This is getting a tad ridiculous, no? According to an Orangebloods.com report on Monday night, if Oklahoma bolts for the west coast and the Big 12 subsequently implodes, one or more Big 12 programs could end up ... in the ACC?
"Several sources said the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big East and Pac-12 are reaching out to schools in the Big 12 in anticipation that the league is about to come apart like an Alka Seltzer tablet in boiling water.
And if Oklahoma darts for the Pac-12, the Big 12 would essentially be done, according to multiple sources across the Big 12."
So which Big 12 program is the ACC reaching out to? Why, only the biggest fish in the college realignment pond:
"But if the Big 12 comes apart, another way for Texas to hold onto LHN may be joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, two sources close to the situation said Monday. ESPN holds the TV rights in the ACC and also owns and operates LHN.
But the ACC would only come into play if Oklahoma left for the Pac-12 and the Big 12 busted up, sources said.
One source close to the situation said the ACC, which is trying to fend off a potential raid by the Southeastern Conference (Virginia Tech continues to be mentioned by sources as an SEC target), would possibly look to add Texas, Syracuse, Connecticut and Rutgers to grow to 16."
Texas in the ACC? Serious? One step closer to realizing the SB Nation Conference Re-Draft Twelve Pack, I see?
Obviously if all hell breaks lose, the Big 12 implodes and the rest of the five BCS AQ conference scramble to super-size, seeing some proactive action from the ACC brass with respect to expansion would be welcome. It also goes without saying that landing Texas would be a huge coup for the conference and add tremendous value to the ACC, even if it meant having to take on Connecticut and Rutgers.
But even with Texas resembling an ACC school academically more than most other expansion options, this seems like an odd marriage of convenience. It would also be one based on an unequal revenue distribution model that I believe will be ultimate end of both the Big 12 and the Big East football/basketball split. It would seem Texas would be just as well off moving to football independence and keeping its lucrative TV contract with ESPN and the Longhorn Network.
Regardless of the legitimacy of Chip Brown's sources and this report, this is one of the few reports that actually mentions the ACC being more proactive in the conference realignment / expansion arms race. It also seems to tip the ACC's hand as to who the conference would seriously entertain taking on if the Big 12 implodes and everyone else scrambles to get to 16.
One thing is for certain: BC is in an infinitely better position to weather any conference realignment armaggedon now than they were eight years ago as a member of the Big East.