I do not believe that other schools are prepared to go without 4 years of media $$ income just to have the chance at making a jump to an autonomous conference. Time will tell if they have the donors to make it work, but you can’t fault them for trying.
I think the ACC has to seriously consider that Clemson, FSU, Miami, and North Carolina are looking elsewhere whether it’s the SEC or Big 10 if they can’t pull in Notre Dame.
One way to make ND join is that the playoff committee punishes ND for not being in a conference and making them play on the road.
This will make ND reconsider about joining a conference instead of being independent.
If this happens, this is yet another piece of evidence that the Big 12 > ACC;
USC/UCLA/Oregon/Wash go to B1G
Arizona/ASU/Utah/CU go to B12
Stanford/Cal/SMU go to ACC
On optics alone, I’d vote this down. Huge win for SMU if they pull this off. That’ll mean Rice is the only former SWC team that isn’t in a power conference.
SMU football >> UConn football
ACC already has the tristate market. No access to Texas.
SMU ranked even with A&M in academics. Tulane better but lower sports commitment.
SMU joins the ACC at ZERO payout in 2024, for seven years.
Their first pay out will be scheduled for the 2032 season.
Around that time, it becomes known the B1G 10 is going to add #19 & #20 in Notre Dame & Stanford.
The SEC counters by taking North Carolina, Florida State, Clemson & Virginia to get to 20
The Big 12 counters by taking 4 (North Carolina State, Miami, Virginia Tech, PITT or Georgia Tech)
The SMU ends up back where they started but I think the ACC then raids the AAC (Rice, Tulane, Memphis, USF, etc.) and maintains P4 status (albeit weak P4 status).
Even if this scenario plays out…it is 100% worth the gamble for SMU
Doubtful the B1G would add Stanford, but even assuming they do…
That future ACC you talked about would be a P4 in purely legislative terms.
Its TV deal would NOT be close to P3 level. It’d be a P4 with A5 TV money.
A “power” conference in name only.
Not at all sure that that would be worth the risk. The long-term payout for SMU, moneywise, would be awfully low. Very poor risk/reward. A gamble with very little long-term payout if you win.
Duke
Syracuse
Boston College
Wake Forest
CAL Berkley
SMU
Louisville
Georgia Tech/PITT
Tulane
Rice
USF
Memphis
Temple
FAU
UTSA
UCONN
…but I do think under that scenario CAL would give up unless they add a Western Wing to get to 20:
SDSU
Colorado State/UNLV
Washington State
Oregon State
If they get donatioins of only $8 million a year, they are exactly where they’d be in the AAC (money wise) BUT…in the ACC, they’d get an uptick in exposure/ recruits/ Bigger Bowls…plus they’d be in a top 3 Basketball conference.
