Where will USF end up

[BullsFanInTX]

Agree, when/if the SEC takes 4 ACC teams, the remaining ACC and BE teams will have no choice but to merge.  All 4, 5, or 6 remaining BE teams will go into the ACC as a group.  I could also see UCF and either Memphis or ECU getting an invite also.  The ACC does NOT hold all the cards in this scenario, because they will be tremendously gutted also, being a shell of their former selves by losing FSU, GT, Miami and Clemson to SEC.  The BE will have just as much pull in this merger as the ACC.

[bulldozier1]

Carolina, how about when Jose Jose signed with that other school and got arrested.

[tampabull]

This is where the BE should be proactive.  Get a network announced with NBC or whomever.  Then start inviting ACC teams to the conference.  They can use the possibility of making more money from a network than the ACC current extension deal with espn.  I think the BE is sitting better than the ACC, because they are not tied into a long term contract yet.

[Joe]

Jim academics as a whole, not APR. I just think the APR will also hurt.

Every ACC is a top 100 school except FSU (102).

UVA, Duke, Wake, and UNC Chapel Hill made it very clear last time that academic standing would be a major requirement for expansion consideration.

[Apis Bull]

Jim academics as a whole, not APR. I just think the APR will also hurt.

Every ACC is a top 100 school except FSU (102).

UVA, Duke, Wake, and UNC Chapel Hill made it very clear last time that academic standing would be a major requirement for expansion consideration.

Joe, that was last time.  This time, they may not have a choice.

[bulldozier1]

TampaBull, are you telling us that the ACC don't have a expansion clause?

[tampabull]

Jim academics as a whole, not APR. I just think the APR will also hurt.

Every ACC is a top 100 school except FSU (102).

UVA, Duke, Wake, and UNC Chapel Hill made it very clear last time that academic standing would be a major requirement for expansion consideration.

They may not have a choice in the matter.  They will probably have to go with what keeps the money coming in.

[Guest]

Jim academics as a whole, not APR. I just think the APR will also hurt.

Every ACC is a top 100 school except FSU (102).

UVA, Duke, Wake, and UNC Chapel Hill made it very clear last time that academic standing would be a major requirement for expansion consideration.

Right. I understand that, which is why the ACC won't take a school like Southern Mississippi or Louisiana Monroe.

The economics of college athletics requires conferences to follow each other's lead.  Which is why the ACC eventually went to 12 teams after the SEC (early 1990s) and the Big 12 (mid 90s).

Therefore, when the SEC expands - and I think it's sooner rather than later - they will gut the ACC taking four teams.  The ACC will have to replace the four they lost AND add four more.... and then they will look at the teams available and balance academics, athletics, and market just about equally.

USF is weaker academically than most of (if not all of) the ACC schools.  That is true.

But USF is not weaker academically than the teams who will be available for selection into the ACC.

[tampabull]

TampaBull, are you telling us that the ACC don't have a expansion clause?

They may, but it might not be as lucrative as having a network.

[Guest]

TampaBull, are you telling us that the ACC don't have a expansion clause?

They may, but it might not be as lucrative as having a network.

You are correct.  Having a deal on ESPN, ABC, or CBS -- while great as that is - does not have the same potential as a stand-alone cable network.  Heck, the SEC could almost have two whole networks with 24/7/365 programming.