Conference Realignment

Techster

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And for those who say Georgia Tech does not measure up. I would say they do. To use a baseball analogy. Not everyone is a home run hitter (USC/Texas/Oklahoma/Nebraska/North Carolina/Notre Dame), you need your singles and doubles hitters (Maryland/Rutgers/Virginia/Georgia Tech/and others) to fill out your rooster.

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

Your baseball analogy is great...I made a similar statement about how not everyone in a conference will/can be an "elite blueblood" type school. That's just not realistic.

It's also interesting to see how high of an opinion others have of GT versus our own fanbase. GT fans tend to have lower opinions of our own program's worth for some reason.

When the ACC's GOR gets figured out/expires, it will be VERY interesting to see what happens.
 

JacketFan137

Banned
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2,536
Thanks for your thoughts on this.

Your baseball analogy is great...I made a similar statement about how not everyone in a conference will/can be an "elite blueblood" type school. That's just not realistic.

It's also interesting to see how high of an opinion others have of GT versus our own fanbase. GT fans tend to have lower opinions of our own program's worth for some reason.

When the ACC's GOR gets figured out/expires, it will be VERY interesting to see what happens.
i think people that think very low of us likely only look through georgia tech through the lense of football the last 4 years. understandable since this is basically a football forum, but the people making decisions are gonna think about a lot more
 

Techster

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My $0.02 on the ACC strategy:

Go B1G route. Pre-empt the Big 12 and go after Oregon, Washington, Stanford, Cal, Arizona, Colorado, Utah to lock up the West Coast and open the ACC to bigger markets and schools with good athletic and academic programs.

Oregon/Portland: #25 TV market, AAU member, Nike money and marketing
Washington/Seattle: #14 TV market, AAU member
Stanford-Cal/San Fran-Oakland: #6 TV market, AAU members
Arizona/Phoenix: #12 TV market, AAU member
Colorado/Denver: #17 Market, AAU Member
Utah/Salt Lake: #34 Market, AAU member

All of those programs have historically good, or recently very good programs. They all have a good to great brand in football and basketball.

Academically, they are in line with traditional ACC academic values.

IMO, this is move to keep the ACC viable for both network $$$ purposes, but also down the line. It gives the ACC network increased inventory, and the ability to highlight our conference on the national level, and the post 8pm time slot during football and basketball seasons. It doesn't make the West Coast side dependent on the East Coast side for scheduling purposes, but gives the league the flexibility for compelling week to week matchups.

It also gives us leverage to negotiate with ND a full 8-9 game ACC schedule, which although it wouldn't give ACC the same revenue power of the B1G and SEC, but would help close the gap...which in the long run is probably the best scenario for ACC viability.

I want my $0.02!!! I accept Venmo, CashApp, Zelle, and Bitcoin.


 

WhatsTheGoodWord

Georgia Tech Fan
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25
First, I am an OSU alum/fan. Had a nephew graduate from the GT Phd program (thus my link).

I agree with most of what Techster has written. To be honest, I have no links within the Big Ten, just what I have put together since the 1980's on what the Big Ten has done on expansion.

Unlike the SEC, the Big Ten is am Academic/Athletic conference, with Academics first. Go read their history on how and why they were formed.

President Johnson had an interview with a local station during Notre Dame week and and talked expansion. Go to the 30 second mark where they talk expansion. At the 1:30 mark, she stresses that they want Universities in the Big Ten committed to Academics and a commitment to Athletics. That is what they are looking for. The question you have to ask, does Georgia Tech fit this?



Their athletics might be down a little. But they have the potential. But more importantly, they fit the bill Academically. And that is what the Big Ten Presidents want. Remember, they are the ones making the decision on who is invited and who is not. Academics, AAU and research mean a lot to Big Ten Presidents.

I would tell you to look up AAU on wikipedia (I know wikipedia) BUT there is a nugget in there about how college presidents view membership in AAU vs not. How it separates them from the non members and how special it is to them to be in the club.

To go with what Techster said. When USC/UCLA were added, that day President Johnson (Stanford grad) stated in an interview that the Big Ten was not done expanding. Most people thought that was in reference to Notre Dame. I don't, I believe she was addressing more partners on the west coast for USC/UCLA. Oregon, Washington, Stanford and Cal are ALL AAU members. Remember how important that is to Big Ten presidents.

Again with the last few weeks, Oregon and Washington had meetings in Chicago with Big Ten reps.

I do believe when the time comes, the Big Ten will make a move on several ACC schools. Most likely, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and maybe one or two others.

I believe that the Big Ten is trying to create something more than an Athletic Conference.

And for those who say Georgia Tech does not measure up. I would say they do. To use a baseball analogy. Not everyone is a home run hitter (USC/Texas/Oklahoma/Nebraska/North Carolina/Notre Dame), you need your singles and doubles hitters (Maryland/Rutgers/Virginia/Georgia Tech/and others) to fill out your rooster.

I believe when the time comes, Georgia Tech if interested (apply), will get an invite.

Good luck.

Man, you Big Ten people are pompous, and OSU fans are the worst. Yes, all of the moves the Big Ten has made are all for academic reasons, nothing to do with athletics. Or MONEY. It's such hypocritical BS. And always the shots at the SEC, I'm assuming because you all feel intellectually superior (I lived in Big Ten country for 10 years so I know how people there feel about the South), or because you just can't beat them in football. Anyway, go ahead, create your "something more than an Athletic Conference", all about academics, right?, while overpaying your football coaches like Mel Tucker and James Franklin who have accomplished nothing with tens of millions of dollars in salary. Maybe they should teach, since the Big Ten is all about academics. Keep hiding behind the AAU as the reason you care so much about football. If you are all about academics, why do you even need sports? If Tech goes Big Ten, I am done and will move my fandom to App State. And thanks so much for the pat on the back that little ol' Georgia Tech might be considered for your elite academic conference. To paraphrase Groucho Marx, I don't want to be part of that conference who would want me.
 

JacketOff

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Man, you Big Ten people are pompous, and OSU fans are the worst. Yes, all of the moves the Big Ten has made are all for academic reasons, nothing to do with athletics. Or MONEY. It's such hypocritical BS. And always the shots at the SEC, I'm assuming because you all feel intellectually superior (I lived in Big Ten country for 10 years so I know how people there feel about the South), or because you just can't beat them in football. Anyway, go ahead, create your "something more than an Athletic Conference", all about academics, right?, while overpaying your football coaches like Mel Tucker and James Franklin who have accomplished nothing with tens of millions of dollars in salary. Maybe they should teach, since the Big Ten is all about academics. Keep hiding behind the AAU as the reason you care so much about football. If you are all about academics, why do you even need sports? If Tech goes Big Ten, I am done and will move my fandom to App State. And thanks so much for the pat on the back that little ol' Georgia Tech might be considered for your elite academic conference. To paraphrase Groucho Marx, I don't want to be part of that conference who would want me.
Dude… you good?
 

Sheboygan

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I have lived in Wisconsin for over 33 years after living in Georgia for 39. Two of my daughters had VERY good ( 3.9 GPA/28 ACT ) grades in HS and were accepted at UW , one had good grades ( 3.0 GPA/24 ACT) and was not. One daughter applied at Tech ( she had been accepted at UW prior) and was wait listed until the following year.
IMHO, UW is a very good academic institution ( equal to Tech ???).
Realitically, NU and Purdue are probably the "elite" schools academically in the B1G, separate from the rest, and their success at FB reflects that. Obviously, ALL Power 5 schools take exceptions ! But I think there are exceptions , and then there are "exceptions;)". If Tech wanted to, it could offer a few "very easy" majors , but I think that's where they draw the line. That, and now with NIL are beginning to re-define the CFB landscape, and we currently are on the outside looking in.
 

GTrob21

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If its true that we were offered the B1G before and we said no. Shame on our leaders for not being able to read the tea leaves. I sincerely hope if/when the opportunity comes again say in 2030-2032 ish, we would jump at the opportunity.
 

orientalnc

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If its true that we were offered the B1G before and we said no. Shame on our leaders for not being able to read the tea leaves. I sincerely hope if/when the opportunity comes again say in 2030-2032 ish, we would jump at the opportunity.
The circumstances are very different right now. When we (perhaps) turned down the Big 10 we made the decision that we fit better in the ACC and the future looked just as bright where we were. You can argue that was the wrong decision, but I am not sure it was as clear cut as you imply.
 

SOWEGA Jacket

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Yes, the BIG folks are a bunch of arrogant jerks. I love my family who are BIG folks but they have very small world views yet think they are worldly. They are the equivalent of UNC, Duke, and UVA folks. And yes, a huge part of the snobbery and academic language regarding sports is because (like GT) they have been passed over in the athletic hierarchy by a bunch of southern schools. Mentally they just can’t let themselves accept it. Just like how we have many GT fans who disparage UGA with the Wal-Mart and “you’ll work for me“ comments all because they have been successful on the athletic field.

With that said, if GT gets an invite to the BIG we should jump at. If we are going to associate with a bunch of pompous jerks either way we may as well go where the money is. Now, obviously, I’d much rather join my southern brethren and join the SEC but I think that’s far fetched right now. Maybe in a few more iterations over the next 40 years or so that could happen if it becomes a 2 conference sport or if they just break apart and have 2 independent leagues.
 

stinger 1957

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If the BIG ends up with say 24-28 schools from up and down the west coast, across the country to up and down the east coast to say Miami with a majority of the large media mkts, does the SEC have problems at some point out 10-20 yrs from now? I think so. What do the rural schools, the low media mkt schools like Ole Miss, Miss St., AL, Auburn, AR, even MO, USCe, maybe others bring to the table? This is why there is a real blood battle going on between BIG and SEC IMO. I believe the BIG wins. We shall see.
 

UgaBlows

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I have lived in Wisconsin for over 33 years after living in Georgia for 39. Two of my daughters had VERY good ( 3.9 GPA/28 ACT ) grades in HS and were accepted at UW , one had good grades ( 3.0 GPA/24 ACT) and was not. One daughter applied at Tech ( she had been accepted at UW prior) and was wait listed until the following year.
IMHO, UW is a very good academic institution ( equal to Tech ???).
Realitically, NU and Purdue are probably the "elite" schools academically in the B1G, separate from the rest, and their success at FB reflects that. Obviously, ALL Power 5 schools take exceptions ! But I think there are exceptions , and then there are "exceptions;)". If Tech wanted to, it could offer a few "very easy" majors , but I think that's where they draw the line. That, and now with NIL are beginning to re-define the CFB landscape, and we currently are on the outside looking in.
The Georgia Board of Regents (controlled by uga grads) won’t allow us to add any easy majors.
 

iceeater1969

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The Georgia Board of Regents (controlled by uga grads) won’t allow us to add any easy majors.
Many states have research designated colleges that have a alternate courses of study in addition to STEM.
(ON knights data sort u can sodt by Research. )

Your point is correct but i think it is more limiting.

I have heard on this site that
IF THE UGA system has a course of study then Gt may not offer that course of study.
However since Gt engineering is so hard UGA now offers engr degrees.

Some ciriculum accommodation has been made to allow for a general scientific and literature type degree for non Stem.

Further accommodation is necessary ( imo) if Gt want to have recruits be rshirt seniors on team. Being realistic about injuries - football players will miss - play hurt or miss 1 year. At Gt incoming hs players all take AP classes and during summer they take classes. Throw in a redshirt year and you have a graduating football player w 2 years ( 3 w Covid-we tail gate w parents that say this ) eligibility and he has yet to see the field.
NCAA rules say must attend classes to play.

Would be nice if playrr who has graduated from GT could take courses at Emory College/ ga state and be eligible.

Unless Hill fights to remove these systemic catch 22 issues we will be punching up hill.

Gt has way more issues that make being good at football very difficult , yet the Prez dont do more than lip service to help.
 
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