With the recent moves of Maryland and Rutgers to the Big Ten, Louisville to the ACC, and a lot of non-BCS conference movement, conference realignment has become a hot topic once again.
This time, however, the ACC is under siege from the Big Ten, SEC and Big 12, and it may be a matter of jumping to another conference before the ACC ship sinks completely.
There has been talk this week from several regional media that Georgia Tech, Virginia or even North Carolina could be the next bomb to drop for the Big Ten, but it’s likely the Big Ten only take two more this go around to be the first 16 team superconference, and their BTN is a major factor in this.
The Big Ten would like to add the Atlanta and North Carolina TV markets, and now with the Terrapins already in the fold Virginia is no longer as big of a puzzle piece, as they share roughly the same TV market as Maryland.
Yes, the Georgia Tech president has said their happy in the ACC, but sources in Chicago close to the situation tells us to “consider that bargaining talk to get the Big Ten to pony up.”
UNC is the even larger domino in this deal, as if the Tar Heels left the ACC that would be a torpedo in the sinking ship, and then NC State and Virginia Tech may bolt right away to the SEC.
This leaves Florida State an Clemson, whom the SEC will not take, due to veto power of Florida and South Carolina going to the Big 12 so that conference can get back to a conference championship game that is likely going to be required by 2014 for the new playoffs.
Talk this morning from an ACC source, who didn’t sound happy as what may occur soon, that an ACC team may be making a move soon. We’ll be on the road today with basketball, but will be able to tweet what (of anything) is happening at www.twitter.com/gswaim
