ACC… Super Conference?

August 20, 2026 - The other day, we projected a massive wave of realignment coming within the next six months. The reaction was swift and passionate.

“Did you forget the conference cap at 19 schools?”

Good point.

We projected the Big Ten would quickly expand to 24 member schools within the proposed 180-day grace period for schools to transfer.

“Other than Miami and Notre Dame, ACC schools will not have offers to go to the Big Ten or SEC. The SEC/BigTen schools don’t want to slice the money pie into smaller shares!”

Good point.

The reaction prompted us to reconsider another scenario that we discussed earlier this month.

What IF, the ACC expanded instead of imploring? What if the ACC made a series of major strategic moves to become a “super conference?”

This scenario assumes Notre Dame moves to the Big Ten, and the ACC keeps the rest of the conference together. This would leave the ACC at 17 schools.

What IF the ACC merged with another conference and raided other conferences?

Merge with the Big East Conference, forming a super conference of 18 football playing schools (with UConn) and 28 basketball playing schools. What IF you then also added Army and Navy to grow to 20 football playing schools? Another monster game addition, plus a return presence in the big Washington-Baltimore TV market.

But wait, there’s MORE!

Then raid the Big12 and invite Texas Tech, West Virginia, Central Florida and Cincinnati. That would give the conference 24 football playing schools (two 12-school divisions).

FOOTBALL: BASKETBALL:

1. Boston College St. Johns

2. California Connecticut (UConn)

3. Clemson Villanova

4. Connecticut (UConn) Seton Hall

5. Duke Creighton

6. Florida State DePaul

7. Georgia Tech Marquette

8. Louisville Butler

9. Miami Providence

10. NC State Xavier

11. North Carolina Georgetown

12. Pittsburgh Boston College

13. SMU California

14. Stanford Clemson

15. Syracuse Duke

16. Virginia Florida State

17. Virginia Tech Georgia Tech

18. Wake Forest Louisville

19. Army Miami

20. Navy NC State

21. Texas Tech North Carolina

22. West Virginia Pittsburgh

23. Central Florida SMU

24. Cincinnati Stanford

25. Syracuse

26. Virginia

27. Virginia Tech

28. Wake Forest

29. Army

30. Navy

31. Texas Tech

32. West Virginia

33. Cincinnati

    
    

Now we are talking!

The ACC could change their “tainted” name to the Big East Conference!

The new BigEast would be back in college football and command “super conference” status. Would strength in numbers drive some serious media rights discussions with the networks?

You betcha!

BOTTOM LINE:

A 33-school super conference would be a powerful voting block in the NCAA. Twenty-four schools playing football would be a powerful influence on the CFP. The conference's media right deal could be significantly higher.

Could this scenario actually happen? It's possible, if you are trying to keep your conference alive. This would result in a massive paradigm shift (power) in college athletics.

Something to seriously consider.

GO CANES!