UVA to the B1G was a rumour made up by overzealous conf expansion nuts. Unlike their "simpler" cousins to the north, UVA is quite satisfied in the ACC and values playing the UNC and Duke's of the ACC.
Uconn is a tough one, on one hand we already have BC (sadly) and Cuse in the region so how much more can you get from TV with those already there. On the other hand, unless we steal a SEC or B12 team (highly unlikely on both unless Texas leaves the B12) Uconn and Cincy are the only viable targets left.
USF will NEVER be a ACC target unless FSU leaves. FSU already plays Miami and Florida so they have plenty of FL company. They would block USF like Florida blocks them from the SEC.
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Exactly! Don't fall for the propaganda and expansion wishes of certain BIG fans, esp on Frank the Tank, and esp not the WVa nutcases. There are simply too many elitists types over on FTT, many forecasting all kinds of gloom and doom predictions of the ACC & a tad too much confidence certain schools would bolt. Why? Because Md, a school who long ago flirted with the BIG finally bolted. But that's really all folks. Md, culturally speaking, has long been more northern than southern. Some may argue Va is shedding its southern ties, but no so fast. Outside NoVA and college towns, it's still a proud southern state. Most of the "doom to ACC' BIG fans, and I'm quite willing to bet the farm on it, have little experience living in ACC land and observing the football-basketball traditions. The latter being something no other p5 conference can truly boast.
Regardless of AAU, football centric and provincial minded BIG types, I believe there is an underrated emphasis BIG administrators-leaders place on basketball. You're not going to glean any data on Frank the Tank that underscores this basketball emphasis - most the BIG folks on FTT are about the money and football prestige (well not that the BIG has really delivered on the gridiron the past 40 years, though its the second best conference when it comes to NFL talent). In basketball, the conference has straight up choked in too many NCG's the past 20 years, which should not happen considering the prep high school talent in the the footprint, which only gets better with Md and NJ being added in 2014. In terms of NC's per FF appearances, the BIG is likely dead last among the P5. Therefore, UConn is an attractive option. I also believe UConn has tremendous upside in terms of a public flagship university - due to talented k-12 students and state investment - as well as more influence, basketball wise, on the NYC market than given credit for.
Inevitably, some at the BIG offices will wake up and realize winning NCs, esp in football and basketball, is important enough to bypass the pretensions of AAU status and football centric thinking. As for the BIG profit motive, that may be hurting UConn until more proof exists that UConn can better help seal the NYC media market. A tough issue. It's also a major strike against UConn that your football program is young and the stadium is not only off campus, but even smaller than Northwestern's stadium - which is dead last in the BIG, though only by 3 thousand seats or so. I think the Rent, or whatever you call it, seats 7 thousand less than Northwestern.
BIG expansion could include some ACC schools, never say never. But, my gut says the Big12 is next - it simply makes far more sense than the ACC in terms of national geography. The Big12's media markets are overall small and its schools sit at the crossroads of the Pac12, BIG and SEC. The BIG has a better chance at landing at least 1 basketball king and perhaps 2 football kings via the Big12. AAU status, I'd take OU and Tx football over any ACC school. I'd also prefer KU basketball over UNC - even better a KU -UConn combo counters UNC by a country mile. I've said it before, I'll say it again - the BIG would be foolish not to take Tx, OU, UConn and KU to get to 18. Going with this combo would be easier than peeling off even one ACC school at this point, Va likely being the best target of low odds candidates.
The ACC will survive and they should, there needs to be a conference capable of shaking up the SEC in football once in a while. Problem is, the ACC has been shockingly incompetent on breaking the SEC's monopoly on the Southeast, despite expansions that brought in Miami & Va Tech. The jury is still out whether ND, partial schedule and rising Lville can help the ACC in football.
Lastly, it's quite obvious the ACC and ND have a strong future together, most cases. The number of ND alum in powerful positions throughout the ACC needs to come to light here- it's vast & simply exceeds the Midwest.
So Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, it's quite possible ND could fully join the ACC. Their national alum network would prefer to be in a conference with more elite, private institutions and a better football recruiting footprint. Also, never underestimate schools such as Pitt, BC, Miami and GT - they all have history with ND. In fact ND has played Pitt more than Michigan & nearly as many times as Michigan State & Purdue. They've played BC, Miami and GT, each, at least 20 times, some over 30 times. GT and Miami give ND something the BIG does not, media branding in two of the 5 best prep high school football states. Case closed on Frank, to all others thinking UConn has a better shot at the ACC than the BIG & finally those who think ND is somehow never going to fully join a conference - truly naive to think such.
The ACC would like nothing better than sticking it to the BIG and getting yet another school within the BIG footprint - ND and Pitt already happened. I see Cincy to the Big12 or ACC happening soon, and even faster if they can assure their suitors that their stadium will inevitably seat at least 45k. No reason why Ohio can't have two marquee football programs. Cincy should stick it to OSU and get into the ACC or Big12. But hopefully, the BIG can pick off OU, KU and Tx first, then throw in UConn