I see 3 outcomes, 1 great, 1 salvageable, 1 death knell

[husky91]

Assuming SEC takes Mizzou

1) ND works out some way to become a partial conf member of ACC with 3-4 football games and all other sports. ACC needs a 16th and takes UConn.

2) BE works out some way to expand ND football affiliation to strenghten conf and maintain all other sports. maybe ND is eligible for BE BCS berth every other year so BCS knows they have a chance for ND in BCS more frequently and that is enough.

3) BE implodes, ND jumps to ACC like #1 and BCU blocks UConn and ACC takes Rutty somehow suggesting NY market benefit.

 

[UConn64BA72JD]

Assuming SEC takes Mizzou

1) ND works out some way to become a partial conf member of ACC with 3-4 football games and all other sports. ACC needs a 16th and takes UConn.

2) BE works out some way to expand ND football affiliation to strenghten conf and maintain all other sports. maybe ND is eligible for BE BCS berth every other year so BCS knows they have a chance for ND in BCS more frequently and that is enough.

3) BE implodes, ND jumps to ACC like #1 and BCU blocks UConn and ACC takes Rutty somehow suggesting NY market benefit.

Very optimistic (?) re: ND. So repeat after me " ND is the problem."

IMO #3 is most likely unless ND specifically makes the entrance of UConn a condition for their entrance.

 

[upstater]

Very optimistic (?) re: ND. So repeat after me " ND is the problem."

IMO #3 is most likely unless ND specifically makes the entrance of UConn a condition for their entrance.

ND would not do that for UConn. Why?
Personally, I'm convinced that BC is blocking UConn.

 

[Rumrunner]

If ND does anything with the ACC which makes the ACC add another team, UConn over Rutgers. Every source has been consistent on that. Additionally, ND values competition more than it values $'s. Across the board, UConn has a superior athletic department.

BC's AD is on the high,high- my gosh that's hot- hot seat. He still is paying for Al Skinner (whom I've heard is now an AAU coach I believe), has Spaz as a fb coach, a stadium that relies on groupon to sell discounted tickets for ten cents. It is an athletic program that has imploded. It is crap. So any influence that flipper has is minimal, ephemeral, and of no concern for UConn. Who is likely to win the #16 debate, Duke, UNC and MD or BC if ND is in the fold?

 

[upstater]

Don't be surprised if ND chooses Rutgers in such a situation.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Assuming SEC takes Mizzou

1) ND works out some way to become a partial conf member of ACC with 3-4 football games and all other sports. ACC needs a 16th and takes UConn.

2) BE works out some way to expand ND football affiliation to strenghten conf and maintain all other sports. maybe ND is eligible for BE BCS berth every other year so BCS knows they have a chance for ND in BCS more frequently and that is enough.

3) BE implodes, ND jumps to ACC like #1 and BCU blocks UConn and ACC takes Rutty somehow suggesting NY market benefit.

As for #2, Notre Dame already made that "pledge" to the Big East a few years ago (all the way back in 2003?) - how has that worked out ?
As for #1, see #2.
#3 is going to happen, likely within the next few weeks, sort of. But the ACC isn't going to be able to get Notre Dame all in. The Big 10 would have to move to 16 without Notre Dame, leaving Notre Dame without a BCS conference home, unless they went to the ACC. Otherwise, ND will stay independent until its death.

Hopefully Swofford is smart enough to avoid the partial membership scenario for ND, which is the essence of why the Big East is in trouble for football purposes (well, that and mixed membership in general). I see the ACC eventually taking UConn because Notre Dame and Penn State just isn't going to happen, and the Big East is going to die as a football conference. I'm not sure that Rutgers even plays football, so hopefully they get left behind.

 

[Gate97]

I really don't think Mizzou is going anywhere. B1G said thanks but no thanks last year and the SEC seems to be leaning hard towards the same response. If SEC does not make a move (or alternatively, takes aim at certain ACC targets like FSU, which I think is more likely), Mizzou doesn't go anywhere and the Big 12 stays at 10 for the time being.

Or, the other bigger risk to the BE is that the Big 12 stays at 10 and decides to get to 12 by adding some combination of Louisville, WVU, Cinci, BYU, or another Texas school.

The move to 16 team super-conferences is probably 2+ years away at this point since the PAC-12 didn't jump first. B1G is standing pat, SEC and ACC will likely be content with 14 for a bit. We'll have to grin and bear it to do our part supporting a watered down BE until the 16 shift and an invite elsewhere comes down the road.