Since Expansion to 16 Teams Seems Inevitable

I'd kill for Virginia Tech.

They may not admit to it, but I think they are the school "most like" A&M and it'd be awesome to have them as a rival.

Here is the deal! Slive renegotiates TV contracts getting ridiculous money for all the teams that well then make the SEC even more attractive to potential heavy hitters like FSU, Clemson, etc.

In order:

1. Notre Dame (TV $$$)
2. Oklahoma Top 5 Program (Past Present Future)
3. UNC (Large, growing market)
4. Va Tech (Market, culture, football)
5. FSU
6. UVA
7. NC State
8. Clemson
9. OK State
10. Ga Tech or Duke or Rice

16 won't happen unless the ACC melts down. I don't see that happening short of a raid by the Big 10, taking, for example, Maryland and Virginia--two very logical and appealing additions for an upper midwest conference looking to expand beyond the rust belt. Absent that, you simply aren't going to get 2 quality ACC teams, which is what it would take.

If the above scenario happened, it would be tough to decide who to offer. North Carolina would be the biggest prize, but brining a partner along might be an issue. For that reason, I like Virginia Tech and FSU.

Probably end at 20 teams, but that will take a decade. We are headed toward mega conferences and away from NCAA influence. NCAA has lost credibility and won't be able to recover.

15 and 16 might be OK and Okie State cause the PAC Presidents are too elite to take OK State. May take a couple of years. 15 and 16 don't come from the ACC unless it starts to split at the seams.

the two who you would like and might be obtainable would be something like va tech and nc state

yes both have a big ACC buyout attached (20 million) but that would be nothing compared to the money generated by the new conference.

it would expand the SEC's geographic footprint in one of the most rational possible ways (north carolina and virginia/maryland)

But I doubt NC State or Va Tech is able to make the move - esp va tech may be stuck with virginia having recently strong armed their way into the ACC over virginia's original objections. North Carolina would obviously be a more highly coveted North Carolina option but they IMO are not leaving the ACC basketball partners they have in Duke, Wake, NC State, Maryland etc just to get sodomized on the football field

Obviously Texas is a pipe dream (too arrogant, not interested in the competition and have the LHN) and unlikely to pull teh trigger but if the SEC landed Texas and OU that would be another home run that made geographic sense

Possible 16 team SEC conference if Va Tech/NC State joined

West:
LSU
A&M
Arky
Ole Miss

Northwest:
Bama
Auburn
Missouri
Miss State

East:
Florida
Va Tech
USC
Kentucky

NorthEast:
Tennessee
UGA
North Carolina
Vandy


Possible 16 team SEC if OU/Texas joined:

West:
LSU
Texas
A&M
Ole Miss

Northwest:
OU
Arkansas
Missouri
Miss State

MidSouth:
Alabama
Auburn
Tennessee
Vandy

SouthEast:
Florida
UGA
USC
Kentucky

FWIW neither of these seems remotely possible but both would make boatloads of money for teh SEC and all of their member schools. And both proposals really also depend on teh NCAA allowing a two round playoff to determine a conference championship

NC St.

Va Tech.

Grab two to three more top 30 TV markets.

NC won't leave Duke.