TallyBull

It's getting a little crazy. Let's think this through. What are the motivations for joining a "P5" conference? More money Access to CFP Set aside the B1G, B12, and SEC for a moment. If your goal is to get into the ACC, but you're giving up the money for 5 years, and the ACC may no longer exist as a "power" conference in 5 years because the B1G, B12, and SEC are going to poach most of your teams, isn't there a significant risk that you will both make no money over that timeframe and ultimately lose what you perceive to be better access to the CFP? While the G5's access isn't as good as in a P5 conference, it seems like there's momentum of guaranteeing G5 teams at least one, possibly two, spots in the CFP. So if you're making no money and have similar (admittedly not equal) access to the CFP in the AAC, is this all worth it? Seems to me like the snooty officials at Stanford and Cal, and the desperate boosters at SMU, haven't really thought this through. I guess the gamble could pay off if the ACC sticks together? But maybe I'm missing something.

He’s a jerk and I hate him. But also, he’s rarely wrong.

Still haven’t seen a reputable source reporting that the ACC will be voting tomorrow. I’ll believe it when the mustache reports it.

Imagine getting rejected even if you join for free! That would be so sad

Once we learn what Stanford is doing, the rest will fall into place.

Who would decide which schools are FBS and which are FCS?

I was referring to a new PAC that does NOT include Stanford or Cal. If that conference (with just Wazzou and Oregon State) gets $14m a year per team, yeah, in that case USF should do it. I just sincerely doubt it will. Need Stanford and Cal to bring in that much.

I think he means rebuild using G5 schools as backfill vs. a merger with a G5 conference. I had the same question. EDIT: I see now that you got there.

Can't read the article because it's behind a paywall, but he'd better hope Stanford and Cal stick around. I'm skeptical that any top tier AAC schools will abandon the AAC to join a new Pac-12 with just Wazzou and Oregon State. The TV contract wouldn't be worth it.

That's not the point. The disingenuous "WTF?" is the point.

He's been trolling for a few weeks. UCFer

Friendly reminder to not feed the trolls.

100% this. Besides, UConn left the American to join the Big East in BB and go independent in FB. I don't see them abandoning the Big East unless it's for a boatload of money (like ACC or better money).

I agree, Wyoming and New Mexico should do something

What if Stanford ends up in the ACC, but Cal doesn't? Would a new PAC still be viable without Stanford? I think so. You could have: West Wazzou Oregon State Cal SMU SDSU (2025) Boise State (2025) East Memphis ECU Tulane USF Navy (2025) Temple (2025) Would still be a better conference than AAC.

You’re right, except they (allegedly) command the NY/NJ market. Classic example of falling up. I can think of about 12 schools that would have been better choices to join the B1G than Rutgers. Don’t think the B1G will make that mistake again.

I think there could also be branding benefits to being Apple's sole CFB media property. I suspect it would promote/market the ever-loving poop out of it. USF needs to build its brand - step 1 is winning, of course, but step 2 could be Apple marketing/branding efforts.

I like your ideas. Something also to consider: we should leave a little room for ACC leftovers if/when that conference collapses as predicted. So I'd prefer a 12-team set up initially (PAC-4, top 4 from AAC in 2024 (USF, Tulane, SMU, and Memphis), and top 4 from MWC in 2025 (SDSU, Boise State, Colorado State, and UNLV). We then have at least 4 slots for additional ACC teams down the road. Rice, Air Force, Navy, etc. aren't going anywhere so we can always add them later if the ACC sticks together.

Who knows? Maybe he'll stop before he goes over the cliff this time. And in any case, we don't really have the option of not playing the game.

Interesting discussion about the proposed PAC Apple deal. I like it a little more after hearing this (could maybe resurface if the PAC rebuilds)?:

FWIW it seems there's much more smoke/excitement on social media about the PAC potentially rebuilding itself than there is about a potential merger between the PAC and the AAC.

An aside - can you imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth if the P2 break away and FSU and Miami aren't a part of either the B1G or the SEC? I know they will probably at some point get the call up, but the amount of puckering in the meantime would be great fun. Due to its age, USF has never had expectations of joining either the B1G or the SEC - those conferences only accept blue-bloods - but FSU and Miami probably couldn't imagine a world of CFB that doesn't include them at the highest levels. So much kvetching!

Not if Stanford and Cal are in the conference. They clearly have the sympathy of many presidents and ADs, and our best shot (imperfect as it is) would be to hitch our wagon to them. I think if the PAC rebuilds there will still be a de jure P5 but a de facto P2. So we'd be as much a "P5" as the Big 12 and the ACC, perhaps not earning as much money as them, but also not part of the "P2." And even with respect to the "P2," contraction is coming down the road... Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Purdue, Illinois, Rutgers, etc. won't be able to mooch off of the brand names forever.

I would take Memphis over Rice every day of the week and twice on Sunday, but it seems this is an academic/market thing.