The 16-Team ACC Is Here, If UConn Can Convince Notre Dame To Give Up Football Independence
by Brian Favat on Feb 15, 2012 8:00 AM EST
in Conference Expansion
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PrintAccording to the Hartford Courant, the ACC has a 16-team expansion model that includes UConn, but only if Notre Dame wants to come along, too.
"Sources told The Courant recently that the ACC has a 16-team model in place with its first choices being Notre Dame and UConn, but with Notre Dame maintaining its independent position there is no rush to go to 16. If the ACC can't convince Notre Dame, Rutgers could get the call with UConn, but sources say there is no rush there, either."
Does DeFilippo know? I thought it's a matter of turf ... and Catholicism!
Reality: any further ACC expansion is predicated on what Notre Dame decides to do, and the Irish certainly aren't in a rush to give up its football independence. So long as Notre Dame has a seat at the BCS / playoff table and NBC Sports continues to pay the bills, there's no incentive for the Irish to join either the ACC or the Big Ten and give up football independence.
Until Notre Dame is officially off the board, the ACC will continue to keep a seat warm for the Irish.
With the ACC moving to a nine-game conference schedule, and the Pac-12 already there, this could squeeze the Irish a bit when it comes to scheduling. Same could be said for Navy's pending move to Big East football. But the fact is that ACC programs are willing enablers of Notre Dame football independence.
So long as Miami is willing to schedule an early October game against the Irish at Soldier Field, Pitt, BC and Wake Forest schedule the Irish in back-to-back-to-back weekends in November or Syracuse faces the Irish in late September in the Meadowlands, Notre Dame will have enough opponents to fill the schedule between the beginning of the year (Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue of the Big Ten) and the end of the year (USC and Stanford of the Pac-12).
If the ACC wanted to get serious about bringing Irish football into the fold, a simple scheduling change could ultimately force Notre Dame's hand. At the very least, it would prove just how much the Irish value football series with Pitt, Boston College and other ACC programs between games against Big Ten opponents at the beginning of the year and Pac-12 programs at the end.
Notre Dame is in no rush to join a conference. I also don't believe the ACC is in any rush to expand before going through the teething pains of operating a 14-team conference. Still, there are external factors -- the Irish's expiring TV deal, college football postseason changes, a stable conference for Olympic sports -- that could force Notre Dame to go running for the Big Ten or the ACC.
I suppose Notre Dame joining the conference wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, right? Even if the Irish were a package deal with the Huskies?
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Courant source you say?
…hmm, could it be this woman?
I take the word of the Courant on UConn about as seriously as Blauds writing about BC.
The glass half full guy at Heights and Lows.
This
This is UConn stirring the pot for UConn’s gain.
If this was coming from a reputable source (Pete Thamel, etc.) I’d get excited, but just reeks of self-promotion.
by Eagle in Brighton on Feb 15, 2012 8:54 AM EST up reply actions
With that said, adding ND and UConn would ratchet-up the conference hate 100%.
by Eagle in Brighton on Feb 15, 2012 8:55 AM EST up reply actions
Another Planted UConn Story
All of these stories about UConn on the edge of entering the ACC if ND would go along are all planted in the Courant by UConn. They are desperate to get out of the Big East. One of the few things I agree with DeFilippo on is that we should never associate with those miscreants again.
Sources told BC Interruption recently that the Big Ten has a 16-team model in place with its first choices being Notre Dame, Boston College, Maryland and Vanderbilt, but with Notre Dame maintaining its independent position there is no rush to go to 16.
Editor, BC Interruption
by Brian Favat on Feb 15, 2012 8:55 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Hah YES.
That would be a hell of a conference (football and hockey-wise), and would rival the ACC for academic supremacy.
by Eagle in Brighton on Feb 15, 2012 8:57 AM EST up reply actions
I have a hard time believing any plausible expansion theories that include old guard ACC schools
And I would be surprised if BC switched from ACC to Big 10, as that wouldn’t be an athletically smart decision (based on current BC teams, not overall history or future possibilities). I think if you see the Big 10 expand, that it will be to go after large marketplace, state sponsored schools such as possible UCONN & Rutgers (large marketplace), Mizzou, and possibly the Oklahoma schools. And we all know the Big 10 will always have a spot for ND.
Don't give up, don't ever give up ~ Jim Valvano
I was kidding AParker.
Editor, BC Interruption
by Brian Favat on Feb 15, 2012 10:01 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
And this is just another example of me not having swell enough reading comprehension skills or the ability to tell sarcasm on the interwebs
Don't give up, don't ever give up ~ Jim Valvano
I, too, can create anonymously sourced ACC expansion rumors. Why should we let the papers have all the fun?
Editor, BC Interruption
by Brian Favat on Feb 15, 2012 10:26 AM EST up reply actions
Parker # 2
Do you think you can get Spazoo’s face on the side of a New England Dairy’s milk carton this summer?
HAVE YOU SEE THIS MAN’S OFFENSE AND PASS DEFENSE?
Just sayin….
Notre Dame Ain't Going Conference
Woulda done so a long, long, long time ago.
When the NBC deal ends, maybe?
The Big 10-11-12 with the geographical area is ND’s best bet and when Pitt wanted in the Big 10 with ND, ND said we have a easy scheduling path to the BCS if we improve with Brian Kelly and that big NBC $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ TV and that big $$$$$$$$$$$$$ BCS check if we get a game, and we don’t wanna share?
Why in the world would ND which is in the Big East for Hoops and Hockey East give up that gravy train????
ND rules. NBC made them King. Simple as that.
I've thought about it
And I just don’t see UCONN being able to get the invite. I’m probably wrong about this, but if Football and is one of the major drivers of current expansion, then no way does the ACC make a Big East mistake and take in a school that is only 10+ years into D-1A play. I hate saying this, but Rutgers would be make more sense, considering the location to the New York market, and its history of a program (not because they sucked for 100+ years, but because they existed for 100+ years).
As for ND. The Big East will need to utterly fail, and with how all these mid major programs immediately jump at the chance to join, I don’t think that will ever happen. I figured Boise State would be smart enough to wait it out until the PAC-12 or Big 12 would have come calling, but that didn’t occur. ND will always be an independent, at least for the next foreseeable coming years, until AD’s and conference commissioners get tough and either change scheduling practices or Bowl/Playoff requirements.
Don't give up, don't ever give up ~ Jim Valvano
… or the ACC can simply stay at 14.
Though I agree Rutgers should be an option (but they are telling recruits they’ll be in the Big Ten soon?).
Editor, BC Interruption
by Brian Favat on Feb 15, 2012 10:29 AM EST up reply actions
This will die again in a few days when Yukon ninnies realize they’ve been duped again by another fake story. Interestingly, this is generally how disinformation works. Feed the audience with verifiable, objective facts like the “ACC pitching to ND” and mix in some bogus details like “…but will include Yukon as a partner”. Yukon can make the argument but so can other institutions vying for a slot.
Even if granted, Yukon isn’t an attractive option. Their Hoops program is filthy with penalties looming. They have zero tradition for Football. And Yukon’s Academics is nothing to write home about.
Instead of putting the Yukon faithful through this embarrassment, wouldn’t it be easier for Herbst to just come out and say: “Folks, our funding is drying up. Interest in our Athletics is waning. The Big East is on par with a penny stock. We need money!”.
I read this as if you are speaking of the Yukon Territories
And if that was the case, wouldn’t you think they’d be worried about travel costs?
Well Played Sir, well played
Don't give up, don't ever give up ~ Jim Valvano
Clemson Alumnus. Joined the site a few months ago (?)
Haven’t you seen that water dude go off on over something before?
I keep up with most of the ACC SBNation material, but only comment on places where I have personal interest, or the writing, comments, and overall objectivity of the blog is awesome. This blog falls under second the part if you were wondering.
Don't give up, don't ever give up ~ Jim Valvano
Clemson Fans are the best—great support, very knowledgeable and generally non-confrontational in an obnoxious, vulgar West Virginian sense.
Have you ever seen the girls that go to Clemson? There is zero reason to ever be upset if you are a Clemson fan.
by DCash on Feb 15, 2012 11:14 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
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