Out of the box expansion options for the SEC?

Texas

Read my OP. I'm not advocating them. Just tired of the same old names. And Notre Dame would be awesome.

Notre Dame would be accepted by any conference in America. That said, there is no chance they are coming to the SEC.

I like it.

I still think the VERY best fit for the SEC would be RICE...

Houston market for recruiting purposes for SEC teams (esp LSU and RICE is a traditional rival)
granted RICE doesn't bring a big viewership. But the games themselves would be played in a major TV market which would raise RICE profile locally.
College station is a non factor.

its a travel partner for A&M


Academic counterpart to Vandy, also raises SEC academic standards.
Here's where I mention college presidents and research money is a factor and RICE far and away the best representative of those qualities in the state,if not the country

Stadium is big enough, with RICEs endowment they could upgrade facilities immediately and SEC TV money guarantee would allow that to happen,UH plays in a HS stadium and even their NEW plans are for a 35,000 seat stadium, that is pathetic. Same with SMU.
HRS can hold 70,000 bathrooms and concessions could be added before the new season.

truthfully , RICE is no real threat to win the conference,but would bring a solid baseball program (which would ONLY matter in the SEC) and the other sports could and would be competitive,
Esp with the BSC association and the trickle down affect on other non revenue sports

quote:

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granted RICE doesn't bring a big viewership.

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agreed I dont see it happening just saying it makes the most sense for the SEC and esp LSU

LSU wanted RICE when they took Arky and SoCar.

Arky had almost lost that year to Rice and nixed the idea. RICE wouldve been a MUCH better fit
actaully I think Flo. Tenn might be opposed because the recruiting advatage it wuld give LSU
"you can play in front of all family and friends every other year in your hometown"

Honestly, if we go to 16 one of the private urban(Rice, SMU, TCU) Texas schools will most likely get a spot.

We would need more of a presence in Texas than just A&M. It would be more about presence than eye balls or asses in seats though.

But no way any of them get spot #14.

The SEC would not go to 16 in that situation. I really don't see any possible scenario that gets any of Rice, SMU, Houston, TCU or Baylor in the SEC, short of expanding to 20-plus teams.

I would take Rice as #16 to be the Vandy of the West, assuming #s 14 & 15 are home runs, both on the field and tv household count wise. Serious academics, plus baseball and more TX exposure and a $4 billion endowment!

Plus UT Austin would be miffed, their only option to play in Houston going forward would be against UH or an SEC team, which they would loathe. UT Austin gets a huge chunk of prized recruits from Houston.