The Grounds

Unfortunately none of the other networks are willing to pony up the cash or the coverage. Even if say nbc wanted for fork over the money, could they offer the same amount of coverage and tv time? They would have to give up their regular primetime scheduling for fb and bball and probably put games on their lesser channels to match. It would be a huge shift for a network like that unfortunately.

Thanks, I had never seen that before, interesting indeed.

No problem. I was shocked by where they had FSU ranked. For a football program that is considered a national brand, that is very low.

It's definitely inexact. But, Indiana has a bigger athletic budget and enrollment than FSU. Having said that, i still agree with you. It's hard to imagine that, actually, being the case.

Excellent read.

Ultimately, I don't think FSU makes the leap. If anything, this swirl of intrigue could give the conference the kick in the pants it needs to make a strong play for Notre Dame, under the umbrella of conference champion inclusion in the new playoff.

But if FSU does leave for the Big XII, I have a few questions about which other dominoes might fall:
-- Is Clemson also a target of the Big XII? I've heard that quite a bit.
-- Is Miami? I've heard that a little bit.
-- Is the SEC interested in Virginia Tech? Like, for real?
-- Would the Hokies leave the ACC in search for more football traction and a bigger media payday?
-- If VT is the SEC's 15th school, who is the 16th? NC State? Maryland? UVA?
-- If the ACC ends up gutted in this manner, would we still be married to the [suddenly-flagging] ACC? Under this scenario, it becomes a very basketball-centric conference. Is that what we want?
-- If the ACC is gutted, would it look to re-fortify itself through further poaching the Big East? Would we stay at 10, or go to 12, 14, or 16? With which schools? UConn, Rutgers, Louisville, maybe Temple?
-- What other conferences would be interested in UVA? Is the B1G realistic option? Aside from academics, do we bring enough to the table for that conference of enormous land grant universities with great football tradition?

Yikes.

I think everybody is reading way too much into this, I think when all is said and done. The ACC will be one of the 4 big power conferences that will be 18-20 teams along with the SEC, BIG 10, PAC-12. I think the BiG 12 will have their teams picked off with the real good one's going to one of the 4 power conference's and the other's having to goto the Mountain West, C-USA or WAC. I think the ACC has a bigger plan and I would expect Notre Dame will be part of it, and then after that the domino's will fall but the ACC will be a major player. The winner's of these 4 conference's will play in the new 4 team play-off format for the National Title. The BIG 12 can pound their chest all they want to and if FSU want's to go so bad they are the one's that are going to have to come crawling back to one of the BIG 4 when all is said and done. Just my opinion...