Texas A&M to SEC? What does that mean for Big East?

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JasonS

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So it appears that Texas A&M will become a member of the SEC. The SEC will not stop there. Rumors have Florida St., Clemson, and Missouri interested as well. Let's assume that all 3 of these schools also go to the SEC. You know the Big 10 will have to follow suit and so will the Pac 12. We could really start to see a merger of the ACC and Big East schools along with a split of the Big East as we currently know it. The Big East could decide to add three more schools (Virginia Tech, Boston College, Kansas) and then have a 20 team mega conference for basketball and a 12 team football conference which would allow for a championship game. I don't think this is likely because the basketball schools won't want to be outnumbered by that many.

I look for the Big East to split and the 9 football playing schools to pick up three additional members (or two if Villanova ever gets off the pot and decides to join in football). The two most logical schools are BC and VT. They both have history with the conference and geographically, they easily fit. Did they burn their bridges when they left though? The next most likely options are Kansas, and Miami (FL).

The final option is a potential split of the Big East and a merger with the ACC. The 9 football playing Big East Schools would join the likes of Miami, Duke, UNC, NC State, VT, Virginia, and BC. This would probably be the best thing that could happen from and football and basketball standpoint assuming major changes are going to occur. This would give UC an opportunity to be a part of a top notch football and basketball conference. The TV contract for this super conference would be huge and would benefit UC athletics greatly.

The landscape is changing once again but I feel confident that things look good for UC moving forward.
 
I'm not ready to concede the demise of the current conference alignments and think about mergers, etc... last go around the carousel much less actually ended up occurring than most people speculated would... IF Texas A&M ends up going to the SEC from what I can tell it would depend upon what OU would do. If they stay in the Big12 the conference can survive.

I personally don't enjoy speculating too much on this stuff because my head just starts to hurt. We're in the middle of a search for our new AD right now and that is the #1 priority. Like you said, UC is okay, they aren't going to get "left out" like many doomsday fans seem to believe.
 
I'm not ready to concede the demise of the current conference alignments and think about mergers, etc... last go around the carousel much less actually ended up occurring than most people speculated would... IF Texas A&M ends up going to the SEC from what I can tell it would depend upon what OU would do. If they stay in the Big12 the conference can survive.

I personally don't enjoy speculating too much on this stuff because my head just starts to hurt. We're in the middle of a search for our new AD right now and that is the #1 priority. Like you said, UC is okay, they aren't going to get "left out" like many doomsday fans seem to believe.

I think this is a bit different this time. When it comes to football, the Big 10 and SEC view themselves as better than everyone else. Neither one is going to want to be outdone. If the SEC makes a major move, the Big 10 will not sit idly by. Don't be surprised to see the Big 10 make a move at getting Oklahoma. They are not happy with the Texas deal and especially not with the Texas/ESPN network. If they see this as a way to "screw" Texas (and I use that term lightly since Texas doesn't really need a conference anymore) and there is a benefit for them, they will do it. Things are going to change but UC and the Big East is in a good spot right now.
 
This news kinda came out of left field. I think with the rumors of 2 ACC schools possibly leaving to the SEC as well, now is the perfect time for the Big East to go after VTech, Boston College and one other ACC school, ideally Miami.
 
I think priority #1 for the conference is the new TV deal- then you go from there. I'd be surprised if they added anyone before that deal was done... plus we've already added TCU- if you consider the football side, that's a big upgrade already right there.
 
I think priority #1 for the conference is the new TV deal- then you go from there. I'd be surprised if they added anyone before that deal was done... plus we've already added TCU- if you consider the football side, that's a big upgrade already right there.

According to ESPN, the SEC will NOT be inviting Texas A&M to the conference. It looks like any realignment will wait for the time being.
 
According to ESPN, the SEC will NOT be inviting Texas A&M to the conference. It looks like any realignment will wait for the time being.

Todd over at BCL is stating the SEC HAS to state right now that they are not actively pursuing expansion/looking at TAMU/ETC because of legalities and that it still could occur with time... and I definitely think A&M does want out...
 
Todd over at BCL is stating the SEC HAS to state right now that they are not actively pursuing expansion/looking at TAMU/ETC because of legalities and that it still could occur with time... and I definitely think A&M does want out...

The SEC also has to have a 75% approval from member Universities in order to add any team. They won't approve it until they have another team stating they will join so they can expand to at least 14 teams and keep the divisions even. A&M definitely wants out and is absolutely pissed at Texas for their TV deal with ESPN.
 
@billyliucci: Breaking: Texas A&M sends official notice to Dan Beebe and Big 12 that they will explore conference options. And so it begins...
 
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