20 years ago, would you have ever thought that the state of Texas would ultimately have schools not just in the Big 12 but also in the SEC and ACC?

Also interesting that now all the members of the modern version of the Southwest Conference have returned to power conferences save for Rice.

With 7 schools in power conferences, the state of Texas leads by far every other state in that category. California and Florida each have 4 now and those two are the closest to Texas off the top of my head which makes sense population wise.

Actually I think it is too bad close to the entire SWC couldnt have been absorbed into power conferences back in the mid 90s as it is now.

Teams that aren't in a conference should not be allowed to compete in the playoff in that sport. Period.

In May, ACC official when @ActionNetworkHQ asked about expansion: “We already have too many mouths to feed. That’s not the answer.”
Four months later: ACC adds Stanford, Cal & SMU

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 1, 2023

historian said:

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If this actually does happen, the Pac 4 will be reduced to the Pac 2. One has to feel for Wazzou & OSU. They aren't very relevant & nobody wants them.

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For sure. We've been there (or very close). I know exactly how they feel. Undeserving. I hope USC/UCLA never win another event bin all sports. I'd much rather have those two left hanging then the Arizona dust bowl schools.

Just got the email from SMU (I got my MBA there) announcing the move.

As far as travel goes, SMU has spent the last several years playing the likes of UConn, Cincinnati, East Carolina and USF as conference games, so going to Boston College, Louisville, NCSt and Miami won't be that much of a switch.

DallasBear9902 said:

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BearFan33 said:

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If what I read is true, I admire ACC leadership for doing what is in the interest of the conference as a whole (short term as it may be). The B12 catered to UT for too long and it nearly drove the conference off a cliff. The ACC sensing that FSU, clemson and perhaps others are going to bolt as soon as possible is solidifying itself now as best it can. They don't need to cater to those that are leaving.

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I think you are misreading the situation.

This move is primarily in the interest of Notre Dame. Notre Dame needs as many Power conferences as possible to remain independent in football. If Stanford falls from the ranks of P4, that is the loss of an annual game on the schedule. ND can't afford to play more ACC games, with USC IN b10, ND is close to being B10 adjacent. That leaves SEC and B12 opponents which ND typically doesn't chase. This is a defensive move by ND to keep Stanford as a power 4 school. The lesser ACC schools went along with it because of the academic affiliation and a misguided hope to keep the ACC together. Note that The three newcomers don't get full media shares until 2033 when they'll be on the cusp of renegotiating a contract.

This does nothing for Clemson, FSU and UNC. FSU in particular needs Sec/B10 type cash and I don't think this will plcate them. My predication is that by next summer the ACC implodes. We'll be down to a P3 for the balance of this round of TV contracts.

They might not have catered to FSU and Clemson on this move, but they just catered to ND.

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I agree with ND's selfish motives in all of this and I didn't address it. But I stand by my opinion. This "expansion" move by them is to protect their TV revenue at current levels should too many teams leave. This keeps their numbers up and with the SMU bribe, revenues up too. No doubt FSU bolts either way. I read this move as the ACC recognizing they wont be able to placate them. The question is when FSU bolts and who else goes as well.

Ultimately, I think the ACC loses their flagship brands to the B2, but stays together in a weakened format. Maybe BY can pick off a team or 2 in the carnage. We shall see. WV would sure appreciate it.

So the Ponies bribed their way into P5. It will be the same as buying Poney Express. Not enough interest in DFW.

I understand the reasons and proximity to the Big 12 offices in Last Colinas doesn't really matter, but SMU is less than 10 miles from it as the crow flies. I guess I'm just a Southwest Conference homer.

Aliceinbubbleland said:

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So the Ponies bribed their way into P5. It will be the same as buying Poney Express. Not enough interest in DFW.

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Possibly. Or it could be Mustang Mania 2.

In the next 10-15 years I fully expect the Power 5 conferences to break away from the NCAA in football and form their own independent football league.

It will act as the Minor League of the NFL:
No more rules to be enforced.
Players can be paid whatever the school/market wants it to be.
Class can be optional.
Academic standards will no longer be enforced.
Players are free to transfer between schools as in Free Agency

This is essentially what the SEC has been doing for the past 15 years....but it will soon be everyone following this NFL lite model.

You can blame the players, but that is not the right place to direct your ire. This domino started when coaches started to make $5 Million to $10Million/year to coach college football teams.

A said:

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Not enough interest in DFW.

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This hasn't been talked about enough. SMU doesn't even remotely move the needle in DFW, and I don't see a matchup with Georgia Tech changing that.

You do know we're allowed to recruit in other states and work the transfer portal right? You remind me of that lieutenant in LOTR to Theoden in the movies who says "long has he foreseen this doom!" Aragorn proceeds to kick ass and continue heading east.

Recruits not from Texas:
Tyquan Thornton, Blake Shapen, Gerry Bohanon, Matthew Klopenstein, Sean Thompkins, Carl Williams, Kaian Roberts-Day, George Maile, Alfonzo Allen, Tevin Williams, Devin Neal, Micah Mezzccua, Al Walcott, Garmon Randolph, Blake Bedier, John Lovett, Khalil Keith, the list goes on…

They just put a bandaid on a bullet hole

This guarantees that FSU, Clemson, and UNC will bolt from the ACC.

The only question is when.

This is going to cause the top brands in the ACC to bolt even faster, just you watch. I could see a TCU in the Big East scenario here for SMU. Gold & Blue dude must me smiling down from heaven, the realignment craziness he always was predicting finally happened

BearlyBeloved said:

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This guarantees that FSU, Clemson, and UNC will bolt from the ACC.

The only question is when.

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Yep

BearlyBeloved said:

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This guarantees that FSU, Clemson, and UNC will bolt from the ACC.

The only question is when.

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I'm thinking it was going to happen anyway. Will the moves preserve the ACC after they go? Or will the ACC go the way of the PAC?

I mean, we could have added SMU at any time if we were really so afraid of this outcome. Someone running our conference decided that wasn't worth it. I think they were probably right, but it's not like we didn't have a chance to stop this.

Besides, if we HAD taken SMU instead of any of the other schools, that school we didn't invite would have been taken by the ACC today.

wongobear said:

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I mean, we could have added SMU at any time if we were really so afraid of this outcome. Someone running our conference decided that wasn't worth it. I think they were probably right, but it's not like we didn't have a chance to stop this.

Besides, if we HAD taken SMU instead of any of the other schools, that school we didn't invite would have been taken by the ACC today.

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Why would anyone believe the bolded?

SMU (1) is in a top 5 media market, (2) is in a top 5 city by population that is also not home to a power 5 program, (3) has boosters willing to ensure that it will survive for 9 years without media payouts despite a significantly higher cost of travel, (4) provides access to meaningful recruiting grounds, and (5) provides the ACC with expansion of its network (and associated revenue) If anyone here believes that that Houston, Cincinnati, BYU or UCF checks those boxes, I have a bridge to sell you.

Aberzombie1892 said:

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This is devastating news on the long-term recruiting front. Despite what some may believe, giving access to Texas recruits to Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado along with elevating SMU and Houston to power conference status does not magically create more recruits in the state of Texas for those programs to add to their recruiting classes. These changes will come at a cost.

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Yep, BU has it's issues of being mediocre in SWC, Big12 and now Big12+. Not getting much respect anywhere even after B12 Championship and SB victory.

Being in a large media market with no other P5 program where no one watches your games isn't really a thing that moves the needle. Otherwise, Temple and NYU would be in the Big10.

BBWCBear said:

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Aberzombie1892 said:

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This is devastating news on the long-term recruiting front. Despite what some may believe, giving access to Texas recruits to Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado along with elevating SMU and Houston to power conference status does not magically create more recruits in the state of Texas for those programs to add to their recruiting classes. These changes will come at a cost.

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Yep, BU has it's issues of being mediocre in SWC, Big12 and now Big12+. Not getting much respect anywhere even after B12 Championship and SB victory.

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This disrespect is where exactly? Our President sits as the head of the Big 12 Board of Directors.

And Rice doesn't care about being in a Power conference, or so it seems.

It's all about the money. Somebody thinks all the consolidation into large super conferences will make them richer and they don't care about the costs & disruption it clauses others.

I still hope the Big 12 can add Pitt, Louisville, Miami & maybe NC State. They would add to the conference athletically and help geographically with the current members. I know it would be cool for everyone to have WVU & Pitt every year (it already is for most of the next 10 years or so). Cincy v Louisville would be another great annual rivalry. UCF v Miami could become one too.

boykin_spaniel said:

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You do know we're allowed to recruit in other states and work the transfer portal right? You remind me of that lieutenant in LOTR to Theoden in the movies who says "long has he foreseen this doom!" Aragorn proceeds to kick ass and continue heading east.

Recruits not from Texas:
Tyquan Thornton, Blake Shapen, Gerry Bohanon, Matthew Klopenstein, Sean Thompkins, Carl Williams, Kaian Roberts-Day, George Maile, Alfonzo Allen, Tevin Williams, Devin Neal, Micah Mezzccua, Al Walcott, Garmon Randolph, Blake Bedier, John Lovett, Khalil Keith, the list goes on…

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That list is just a start. Many of our great players over the past decade were from places like Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, etc.

BBWCBear said:

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Aberzombie1892 said:

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This is devastating news on the long-term recruiting front. Despite what some may believe, giving access to Texas recruits to Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado along with elevating SMU and Houston to power conference status does not magically create more recruits in the state of Texas for those programs to add to their recruiting classes. These changes will come at a cost.

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Yep, BU has it's issues of being mediocre in SWC, Big12 and now Big12+. Not getting much respect anywhere even after B12 Championship and SB victory.

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Baylor has lots of respect after the amazing 2921 seasons with those big wins. It dropped off considerably last year when we were unable to finish 50%. If we have another good year in 2023, we should regain most of it. If we can have great seasons several years in a row (i.e. 2013-2015) then it will grow. We might even be immune from another fake scandal since the people in Austin no longer care and inventing one would be too obviously fake.

UNC is setting up the jump like a professional, unlike FSU. https://t.co/9PtQc9NzEL

— Brian Ethridge (@BE_SicEm365) September 1, 2023

Aberzombie1892 said:

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wongobear said:

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I mean, we could have added SMU at any time if we were really so afraid of this outcome. Someone running our conference decided that wasn't worth it. I think they were probably right, but it's not like we didn't have a chance to stop this.

Besides, if we HAD taken SMU instead of any of the other schools, that school we didn't invite would have been taken by the ACC today.

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Why would anyone believe the bolded?

SMU (1) is in a top 5 media market, (2) is in a top 5 city by population that is also not home to a power 5 program, (3) has boosters willing to ensure that it will survive for 9 years without media payouts despite a significantly higher cost of travel, (4) provides access to meaningful recruiting grounds, and (5) provides the ACC with expansion of its network (and associated revenue) If anyone here believes that that Houston, Cincinnati, BYU or UCF checks those boxes, I have a bridge to sell you.

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Then why did they have to bend over and show their flower to get in?

Heck - we could add them today if we wanted to, we know exactly what their price tag is.

Can we exchange West Virginia for SMU?

Just kidding.

They'll both be Big 12 teams when the ACC finally explodes.

I fully expect Miami, Clemson, North Carolina, and Florida State to all go to the Major 2.

I then expect that the Major 2 will take a 4-6 more ACC and Big XII teams.

The Big XII will then eat the remainder of the ACC and realignment will cool down until the next contract negotiations.

Oh man... if Clemson has to play a tough game coming off a road trip to Cali and it knocks them and the ACC out of the playoff... that would be fun to watch.

Is there any chance we can get the ACC to take Utah too? I'm sick of those f^#@%&s already.

Yogi said:

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Can we exchange West Virginia for SMU?

Just kidding.

They'll both be Big 12 teams when the ACC finally explodes.

I fully expect Miami, Clemson, North Carolina, and Florida State to all go to the Major 2.

I then expect that the Major 2 will take a 4-6 more ACC and Big XII teams.

The Big XII will then eat the remainder of the ACC and realignment will cool down until the next contract negotiations.

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The Major 2 / Power 2 scenario is what I'm thinking, too. When it happens we'll need BY to work some magic to keep the Big 12 and other conferences at the table. I think the Power 2 are going to start looking for ways to exclude the rest of us.

GoodOleBaylorLine said:

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Being in a large media market with no other P5 program where no one watches your games isn't really a thing that moves the needle. Otherwise, Temple and NYU would be in the Big10.

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Bingo.

Cal Tech and its 1,800 mega nerd students are located right in the massive LA county/southern California media market. (23 million people in S. Cal)

But that does not mean Cal Tech brings those eye balls to a sports conference.

Rice in Houston metro market has the same thing going on