Daily Conference Expansion Rumor: Big Ten To Add Five Including Syracuse and Connecticut

So says Teddy Greenstein, the Chicago Tribune sportswriter who has been having a field day over the past few weeks writing about Big Ten expansion. Apparently, the rumor of the day is that Big Ten expansion to 16 teams is more likely than 14 is more likely than 12. Take it away, Teddy:

We know that Delany wants to make a huge splash. And we know that TV revenue is driving expansion. If the Big Ten really wants to make an impact on the New York market, it will add Syracuse and UConn to go along with Rutgers. So I'll go with 16 teams. More on divisions later.

If this were the case, and the Big Ten added Missouri, Nebraska, Syracuse, Rutgers and UConn, that would effectively kill the Big East as a football conference and likely send the other BCS conferences into a dizzying rush to expand to 16 teams.

Where would that leave the ACC? If the ACC wanted to match the Big Ten and expand to 16 teams, here is (what I think is) the list of expansion candidates, in order:

• Notre Dame Fighting Irish - although, not convinced the Irish would need a home for other sports, as this would bring the total number of Big East teams to 13. Give a team like DePaul the boot and you are back to a manageable 12 team conference.
• Kentucky Wildcats - I've always felt like the Wildcats can't be too happy in the football-dominated SEC. Kentucky would be a basketball power and adding them to the mix along with UNC and Duke would make a future ACC TV deal that more attractive. 
• Vanderbilt Commodores - see above. My guess is Kentucky and Vanderbilt would likely be a package deal. Great academics and access to the Tennessee TV market. Both Kentucky and Vanderbilt would be crazy to leave the SEC for the ACC, but the SEC may be looking to make other moves like poaching the Texas and Oklahoma schools from what remains of the Big 12.
• Pittsburgh Panthers - strong basketball and football, new TV market.
• Villanova Wildcats - don't laugh. Strong basketball program and would stand to gain financially if they decided to sack up and make the football jump from Division I-AA to I-A. Other than New York, there's no more attractive TV market that represents any sort of geographic fit for the ACC than Philadelphia. Also, I can't imagine 'Nova would fare any worse than Temple did during their Big East experiment.
• Navy Midshipmen - an interesting TV argument could be made for Navy, as Navy would sweeten the pot for a future ACC TV deal as the Midshipmen fans aren't necessarily tied to one geographic area or TV market. Also, gives Maryland another in-conference rival.
• West Virginia Mountaineers - academics and tiny TV market would be a concern.
• South Florida Bulls - probably wouldn't happen as Florida State and Miami would push hard against this, but if the Noles or Canes bolted for the SEC, USF, while an academic liability, could help the ACC backfill and gain a spot in the Florida TV market.
• Cincinnati Bearcats - see: South Florida. Makes little sense geographically and would also be an academic liability. Would open up a new TV market though, and if pared with a Kentucky or West Virginia, makes much more geographic sense.

Thoughts? If 16 is the new 12, who should be on the ACC's short list of expansion candidates?