Where smoke, there’s fire!?!

There has been new buzz around college athletics in the last week about North Carolina and Clemson exploring departure from the ACC to join the Southeast Conference.

While this “rumor” may be true, we do not feel it will happen until 2030-31. That’s when conference media rights are set to be renegotiated and the ACC exit fee drops substantially.

BUT… if it happens sooner, then what happens to the ACC?

The CaneReports’ staff quickly put their heads together and came up three options for the ACC. Today, we examine the first two options.

OPTION A: Replace and raid!

The ACC may elect to quickly replace the two departing schools with three new schools. There was much debate on who the three new schools would be. We finally landed on Notre Dame, UConn and Penn State. This would bring the ACC to 18 full members.

Notre Dame: The key is convincing Notre Dame to give up their independence. The ACC might consider combining Clemson and UNC revenue shares ($45M/yr. each) and offer the Irish a 5-year contract for $90M a year or 2030-31, or what comes first. It would also give Notre Dame a clear path to the national playoffs.

Connecticut (UConn): The most debated candidate. The Huskies would bring national brands in both men’s and women’s basketball and be a replacement for the Tar Heels on the hard court. Plus, UConn has made noticeable progress in recent years on the gridiron. Finally, it would bolster the ACC northern lineup of schools.

Penn State: The most controversial addition. Penn State was once a major eastern independent. Since moving to the Big Ten, the Nittany Lions have floundered behind Ohio State and Michigan on the gridiron, failing to get over the hump for desired recognition as an elite football program. However, such a move could “burn the bridge” for any ACC school’s desire to move to the Big Ten.

“Danger, Mr. Robinson!”

If the ACC pulls off the above option, it would give the conference eighteen football-playing schools with the marquee brands of Notre Dame, Penn State, Florida State and Miami. Duke and UConn would be marquee basketball brands.

OPTION B: Merge, expand and reorganize

The ACC may elect to quickly merge with the BIG12 Conference. This would be a “strength in numbers.” strategy.

Such a merger would bring 31 schools together to form a powerful alliance in the NCAA. This new alliance may also elect to quickly invite UConn, Army, Navy, Tulane, USF, Memphis, Boise State, Air Force and UNLV as a full members. This would bring the total number of schools to 40. Both the ACC and BIG12 could then reorganize geographically into four divisions of ten schools each. Each conference could implement separate conference championships. Such a merger and reorganization might look something like this…

ACC North: (10)

Boston College, UConn, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Army, Navy, Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis

ACC South: (10)

Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Duke, NC State, Georgia Tech, Florida State, UCF, USF, Miami

BIG12 East: (10)

SMU, Houston, Tulane, UTSA, TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State

BIG12 West: (10)

Arizona, Arizona State, UNLV, California, Stanford, Colorado, Air Force, Utah, BYU, Iowa State

BOTTOM LINE:

The merger of the BIG12 and ACC would become a powerful voting block in the NCAA, driving for four automatic berths in the College Football Playoffs (CFP). If unsuccessful, this new alliance would be positioned to split from the the NCAA and form a new association and conduct their own national championships.

We will next examine the final option… INDEPENDENCE.

GO CANES!