seem out of place but fit right in with Duke, WF, BC, Pitt, and Miami. NW resides in the third largest DMA in America (Chicago) and located very close to ND.
Taking the state of Pennsylvania would cut off The Big 10 with its new East Coast members, much like taking UMD cut The ACC off from their new New England brethren. Planting a flag with an original member in a large DMA just might have enticed ESPN to start that ACC Network. ESPN just may have encouraged it. That's the rumor.
All of this being said, I really don't think this happened. ESPN is smarter than that. I have to believe the ACC is as well.