Interesting look at history of SEC and ACC

[UConnJim]

I found it interesting to look at the history of the SEC and ACC to see how they were formed and maybe understand who would leave the ACC for the SEC.

Here is an abbreviated history and I will start with the Southern Conference. At one point there were 23 members of the Southern Conference: Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Maryland, Mississippi, Miss State, North Carolina, NC State, Sewanee, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, VMI, and Washington & Lee.

In 1933, 13 schools broke off and formed the SEC: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Miss., Miss St., Sewanee, Tennessee, Tulane, and Vanderbilt.

In 1953, seven schools broke off from the Southern Conference and formed the ACC: Clemson, Duke, Maryland, UNC, NC State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest.

(Note: West Virginia joined the Southern Conference in 1950, three years before the ACC was formed.)

Thus, all of the ACC schools and the SEC schools have a long history with each other. There are many southern universities that seem a fit with the SEC that also have a history with the SEC schools. Thrown in Florida State, Missouri, and Oklahoma, and Oklahoma St., it seems the SEC has plenty of potential 14, 15, and 16 candidates.

 

[gabect]

Strange that West Virginia was part of the South at some point. (post 1860)

If anything this makes it more likely that they end up in the SEC.